Brighton & Hove Albion manager Hope Powell has admitted that her side will not be taking Aston Villa for granted when the two sides meet at The People’s Pension Stadium this weekend.
The visitors are yet to pick up a point in what is their debut season in the top flight while the number of early goals conceded by Gemma Davies’ side has not helped their cause.
Speaking to FA Women’s Super League Full-Time in Brighton & Hove Albion’s pre-match press conference, manager Powell admitted that her side will not be taking both Villa’s form and current league position for granted when the two sides meet this weekend.
“We want to win the game, we recognise that they have had a tough start and I wouldn’t want to take anything for granted” Powell said. “If they haven’t learnt from what has gone, which I am sure they would have, then there is something wrong.
“They will come prepared. They haven’t played which will either work in their favour or not because they have had games cancelled because of COVID. They have gone three or four weeks without playing so they are either going to be very fresh and raring to go or they are going to be a bit rusty because they haven’t played much.
“We need to just focus on ourselves and what we are good at, think about the good stuff that we have done previously in the league against the teams that we have played and just keep that level of intensity, grit and desire going into the game.”
Albion have collected just five points from their opening five matches in this season’s Barclays FA Women’s Super League but manager Powell has no complaints when it comes to her side’s points return.
“No I don’t think so” said Powell when asked whether her side’s points return was a little harsh given the way in which Albion have played so far this season.
“I think we have arguably played some of the better teams in the league, Arsenal, Man City, Man United, so I am really pleased with the way that we have performed and how we have conducted ourselves in those games.
“Even the game against Arsenal where they were exceptional, I actually thought that we tried to compete and that continued for 90 minutes. We didn’t let the early goal stop us trying to play.
“I think we have learnt a lot of lessons, to have played three of the so-called ‘top four’ already and given our position in the table, I think I’m relatively pleased.”
A member of the Brighton & Hove Albion staff tested positive for COVID-19 during the week which resulted in the club’s FA Women’s Continental League Cup fixture at Charlton Athletic being postponed. It was thought that Sunday’s fixture against Villa may have also been at threat, however, the game looks set to go ahead.
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