Wsl

That is according to Tottenham defender Kerys Harrop, who told Stats Perform she is expecting the 2021-22 campaign to be the "most exciting yet".

Stoney departed United at the end of last season after steering the club into the top flight and then to successive fourth-placed finishes in the WSL across her three years in charge.

The Red Devils have opted for an experienced replacement, with former Birmingham City and Orlando Pride boss Marc Skinner taking the reins.

United led the way at the top of the division come the end of last year, but hampered by injury issues they slipped down to fourth, one point behind third-placed Arsenal.

United States duo Tobin Heath and Christen Press have departed, while Jessica Sigsworth, Amy Turner, Lauren James and  Abbie McManus have also moved on.

But with Hannah Blundell, Aoife Mannion, Sophie Baggaley, Martha Thomas and Vilde Boe Risa all arriving, Harrop believes United can possibly go one better this time around.

"I think it's realistic ambition for them and certainly what Marc and the players I know there, former team-mates of mine, want," Harrop said.

"And then you've still got other teams like ourselves at Tottenham and you have got Brighton, who will be wanting to push on this year as well, Everton too.

"I know we say every year that it's going to be the most exciting season yet. But I believe it actually will be. 

"Everton have invested as well as us, even Villa to an extent as well. So I think it's going to be really important for this game for the top three places.

"But certainly in and around the top half of the league, I think it's going to be really interesting and really exciting."

Skinner was widely praised for his work at Birmingham, whom he led to the FA Cup final in 2017 and to fourth in the table in the WSL in 2019.

The 38-year-old finished bottom of the National Women's Soccer League in his first season with Orlando before a more promising start to the 2021 campaign.

Harrop was part of the Birmingham side that achieved success under Skinner and expects her former manager to be a success on his return to the English game.

"It was really tough to see when he got the job [with Orlando]," Harrop said. 

"You know, he kind of went out to Orlando and got that experience, but I think deep down he'd always wanted to manage in the WSL. 

"I think he's got a quite unique style of play, certainly from when I was under him at Birmingham. And he's well respected. I know he'll get the best out of all the players there. 

"That's certainly what he did with us at Birmingham. It's going to be interesting to see whether his style has changed since being out in America. 

"He was quite adamant on the way that he wanted his teams play."

Harrop is entering her second season as a Tottenham player and has made the third-most appearances of any player in WSL history.

Spurs finished eighth in the top flight in 2020-21, but Harrop is hopeful of challenging United for a Champions League berth this coming season in their first full campaign under Rehanne Skinner.

"I definitely think we will improve," she said. "You know, we've already kind of stayed ourselves and we want at least a top four finish, if not higher. 

"Rhian's recruited well. She's bought in a lot of good new quality, kind of international signings really. Every year you want to improve but I think realistically we can definitely develop on last season. 

"I think just having Rhian in from the beginning will help. Last season she came in in January, so it was a lot harder for her to kind of implement all her tactics and her style of play. 

"This year we've had everyone together from the beginning of pre-season in terms of her and the coaching staff. So hopefully there will be a bit of flow to the league this year."

 According to a report in the Guardian newspaper, sources indicate that the Jamaica forward was sent to the French embassy on Tuesday morning in a bid to secure an expedited visa application, but the request was ultimately refused. While Manchester City has denied that Shaw was asked to secure a late visa, the club is reportedly confident that this setback will not affect future matches.

 City's road to the Champions League group stage has been rocky over the past three seasons. They failed to qualify for the group stage in each of those campaigns, crashing out in the qualifying rounds to Real Madrid in two seasons and finishing fourth in the Women's Super League (WSL) in the 2022-23 season, thereby missing out on automatic qualification. The absence of Shaw in this critical match against a formidable Paris FC side could pose a significant challenge to their qualification hopes this year.

 Paris FC is no stranger to tough competition; last season, they eliminated both Arsenal and Wolfsburg to advance to the group stage, where they finished third in Group D ahead of Real Madrid. Their impressive campaign included two wins over Madrid and competitive performances against top teams like Häcken and Chelsea. With such a formidable opponent, City will undoubtedly feel the impact of Shaw's absence, despite the arrival of Dutch forward Vivianne Miedema from Arsenal.

