Women's Super League

Joe Bradshaw
BBC Sport senior journalist

Image source, Getty Images

Tottenham manager Martin Ho is taking the FA Cup seriously this weekend as he plots tangible success in his first season at the club.

Ho took over last summer after Spurs finished second bottom in the 2024-25 Women's Super League, but just past the midway point of this campaign, he has Tottenham in fourth, level with Arsenal in the third Champions League spot.

That was achieved thanks to a 1-0 win over Leicester on Sunday, and Ho will lock horns with Foxes counterpart Rick Passmoor once again in this weekend's FA Cup fourth round.

"It's a prestigious competition," Ho said. "Something every coach, club and player wants to be part of.

"We take every competition seriously - I don't see the cups as one where you rotate players for the sake of it. We'll go into the game with the strongest possible team, because we want to compete for all honours."

Ho has been clear he is ambitious to achieve at Tottenham and said doing well in the FA Cup is part of that objective.

"It can create special moments and real happiness to supporters," he said. "If we show ambition, desire and togetherness, this squad is capable of reaching the latter stages and competing to win.

"I wouldn't have joined if the club's ambition didn't match mine.

"The ownership has invested heavily in the team, in players, staff, facilities and infrastructure. They want this team competing in Europe consistently and challenging for honours domestically.

"I share that ambition completely."

Image source, Getty Images

Manchester United boss Marc Skinner has explained his decision to replace midfielder Simi Awujo just 11 minutes after she came on as a substitute at Arsenal last Sunday.

Awujo replaced Fridolino Rolfe on 60 minutes but, following the dismissal of full-back Jayde Riviere five minutes later, the 22-year-old Canada international was taken off in favour of defensive reinforcements.

"I did it with a heavy heart," Skinner said. "It wasn't nice - it wasn't something I wanted to do.

"But it was the right thing for the team. My job is to look after individuals but to make sure the team functions the way we needed it in that moment.

"It was a positional necessity rather than anything personal.

"All you can do is make your decision and explain it because it affects another human. I felt I have done that and it should be put to bed now because Simi understood it."

Emma Sanders
BBC Sport women’s football news reporter

Image source, Getty Images

London City Lionesses manager Eder Maestre says it is a "dream" to be involved in the Women's FA Cup.

The 39-year-old joined the WSL in January having recently managed CD Tenerife Femenino in Spain's top-tier.

In his first game in charge, London City were held to a goalless draw by bottom side Liverpool.

They face Sunderland - currently eighth in the WSL 2 - in the Women's FA Cup on Saturday (12:15 GMT)y.

"For me, it is a very dramatic competition. Since I was a child, it was the competition that delivered the most surprising results," said Maestre.

"It is one of the most interesting and powerful competitions. Being part of it now as a coach is like a dream. I'm very pleased to be in it.

"I have been talking about the mindset that we need to improve - having that humble ambition. We need to respect Sunderland.

"They are going to play with that dream and the FA Cup energy."

Emma Sanders
BBC Sport women’s football news reporter

Image source, Getty Images

Leicester City have signed forward Rachel Williams from Manchester United on a one-and-a-half-year deal, with a club option to extend for a year.

The 38-year-old, who began her senior career at Leicester in 2004, returns to the club having won two FA Cup titles with Birmingham City and United.

During her 16-year career, Williams has earned 13 caps for England and represented Great Britain at the 2012 Olympic Games.

She won the WSL Golden Boot in 2011 while at Birmingham City and brings a wealth of experience from time at former clubs including Chelsea and Tottenham.

"I started my career here and I've always said I'd like to come back. Leicester is my hometown," said Williams.

"I feel like I still have a lot to offer the club and the opportunity to come back is something I've been looking forward to doing."

During her four-year stay at United, Williams scored 21 goals in 90 appearances and linked up with former Birmingham City manager Marc Skinner.

She scored in their FA Cup final victory over Tottenham in 2024 and also grabbed an 88th-minute winner against Brighton in the 2023 semi-finals.

"Rachel is one of the unique footballers - an icon for our club," said Skinner.

"I got a lot of grief when we brought her in but she has carved out a historic position for herself with the 'Ole Gunnar Solskjaer' super-sub role.

"I can't speak of her highly enough. We wish her the very best for the rest of her career. It was with a heavy heart we allowed her to go but it was the right move."

Emma Sanders
BBC Sport women’s football news reporter

Image source, Getty Images

Brighton manager Dario Vidosic expects midfielder Fran Kirby to remain at the club during the January transfer window despite reported interest from Juventus.

Reports in Italy, external claim Brighton have rejected three bids for 32-year-old Kirby but Vidosic says she is "very important" to the club.

He did not comment further on Juve's interest but emphasised the importance of Kirby, who joined from WSL champions Chelsea in 2024.

"She helps us a lot, not just on the field, but with leadership quality, experience and her calmness," said Vidosic.

"It helps the younger players and others around her. She leads by example. You can see when she's missing games, that there is a slight difference.

"We can't deny her quality or what she brings. She's definitely one I want here when 3 February rolls around!"

