Women's Super League: Tips, best bets and predictions for WSL weekend
The WSL finally gets back under way this weekend after the World Cup summer and the opening round of fixtures offers us plenty to get our teeth into.
With the showcase Down Under a major success for women’s football, the restart of the English top-flight season is arguably the most heavily anticipated yet, with Chelsea looking to extend their run as champions to five straight years while Manchester United – league and FA Cup runners-up last season – have a score to settle.
And don’t forget Arsenal, the only other side to win the title since 2016, whose exit from Champions League qualifying puts even greater importance on a good domestic start.
Football betting tips: Women's Super League
1.5pts Brighton to beat Everton at 12/5 (Paddy Power)
1.5pts Chelsea to win to nil at 5/4 (Betfair)
1pt Manchester United -1 handicap at 17/10 (Paddy Power)
1pt Arsenal -2 handicap at 15/8 (Paddy Power)
1pt Chelsea to lead after 20' at 8/5 (Betfair)
Aston Villa v Manchester United
Cameron Pope (@CamPopeSport)
- Kick-off time: 12:30, Sunday
- Channel: BBC Two
- Home 10/3 | Draw 16/5 | Away 8/13
A corker of a clash tees off this season. Aston Villa were the best of the rest last year, but infiltrating the four-club WSL hierarchy is ambitious.
Scotland international Kirsty Hanson has joined the West Midlands club on a permanent deal, while United, who have lost Alessia Russo to Arsenal, responded by signing this summer’s Golden Boot winner, midfielder Hinata Miyazawa.
If her clinical finishing can complement the flair of the supremely talented striker Geyse, brought in from Barcelona, this will spell problems for the rest of the league – and for Villa on Sunday.
It’s a shame that problems with Villa’s ‘clingy’ shirts have marred the build-up to this game; it’s far from ideal preparation for what could be a real litmus test for the hosts’ credentials.
I’m tempted by MAN UNITED -1 HANDICAP. Class should prevail and the visitors know firmer tests are coming. United layers are fighting for the right to start versus PSG in the Champions League, with garnering momentum key.
Villa will come good this season, but perhaps not straight out of the blocks.
Everton v Brighton
Cameron Pope (@CamPopeSport)
- Kick-off time: 13:00, Sunday
- Channel: FA Player
- Home 5/6 | Draw 3/1 | Away 5/2
Everton’s back line is their Achilles heel now that Gabby George has left for Manchester United and Leonie Maier for Hoffenheim. Izzy Christiansen has also retired.
Replicating a top-half finish looks a tall order, with some women's football pundits even tipping them for a surprise drop.
However, it seems nobody passed this intel on to the bookmakers as the price of BRIGHTON TO WIN looks massive at 12/5.
A glance at last season's table suggests those odds might be fair, but too much has happened this summer. While Everton have seen talent leave, Brighton signed wisely.
The vastly experienced Vicky Losada, with 65 Spain caps and the small matter of a Champions League with Barcelona, joins for this season, as does highly rated Pauline Bremer of Wolfsburg. Right-back Li Mengwen, with PSG last term, is another arrival to look out for.
Can they jell? We'll have to see, but that's a price worth taking a bet on.
Arsenal v Liverpool
Cameron Pope (@CamPopeSport)
- Kick-off time: 14:00, Sunday
- Channel: FA Player
- Home 1/6 | Draw 11/2 | Away 12/1
Kyra Cooney-Cross, Amanda Ilestedt, Alessia Russo and Cloé Lacasse all arrived in North London this summer… all probably with the idea of another tilt at the Champions League in mind.
The technical term for the Gunners’ exit in the first round is therefore an ‘unmitigated stinker’, and with that fresh in the mind, Arsenal simply have to make a strong start in the WSL.
It’s another handicap pick we’re looking at here, but this time the smart money should go on ARSENAL -2 HANDICAP, which you can find at almost doubles.
Liverpool haven’t scored a goal in their last three games against Arsenal, losing 4-0, 2-0 and 2-0. And the Reds’ powers have now waned given the loss of Katie Stengel’s goals; her NWSL move seriously harms Liverpool’s chances of taking anything off the top sides.
Goals haven’t been an issue for Arsenal, in an attacking sense at least. They began their season three weeks ago with a Champions League mini-tournament and scored five normal-time goals over two games.
And if ever Arsenal needed to start with a statement win, it’s now.
Chelsea v Tottenham
Cameron Pope (@CamPopeSport)
- Kick-off time: 17:30, Sunday
- Channel: Sky Sports Main Event
Double-winners last season and Champions League semi-finalists. Not a bad summary, but it’s one that Chelsea intend to improve on as they eye Arsenal’s 2006/07 quadruple.
While Magdalena Eriksson and Pernille Harder’s departures will sting, the likes of Catarina Macario, Ashley Lawrence and Alejandra Bernabé mean there’s plenty of talent coming in to accompany the talismanic Sam Kerr.
Spurs’ window has been less remarkable and an away win looks unlikely here.
My best pick seeks to capitalise on Chelsea’s excellent defence last term: CHELSEA TO WIN TO NIL. They conceded no goals in their last five league games, scoring just the 22. When you bare that in mind, odds of 5/4 seem a tad long.
I had to dig for this, but I think an early Chelsea strike is another good angle. Consider CHELSEA TO LEAD AT 20 MINUTES; this punt would have come in in four of those last five WSL games last season (and in the only game that doesn’t fit the pattern, they led after 22’).
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