Fixtures
- Aston Villa Women Vs. Bristol City Women – Sat, Feb 3rd 2024, 12:30
Poundland Bescot Stadium opens its doors for the one and only time in February as Bristol City come to town on Saturday afternoon.
Aston Villa have started 2024 with a mixed bag of results, losing to Everton and Manchester United either side of a 1-0 win at Leicester City.
The hosts come into the match in eighth place but are just six points behind fifth-place Liverpool.
Bristol City currently sit at the foot of the WSL table and are finding life difficult in their first season back in the top flight.
Our opponents are winless in their last 11 games in all competitions, a run that contains our 2-0 success at Ashton Gate in November.
And with upcoming games against Leicester City and Brighton & Hove Albion to come, it’s beginning to look like now or never.
Standout Stats
Villa are unbeaten across their three WSL meetings with Bristol City (W2 D1), including a 2-0 away win earlier this season.
This will be just the second time Bristol City have travelled to face Villa in the Women’s Super League after April 2021 when the Robins came from 2-0 behind at half-time to draw 2-2.
None of Villa’s last 13 Women’s Super League games have ended as a draw (W5 L8) since a 3-3 draw with Liverpool last May. Villa are the only side without a draw in the WSL this season.
Villa halted a four-game home WSL losing run with victory over Brighton in their last game of 2023. The Villans have never won consecutive home games in the competition, with this their 39th home
game.
Villa have never lost a Women’s Super League game against a newly promoted side, winning four and drawing one of their five such games.
Since the start of last season, only Khadija Shaw (33) has scored more WSL goals than Rachel Daly (28). The only side she has faced in that time without scoring against is Bristol City (one
game earlier this season).
The Last Meeting
Villa were denied a crucial win in the WSL when these two sides met in April 2021.
Villa took a two-goal lead into half-time, and held that position until the closing stages of what was a frenetic game.
Faye Bryson and Ella Mastrantonio struck, however, to break the hearts of those in claret & blue.
The result seemed a fatal one at the time, with relegation fears in the forefront of everyone’s minds.
But Villa would dramatically avoid the drop on the final day.
Team News
Carla Ward confirmed during Thursday morning’s press conference that Lucy Staniforth is set for an indefinite spell on the sidelines.
The midfielder sustained an ankle injury ahead of our recent Conti Cup tie with Sunderland and will undergo surgery in the coming days.
Meanwhile, Lucy Parker remains out with her own ankle injury and Dan Turner’s status for this weekend is to be determined.
New signing Miri Taylor could feature.
The Boss
“The mood in the group is good. They’re a tight-knit group so not too much will faze them. It’s my job to keep them in that mood. It’s must-win. I’ve said that a few times this season but when I say that we usually step up. Bristol City are fighting. Every game for them is a cup final, they need to find points. It’s not going to be easy. It wasn’t easy when we went there.” – Carla Ward