Brighton take on Nottingham Forest in this Sunday's FA Cup fourth round tie and he hopes success in the competition will help the club retain players like Kirby.

Asked if it was important to satisfy their ambitions with silverware, Vidosic said: "Yes. I think it's also the football style as well. When you look and feel that improvement, it's a big thing that helps. Fran sees it.

"The players are all ambitious and want to play at the highest level. We can't be angry at someone for those ambitions but we want to be right up there.

"We understand it's a process. It doesn't just happen overnight. We want to get to Wembley and I would love for this team to deliver silverware.

"The ambition is there but we need the likes of Fran, and players of that calibre, to help us achieve those ambitions."

Emma Sanders
BBC Sport women’s football news reporter

Image source, Getty Images

Newcastle manager Tanya Oxtoby says the gap between the Women's Super League and the second tier is "definitely closing".

Her side, currently sitting fourth in the WSL 2, are facing top-tier opposition West Ham in Friday's Women's FA Cup fourth round tie (19:30 GMT).

"When you look at the investment that goes into WSL 2 clubs in and around that top three or four - the squad depth and facilities and everything within that – then the gap is definitely closing," said Oxtoby, who joined Newcastle in November.

"There's still a physical gap, I think, that clubs are aware of. We're working really hard to make sure we're in a position to impact that.

"If clubs like ourselves can continue to develop then the pay-off is really exciting. We'll know on Friday what the gap is."

Oxtoby has vast experience in the competition having won three successive FA Cup trophies while assistant manager at Chelsea.

The former Northern Ireland head coach describes it as a "magical" competition.

"I know how special it can be. It's another opportunity for us to test ourselves against a really good side in a league that we want to be competing in," she added.

"It's also a really good opportunity for us to see where we're at. I want us to be really brave and play our style of football."

Emma Sanders
BBC Sport women’s football news reporter

Image source, Getty Images

Tottenham defender Ella Morris has signed a new long-term contract with the club.

The 23-year-old is currently recovering from an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury she picked up at the end of last season.

She joined Tottenham in July 2024 and made 13 appearances in her debut campaign, earning a call-up to the Lionesses senior squad in May.

However, she suffered the ACL injury - the second one of her career - in England training and was ruled out of contention for Euro 2025.

She impressed prior to the injury, playing every minute of Tottenham's last eight games in the Women's Super League and scored her first goal against Villa in April.

Morris previously made over 100 appearances for Southampton after graduating from the club's academy.

"It's an amazing club to be a part of. Just seeing the growth of the team from last season to this season, how Martin Ho has come in and given the girls a sense of belief," said Morris.

"It's an exciting time where we're pushing in the league now. It's definitely a club with ambition and a club I want to be a part of."

Image source, West Ham

West Ham United announce goalkeeper Rebekah Doswett has penned her first professional contact.

The 18-year-old shot-stopper, who joined the Professional Game Academy (PGA) in the summer, has returned from her Academy Development Registration deal at Watford and signed a new contract with the Hammers until June 2029.

An England U17 international, Dowsett made ten appearances across all competitions for the Hornets in her second spell at the club, having plied her trade with Leicester City prior to joining the Hammers in July 2025.

Dowsett, who represented England at the 2024 FIFA U17 Women's World Cup and helped the Young Lionesses finish second at the 2024 UEFA Women's U17 Championship, is delighted to put pen to paper on her first professional deal.

"I started playing football with the boys in the playground at school so to be signing my first professional deal at the age of 18, and especially at this Club, is a really proud moment," she said. "To have my family here with me today makes it extra special too."

Head Coach Rita Guarino expressed her happiness in seeing Dowsett extend her stay at West Ham.

"I'm delighted that Rebekah has signed her first professional contract with the Club," she said.

"Rebekah's time out on loan with Watford in the first half of this season has provided her with valuable senior experience which is crucial for her development. She is clearly making great progress and I'm looking forward to seeing her continue to improve moving forwards."

After a four-week break, the Women's Super League returned with plenty of goals and more shows of strength from the top two, Manchester City and Chelsea.

City maintained their six-point lead with a comfortable victory over Everton, notable mainly for Khedija Shaw's running battle with goalkeeper Courtney Brosnan, who saved six times from the WSL top scorer.

At Kingsmeadow, Chelsea scored the second-fastest goal in WSL history when West Ham's Yu Endo put through her own net after 49 seconds.

It was a nightmare start for new Hammers boss Rita Guarino and it got little better, rampant Chelsea winning 5-0.

Fellow new WSL manager Eder Maestre at London City Lionesses also watched his side draw a blank, albeit in nabbing a point via a 0-0 at Liverpool.

It was also goalless at Emirates Stadium, where the title pretensions of Arsenal and Manchester United took a further knock.

Indeed, their hopes of getting Champions League football next season need consider in-form Tottenham Hotspur who got a helping hand from their ex-player Ashleigh Neville, scoring an own goal on her Leicester City debut.

Finally, two goals in three minutes for Aston Villa in their mid-table match with Brighton proved enough to triumph 2-1 at Villa Park.

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