At A Glance
Aston Villa will play at Poundland Bescot Stadium for the first time this season when they take on Tottenham Hotspur in the Barclays Women's Super League.
Carla Ward's team have had a difficult start to the 2023/24 campaign, losing all three league fixtures.
The last two of those have come on the road, so a return to familiar surroundings will be welcomed.
Spurs have six points on the board after two league games, beating Brighton & Hove Albion 3-1 last time out.
Top scorer Martha Thomas scored the winner against the Seagulls, bagging her fourth goal since arriving in the summer.
Robert Vilahamn's team have also won each of their first two home games of the season in all competitions.
Standout Stats
- Aston Villa have won two of their last three WSL games against Tottenham Hotspur (D1), winning 2-1 at
home last season. - Tottenham Hotspur have lost two of their last three away Women’s Super League games against Aston
Villa, winning the other 2-1 in December 2021.
- Aston Villa lost just two of their first 13 WSL games in 2023 (W7 D4) but have lost each of their last three
in a row. They haven’t lost four in a row since between November 2021 and January 2022, a run which
included a home loss to Spurs. - Maz Pacheco scored her second WSL goal in the 2-1 defeat to Arsenal, her first goal for
2,600 days since September 2016 for Doncaster Rovers Belles. It’s the fifth-longest gap between WSL
goals, and longest since Emily Gielnik between 2012 and 2021 (3,368 days).
The Last Meeting
Villa prevailed when the teams met in a hard-fought contest at the Bescot back in January.
Beth England turned home a debut goal in the white of Spurs before Kenza Dali and Rachel Daly turned the game on its head before half-time.
Kirsty Hanson registered two assists on the day as Villa held on for three important points.
Team News
The manager confirmed on Thursday morning that Kenza Dali has returned to the pitch and will be available to return after the upcoming international break.
The midfielder hasn't featured this season but looks set to make an eagerly-anticipated return against Chelsea in a couple of weeks.
Meanwhile, Georgia Mullett has recovered from an illness that kept her out of last weekend's defeat to Arsenal and will be involved on Saturday.
Kirsty Hanson will serve the final of her three-game suspension.
The Boss
"They've shown what they're capable of and they've got off to a good start... they're going to be a good, tough side. They're going to be a side that'll knock on the door of the top six."
Carla Ward