 Shaw's absence is particularly notable given her remarkable form in the WSL last season. She was the league's top scorer, netting 21 goals in just 18 games—matching Sam Kerr’s 2021-22 tally and falling just one short of Vivianne Miedema's and Rachel Daly's record 22-goal seasons in 2018-19 and 2022-23, respectively. Her performances earned her multiple accolades, including WSL Player of the Season, the Professional Footballers’ Association’s Women’s Footballer of the Year, and the Football Writers’ Association’s Women’s Footballer of the Year.

 Manchester City will now have to navigate the challenging tie against Paris FC without their most prolific scorer, a setback that adds pressure to their bid for a return to the Champions League group stage. The club will hope that this visa issue is an isolated incident and not a precursor to future complications as they seek to establish their presence in European competition once more.

Shaw bagged five goals in three league appearances, including four in the recent 7-2 thrashing of Brighton and Hove Albion.

The other Manchester City player up for the award is Caroline Weir, who crafted Bunny's effort against West Ham in a 2-0 triumph and bagged two goals and two assists against Leicester and Brighton and Hove Albion.

Together, the pair played key roles as City finished the month with a 100 per cent record, with three league wins and an FA Cup semi-final victory over West Ham United.

The pair are up against Aston Villa's Rachel Corsie, Chelsea duo Jessie Fleming and Sam Kerr, Arsenal's Beth Mead and Birmingham's Louise Quinn.

Voting closes on May 6.

A high crowd at the Emirates was significantly larger than the previous record – set when 38,262 people watched the same two sides face off at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium in November 2019.

Arsenal boss Jonas Eidevall said the match would represent a historic moment for the women's game on Friday, declaring: "They're not giveaways, they're not discounted, they're sold tickets.

"I think that's really special, because that means the interest there, it is for real."

Those in attendance at the Emirates on Saturday were not disappointed, as Vivianne Miedema's brace, as well as goals from Beth Mead and Rafaelle, fired Eidevall's side to a dominant win.

Miedema's tally of eight goals against Spurs is a WSL record, while Arsenal have become the first team in the competition's history to keep eight consecutive clean sheets after shutting their rivals out.

The landmark occasion represents another high-point for the women's game in England.

A record crowd for any European Championship fixture – men's or women's – was set at Wembley Stadium when 87,192 watched the Lionesses win their first major trophy by beating Germany on July 31.

The 33-year-old Jamaican international, who has already featured in Tottenham’s first six games of the current WSL season, is thrilled to extend her stay. "I'm over the moon," Spencer shared with SPURSPLAY. "Having been here for a long time now, it was important for me to get this done. It’s amazing that the club wants to keep me here, and I'm really, really happy."

Spencer reflected on her time at Tottenham, recalling the club’s early days in the WSL. "When I first joined, we had just been promoted to the WSL, and the journey has been incredible. We’ve come a long way, and I’m excited to keep moving forward with the team," she said.

Over an 18-year career, Spencer has gained extensive experience in both England and the United States. Through highs and lows, including injuries and team transitions, she’s become a seasoned WSL veteran. Now approaching her 100th appearance for Tottenham, Spencer highlighted the special moments that have defined her time at the club, recalling her debut game against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge. "That first game against Chelsea was huge for us—just one-nil down and competing against top teams showed everyone we had arrived," she reminisced.

As she enters her sixth season with Tottenham, Spencer is committed to guiding younger players and helping the club grow. "Throughout my career, I’ve wanted to leave every club in a better place than I found it," she added. "I hope to be a mentor and make an impact off the pitch as well, so that when my time here ends, I can leave feeling proud of what we’ve achieved."

With Spencer’s leadership, Tottenham Hotspur Women look forward to building on last season's top-six finish and pushing even further in the competitive landscape of the WSL. For Spencer, the new deal is more than just an extension—it's a commitment to shaping the future of the club and ensuring its growth, both now and beyond her playing days.

The 26-year-old signed a two-and-a-half-year deal with Chelsea in November, having claimed the Golden Boot and been named MVP with Chicago Red Stars in the NWSL.

