Simon Stone
BBC Sport Chief Football News Reporter at Leigh Sports Village

It always seems to be grey and wet when I come to Leigh Sports Village and today is no different.

The grim conditions won't improve the mood of the West Ham team, whose coach broke down travelling to the game.

A victory would cheer their spirits though.

Image source, BBC Sport

Image source, Getty Images

West Ham boss Rehanne Skinner issued a rallying cry to her players this week ahead of their trip north to take on Manchester United. The message was simple: "Turn up".

West Ham have never won away to Manchester United in the Women's Super League, and today's encounter appears an opportune moment to break that duck given United's sharp downturn form of late.

"We've got to turn up and we've got to make sure that we're really at the races," said Skinner in her pre match press conference. "You can't take Man United lightly, that's for sure."

She added, "We expect them to make life really difficult for us because regardless of [their] recent form, they've still got quality to make life tough."

Image source, Getty Images

Marc Skinner has called for his Manchester United side to rediscover their early season form when they welcome West Ham to Leigh Sports Village this afternoon.

"Regardless of what West Ham bring, I want to see my team perform [like] back to the start of the season," said Skinner in his pre-match press conference.

After winning five and drawing two of their opening seven games the Red Devils are now winless and goaless in their last two league outings.

He added, "I think we’ve already played half of a season of games, and we’ve not even come into this block yet.

"I want to see that cohesion, and that’s a challenge I’m going to be giving us at the weekend.”

Manchester United welcome West Ham this afternoon with the history books on their side, having won all five previous top flight home games against the Hammers.

Though United have lost their last two league games, conceding four goals without mustering a single response.

Visitors West Ham have the form book on their side, taking four points from the last six available in the WSL.

Away from the pitch there was some wonderful news for Manchester United forward Celin Bizet this week, as she announced that she is expecting her first child with husband Aron.

The Norway international is the second player in the United squad to begin a journey into motherhood after teammate Hannah Blundell gave birth to her daughter Romi in March before returning to Women’s Super League action earlier this season.

Image source, Getty Images

Manchester United were handed a huge boost this week as first choice keeper Phallon Tullis-Joyce was passed fit to return to action after missing the side’s last three fixtures with a fractured eye socket.

The USA international claimed 13 assists on the way to winning the 2024-25 joint WSL Golden Glove, and had earned 7 clean sheets across all competitions prior to her absence.

Tullis-Joyce’s return will be widely welcomed for a United side that have shipped ten goals in their last four outings.

Image source, Getty Images

Ciara Fleming
BBC Sport

Substitute Stina Blackstenius scored a late winner against Liverpool to send Arsenal back into the top three of the Women's Super League.

The Sweden forward broke free of a tired Liverpool defence to latch on to a through ball before cutting on to her left foot and arrowing a finish into the top right corner at Emirates Stadium.

Liverpool remain winless after nine league games. This was their seventh defeat under manager Gareth Taylor.

Simon Stone
BBC Sport Chief Football News Reporter at Leigh Sports Village

Phallon Tullis-Joyce returns in goal for Marc Skinner’s side after recovering from the fractured eye socket that has ruled her out of the last three games.

Elisabeth Terland and Jess Park also return to the Manchester United line-up, with Fridolina Rolfö and Simi Amujo dropping down to the bench.

After an impressive start to the season, United have lost three of their last four games, including a shock defeat to Aston Villa on their last outing at Leigh Sports Village.

Manchester United XI: Tullis-Joyce, Riviere, Le Tissier, Janssen, Sandberg, Zigiotte Olme, Miyazawa, Park, Toone, Terland, Malard.

Substitutes: Middleton-Patel, Rendell, George, Blundell, Awujo, Galton, Naalsund, Rolfo, Williams.

West Ham make two changes with Eva Nyström and Ffion Morgan coming in for Shelina Zadorsky and Anouk Denton, who both miss out completely.

Rehanne Skinner only names eight substitutes, including two goalkeepers.

West Ham have collected four points from their last two games, including a first Women’s Super League win of the season against Everton on 16 November.

West Ham XI: Szemik, Endo, Tysiak, Nystrom, Morgan, Gorry, Siren, Hanshaw, Ueki, Martinez, Asseyi.

Substitutes: Walsh, O’Hanlon, Belloumou, Wandeler, Houssein, Taylor-Brown, Cemal, Piubel.

As always, we would love to hear your thoughts on today's match.

You can get involved by clicking the Get Involved button on this page, and ping us any of your thoughts on this game.

There could be plenty of moving and shaking in the WSL table off the back of these noon kick-offs today.

Man City will aim to put a six point gap between themselves and Chelsea, and of the Blues facing Everton later this afternoon.

