Crystal Palace Women will travel to Villa Park on Sunday looking to build on their midweek cup victory, with Jo Potter emphasising the need for a disciplined and intelligent performance against Aston Villa.
Palace were held to a 3-3 draw by Birmingham City last weekend after a difficult opening half. Potter made tactical and messaging changes at the interval, and was pleased with the response as her players fought back into the contest. However, the late equaliser left the manager feeling that her side had surrendered two points, despite the draw appearing a positive result at half-time.
The Eagles then produced a much-improved display in the Subway Players Cup, beating local rivals Charlton 3-0 at Sutton United. Potter viewed the result as an important test and pointed to the competition’s influence on Palace’s progress last season, when their League Cup campaign helped spark a significant improvement.
Sunday’s fixture will be Palace’s seventh match in four weeks, making game management a key part of Potter’s plans. She does not expect her team to maintain an intense press throughout the entire contest, instead calling for the players to choose their moments carefully while remaining capable of taking the initiative and absorbing pressure when required.
Palace are set to have a full squad available from the group that has been accessible in recent months, with Fuka Tsunoda returning from suspension. Villa, meanwhile, recently made a change in the dugout, with Brian Sørensen taking interim charge after Natalia Arroyo’s departure on Tuesday. Potter said Villa had altered aspects of their approach in midweek, but Palace’s preparation will remain centred on their own performance and how they can secure victory.
Kick-off at Villa Park is scheduled for 14:00 BST on Sunday.