Kerr scored five times at the Women's World Cup last year, too, but could not get off the mark on her Blues bow at Kingsmeadow on Sunday.

The forward was heavily involved throughout, however, and might have had her big moment inside two minutes, wastefully firing over after dashing through on goal.

Reading captain Fara Williams made Kerr pay for her profligacy with a deflected opener after 15 minutes, but the visitors were swiftly dealt a blow as goalkeeper Grace Moloney was sent off for a rugged challenge on Chelsea's new star, who required treatment.

Replacement Rachael Laws denied Kerr with her legs, yet a first Super League assist followed, a cute backheel sending Beth England clear to round the goalkeeper and equalise.

And Kerr was again key when Chelsea's second arrived after 64 minutes; her one-on-one finish was saved but the rebound fell kindly for Guro Reiten, who executed a superb lob.

Erin Cuthbert added a close-range third, before Kerr was substituted off to a cheer with 13 minutes left.

The former Arsenal, Chelsea and West Ham player, who also played for the England national team earlier in her career, moved to Liverpool in July.

Flaherty, 31, says she has been "slaughtered on social media" after matches in the Women's Super League by fans of her own team.

Her comments drew a largely sympathetic response, with some Liverpool supporters insisting such critics were in the minority.

Flaherty wrote on Twitter after Liverpool's 1-0 defeat at Tottenham on Sunday: "Joining a new team is hard in the first place but to not be approved of by the fans & to just get slaughtered on social media after most games by your own fans is [heartbreaking].

"I've never cared about opposition fans doing it but when it's your own fans it hits on another level."

Two-time World Cup winner Morgan has signed for the 2020-21 season, subject to obtaining a visa, which will be Spurs' second as a professional side in the WSL.

The 31-year-old attacker will arrive from Orlando Pride ahead of the Fall Series and the team will retain her NWSL rights upon her return.

Morgan, who will be reunited with Pride loanees Alanna Kennedy and Shelina Zadorsky in north London, has not played competitively since giving birth to her daughter in May.

Pride head coach Marc Skinner said: "We understand and support Alex heading to England in order to obtain more match and training opportunities.

"Returning to play has been a long time coming for Alex and, as a player that is looking to not only get back to match fitness but also compete for an Olympic roster spot, the additional months of games and training beyond the NWSL's October 17 end date is right for her."

Morgan has won 169 caps and scored 107 goals for the USA, with whom she won gold at the 2012 Olympic Games in London.

She is the latest USA international to join a team in the WSL, after Manchester United brought in Tobin Heath and Christen Press, and Manchester City signed Rose Lavelle and Sam Mewis.

Her only previous stint in Europe came with Lyon in 2017, when she won a league, cup and Champions League treble.

Morgan has made the FIFPro World 11 on three occasions and placed third in the 2019 Ballon d'Or voting.

Its commercial value can grow sixfold to €686million by 2033 and club sponsorship could swell to €295million by the same point, according to European football's governing body.

The developing professional leagues across Europe remain at an early stage of growth, emphasised by the fact spending on international player transfers topped €2m for the first time last year.

UEFA published its 'Business Case for Women’s Football' on Tuesday, with the women's game planning to capitalise on the success of international tournaments such as Euro 2022 by aiming to steer supporters and investors towards the clubs and leagues that in some cases are battling to survive.

The report said stakeholders have "an extraordinary opportunity to develop and professionalise women's football in Europe over the next decade by investing now" to unlock "enormous potential".

The report's findings would enable stakeholders "to make informed decisions and invest on the scale required", its authors said.

UEFA explained that previous data in this area, looking at the prospect for future growth, meant there was an "inconsistent and incomplete" picture of what the years to come might hold. It said its research and data investigations this time were "unprecedented" in their scale.

Former Germany striker Nadine Kessler, who is now UEFA's chief of women's football, hailed the game as being "on an incredibly exciting trajectory".

Kessler added: "The potential of the women's game is limitless and we believe we are on course to take women's football to heights that were unimaginable just a few years ago.

"As this report shows, now is the time to capitalise on the momentum we have created together, now is the time to get involved, now is the time to invest."

