Carla Ward’s Aston Villa make the trip to the Select Car Leasing Stadium to face bottom of the pile Reading this Sunday in the WSL. Here’s the latest heading into Villa’s penultimate away game of the season…
THE BUILD UP
Ward’s side look to finish the season on a high as they face Kelly Chambers’ relegation-threatened Reading this week, with just three games remaining in the WSL. The claret and blue outfit hope to maintain their fifth-place position and be considered ‘the best of the rest’, when compared with the league’s four elite teams: Chelsea, Arsenal, Manchester United and Manchester City.
It was heartbreak for Villa last time out, having lost 3-2 to Marc Skinners’ title-chasing Man United thanks to a 94th minute winner from Millie Turner. Rachel Daly opened the scoring at the Bescot Stadium, before the Reds responded just six minutes later through Leah Galton. Daly put her side back in front before the break, but Nikita Parris replied just past the hour mark in what was a thrilling Friday night fixture.
Despite the late goal and disappointing result, there were plenty of positives to take from the game – positives that Carla Ward hopes will continue into this weekend.
Reading were also defeated last time out, with Gareth Taylor’s Manchester City the victors at the Academy Stadium. Despite opening the scoring after just a minute through Sanne Troelsgaard, the Royals were defeated 4-1 on the road with Chloe Kelly, Khadija Shaw, Lauren Hemp and Steph Houghton the goalscorers for the home side. This result kept Reading at the foot of the table, two points adrift of Brighton who sit above them in eleventh.
When these two sides last met in the league (at Villa Park), the Villans brushed their opponents aside by three goals to one, thanks to Rachel Daly’s hat-trick and helped by a second-half red card for ‘keeper Jacqueline Wilson. Will Daly’s goal-scoring brilliance help Villa on their way to another three points this Sunday or will Reading pull off a shock defeat and lift themselves out of the relegation zone?
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TEAM NEWS
ASTON VILLA
Aston Villa midfielder Remi Allen made her playing return for the U21 side in midweek and is therefore back in contention for the first team ahead of Sunday’s fixture against her old club Reading.
The club revealed an update on Allen’s condition earlier today, stating: “Remi featured for our WSL Academy on Wednesday and is in contention for minutes this weekend.”
The club also provided status reports on duo Rachel Corsie and Simone Magill. On Corsie, head coach Carla Ward said: “Rachel is closing in on a return having been out since March with a knee injury.
“The defender is expected to be available for our game against Liverpool in two weeks.”
On Magille, Ward revealed: “Simone is available for minutes this weekend.”
Elsewhere, winger Kirsty Hanson is back available after missing the United fixture due to loan prohibitions, whilst youngster Evie Rabjohn has this week agreed a move to the Red Devils; she will join at the end of the season on a free transfer.
READING
Reading, meanwhile, will be without the goalkeeper who started the previous meeting between these two sides, Jacequline Burns, due to the 26-year-old’s Achilles injury which is set to keep the Northern Irish shot-stopper out for the remainder of the season.
30-year-old back-up ‘keeper Grace Moloney, who has played in her absence, is therefore expected to be between the sticks on Sunday.
Also absent for the upcoming fixture is defensive duo Deanna Cooper and Lily Woodham. Cooper has missed the previous eight games across all competitions through injury, whilst Woodham missed the defeats to Everton and Manchester City at the end of April and is not expected to feature this week.
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PREDICTED LINE-UP
Letβs take a look at my predicted line-up for this upcoming fixtureβ¦
Do you agree? Who makes your side? Share yours now and let’s discuss?
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AUTHOR | LIAM DAVIES
Authorβs UTV PODCAST archive Liam Davies – UTV Podcast | An Aston Villa Blog
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