Man Utd are aiming to leapfrog back over Arsenal into the top three, although opponents West Ham would love to put some clear water between themselves and Liverpool after the Reds were beaten at Emirates Stadium yesterday.

Martin Ho makes two changes to the Tottenham side that held Arsenal to a goalless draw last time out.

Club captain Beth England starts up top in place of injured top scorer Cathinka Tandberg, while Molly Bartrip takes the place of Toko Koga in the backline.

Spurs XI: Kop, Bartrip, Nilden, Naz, England (c), Holdt, Vinberg, Hunt, Spence, Summanen, Neville.

Subs: Heeps, Radbourne, Koga, Rybrink, Thomas, Gunning-Williams, Dennis.

Aston Villa boss Natalia Arroyo opts for three changes after her side's 3-1 defeat to London City in their last WSL fixture.

Lynn Wilms, Missy Bo Kearns and Georgia Mullett are all absent through injury, so Anna Patten, Ebony Salmon and teenager Rachel Maltby start.

Youngsters Imogen Seymour, Piper Lea and Milly Round all make the step up from the U21s to make the bench.

Villa XI: D'Angelo, Maritz, Patten, Deslandes, Grant, Kendall, Taylor, Maltby, Daly (c), Salmon, Hanson.

Subs: Roebuck, Kelly, Sallaway, Seymour, Mayling, Tomas, Lea, Hijikata, Round.

Rick Passmoor makes four changes to the Leicester XI that lost 3-0 to WSL 2 side Crystal Palace in the League Cup before the international break.

Janina Leitzig returns in goal, while Hannah Cain and Janic Cayman will look to get the Foxes attack firing.

Julie Thibaud replaces Sari Kees in defence.

Leicester XI: Leitzig, Thibaud, Boureille, Swaby, Ale, Tierney, McLoughlin, Cayman (C), O'Brien, Cain, Eiriksdottir.

Subs: Clark, Keane, Kees, Wellesley-Smith, Las, Sherwood, Van Egmond, Goodwin, Ayane.

Image source, Opta

Andree Jeglertz also makes four changes following Man City's 2-0 League Cup victory away to Nottingham Forest.

Ayaka Yamashita starts between the sticks, while Laura Blinkilde Brown replaces Sydney Lohmann in midfield.

Aoba Fujino and Vivianne Miedema replace Grace Clinton and Laura Coombs.

Injury keeps out Khiara Keating, Lohmann and Alex Greenwood.

Man City XI: Yamashita, Casparij (C), Rose, Knaak, Ouahabi, Blindkilde Brown, Hasegawa, Hemp, Fujino, Miedema, Shaw.

Subs: Cumings, Clinton, Coombs, Wienroither, Kerolin, Beney, Prior, Thomas, Murphy.

Image source, Opta

Jocelyn Precheur names the same London City Lionesses line-up as the side who beat Aston Villa 3-1 in their last Women's Super League game.

London City Lionesses XI: Lete, Fernandez, Kumagai, Asllani, Linari, Godfrey, Parris, Goodwin, Imuran, Sangare, Geyoro.

Subs: Hillyerd, Kardinaal, Goldie, Perez, Jakobsson, Franssi, Roddar, Zelem, Kennedy.

There are three changes for Brighton from the side who beat Leicester 4-1 in their last game before the international break.

Maelys Mpome and Jelena Cankovic are not in the squad, while Charlize Rule drops to the bench.

They are replaced by Manuela Vanegas, Rosa Kafaji and Caitlin Hayes.

Brighton XI: Nnadozie, Vanegas, Minami, Kafaji, Symonds, Seike, Noordam, Hayes, Olislagers, Haley, McLauchlan.

Subs: Baggaley, Poulter, Kirby, Carabali, Camacho, Tsunoda, Rule, Milner, Balmer.

We'll be bringing you coverage of five Women's Super League fixtures today.

League leaders Man City head to Leicester in one of four 12:00 GMT kick offs before champions Chelsea welcome Everton at 14:30 GMT - that game will be shown live on BBC iPlayer and Red Button from kick off.

A little bit of breaking news before we bring you today's teams.

The kick-off at Progress With Unity Stadium has been delayed by a quarter of an hour after the West Ham coach broke down on route to the north-west this morning.

"We can confirm that today's WSL fixture will kick off at 12:15 GMT, 15 minutes later than originally scheduled," a league statement read.

"This decision has been taken due to logistical issues affecting the arrival time of the visiting team.

"Officials have liaised with both clubs, with each side in agreement regarding the change to kick-off due to the unforeseen circumstances. We sincerely apologise for any inconvenience caused to supporters by the late change in timings."

Welcome to another WSL Sunday, where once again we have a glut of noon kick-offs to bring you.

Four games kick-off in the early slot, before champions Chelsea host struggling Everton in the later game.

We'll bring you all the goals and incidents right here as they happen.