The research showed that a current fan base of 144million could reach 328million in 10 years' time. Followers were described as being broadly "diverse, progressive and young", with close to one in three fans of the women's game found to be new to football.

Lyon president Jean-Michel Aulas pointed to the prospect of short-term losses for long-term gains.

Aulas, an early advocate of the women's game, said: "In the early years, there will be losses to reach a certain level and become successful. Over time, the investment will create excellent value for the club through new partners and a differentiated fan base."

That was reflected in the report stating the "majority" of leagues and teams are making a loss, relying on support from club owners or men's team budgets to remain sustainable.

Some 87 per cent of integrated clubs said involvement with women's clubs had brought about a reputational boost.

UEFA said its research showed 70 per cent of women's clubs and 50 per cent of leagues are aiming to be self-sustainable within the next decade.

All three goals came from the spot, with Chelsea's Fran Kirby firing home in the third minute, before Stengel equalised in the 67th minute and netted the winner three minutes from the end on her WSL debut.

It is the first time a promoted team have defeated the reigning champions in their opening match since March 2015, when Liverpool were on the receiving end of a 2-1 loss against Sunderland.

Stengel said Liverpool came into the contest against Chelsea with strong belief.

"[We felt] we could win this game," she told Sky Sports. "It's just another team out there, another 11 players, and we've prepared all pre-season, so why not believe in ourselves?"

Speaking about her second penalty, late in the game, Stengel added: "I told myself, 'Don't miss' – please don't miss – all these people will make fun of me if I miss'. I got lucky, I guess."

This round of games was intended to be the second round of fixtures, but the first week's programme was postponed following the death of Queen Elizabeth II.

Liverpool manager Matt Beard echoed the sentiment that his team were a match for Chelsea, and that they deserved the result in the end.

"It's just the first game, and I felt over the course of the game that we deserved it," Beard said.

"It's great that we've started with three points at home – this was a fortress for us last year, and we made it uncomfortable and difficult for Chelsea today."

A gripping showpiece at Wembley on Sunday saw England scrape a 2-1 victory after extra time, with substitutes Ella Toone and Chloe Kelly getting the goals for the hosts.

Williamson lifted the trophy as a record crowd of 87,192 saluted the first-time champions, who have been steered to glory by Sarina Wiegman, the manager who led the Netherlands to the win the European Championship five years ago.

"I just can't stop crying," said Williamson in a pitchside BBC interview.

"We talk and we talk and we talk, and we finally do it. It's about doing it on the pitch, and I tell you what – the kids are all right!

"It's the proudest moment of my life until the day I have kids I suppose, so I'm going to lap it up.

"I was advised to take in every single second because you're going to want to relive it over and over, and I'll be reliving that for a long time.

"The legacy of this tournament is the change in society. It's everything that we've done. We've brought everybody together. We've got people at games, and we want them to come to WSL [Women's Super League] games, but the legacy of this team is winners and that's the start of a journey.

"I love every single one of them. I'm so proud to be English."

As England celebrated their finest hour, Lionesses legend Alex Scott revealed top clubs in England had refused to allow their stadiums to be used for the European finals, and said any johnny-come-lately sponsorship hopefuls had probably already missed the boat.

Scott and Ian Wright, both working as pundits, spoke of their hopes for how the women's game could continue to grow, with Wright making an impassioned plea for those charmed by the England team over the past four weeks to get out to club games.

And Scott, a member of the England team who lost 6-2 to Germany in the Euro 2009 final, took a swipe at those who in her view had done women's football no favours.

Scott: "Let's remind ourselves that in 2018 we were begging people to host in their stadiums a women's game for this Euros. So many people said no. I hope you're all looking at yourselves right now because you weren't brave enough.

"I'm not standing up at corporate events in front of sponsors any more begging for them to get involved in the women's game, because you know what, if you're not involved you've missed the boat, you've missed the train. Because look at this: it has finally left the station, and it is gathering speed."

Beth Mead was named player of the tournament and won the Golden Boot, pipping Alexandra Popp on an assists tie-breaker after they finished level on six goals. Popp missed the final through injury.

But it was not Mead who was the hero in the final, as England's substitutes stepped up again.

Toone, who lobbed in a brilliant opening goal, is among the young players set to play a huge part in the future of the England side.

The 22-year-old Manchester United forward said of Sunday's success: "It doesn't seem real. I'm absolutely buzzing my head off.

"It's the best moment of my career, the best moment of my life ever. I'm absolutely on top of the world and I'm so proud to do it with these girls."

The Manchester City boss is recognised as a coach who encourages technical excellence, having been brought up through the Barcelona system and taken the teachings with him.

As head coach of Barcelona, Bayern Munich and latterly City, Guardiola has nurtured teams through innovation, looking for his players to produce a possession-based game.

There has been fluidity and intensity at the core of his teams, and the end result has been the emergence of some of football's most entertaining, highly skilled teams of the modern era.

He recognises excellence when he sees it, and Guardiola believes it is coursing through the women's game at present.

Sunday's final is set to be played in front of a full house at Wembley, with the tournament having already smashed previous European Championship attendance records.

"Well I think they deserve all the credit, women footballers around the world, how they rise, how they are doing incredibly good, so they deserve what they are getting," Guardiola said.

"Before, years ago, there was maybe not the media, maybe it was not being followed like it is, and it has happened because they are doing incredible things in the style, the way they play."

Given his previous Bayern allegiance, Guardiola is reluctant to pick a winner, even though a number of England's squad play for City's women's team, including Ellen White, Lauren Hemp and Keira Walsh.

Germany have won the Women's Euros eight times previously, while England have yet to be champions.

"Before, I was working in Germany, I want the best for both [teams]," said Guardiola, whose City team will face Liverpool in the Community Shield in Leicester on Saturday.

"Of course, we want a good final. England can play a good game, and it's a big success for both national teams to get to the final. Of course both will want to win it, at an incredible scenario at Wembley.

"I think the crowd will be completely full and hopefully they can enjoy a good game and the best team wins. Congratulations. It's so nice for England – arriving at the final is a big achievement."

White is England's all-time leading goalscorer, netting 50 times in 108 international appearances since her 2010 debut.

She finished as the joint-top goalscorer as England reached the 2019 Women's World Cup final, matching United States duo Megan Rapinoe and Alex Morgan with six strikes and taking the Bronze Boot, but has struggled on the domestic front recently.

White only netted four goals in 22 WSL appearances for third-placed Manchester City in the 2021-22 season and spurned several decent openings in England's 1-0 win over Austria on Wednesday.

She registered four shots totalling 0.49 expected goals in the Lionesses' Old Trafford opener, both match-high figures, but failed to find the net.

Yet White was bullish when asked whether her lack of goals was affecting her, telling a media conference: "No, I'm excited to be part of this England team.

"We've got some great talent, competition, and I'm loving every minute of playing for this team.

"Ultimately, my job is to score goals, of course. We've got some great wingers in this team and midfielders, backline, everyone. 

"I've got to be in the right place at the right time and hopefully, all the training I've done, [I] will help the team any way I can.

"I think there's always pressure to keep that number nine role. We've got some phenomenal talent, and it's super competitive, and I think that's really healthy, throughout the whole squad really.

"I think that's an amazing part of this team. We have 23 players that are so talented, and every single day in training it's super competitive and pushing each other and wanting each other to do well. I think it's a good headache for Sarina.

"She's super supportive and really helped with movement in and around the box, and the vision – she's been amazing on that front."

England take on Norway at Brighton and Hove Albion's AMEX Stadium on Monday and could clinch a spot in the knockout stages with a win, depending on the result of Northern Ireland's clash with Austria.

Meanwhile, White also offered her take on the team's request to Nike to change the colour of their white shorts due to concerns over players' periods, highlighting the importance of such conversations taking place in public.

"I think it's a really great conversation to have," she said. "We play football, we are on our periods, and definitely there has been feedback with Nike about the kit. 

"Our kit is lovely, but at times, when you are on your period, you do worry a little bit about that.

"It's important we are talking about it and made aware of what we can do to help support women when they are on their periods. It's a great conversation and one we need to continue to have really."