Aston Villa prepared for a tough game against Manchester City says Ward | OneFootball

Aston Villa head coach Carla Ward says that this weekend’s opponents Manchester City don’t get enough credit and that they will provide her side with a tough test.

The Villans travel to The Joie Stadium on Saturday lunchtime to contest their latest Barclays Women’s Super League fixture.

With players still arriving back in Birmingham following an international window, Ward has been reflecting on how she aims to manage her squad amidst the challenge of the short turnaround.

“You have to plan effectively before they get back in so it’s as clear and clean as possible,” Ward said when speaking in the pre-match press conference. “Every single manager is in the same boat. Myself and Gareth [Taylor] will be in the same boat on Saturday so we can’t make excuses.

“It’s as simple as you have to prepare the players, we’re used to it in the women’s game. We’re used to having them for one day, some players aren’t getting back in until Friday. It’s the sad reality of the women’s game, it’s what you’re used to, but it’s definitely no excuse, you prepare them in the best possible way.”

Aston Villa will face a Manchester City side who currently sit in third position in the Barclays Women’s Super League table. With Gareth Taylor’s Cityzens having achieved back-to-back league victories in recent weeks, Ward spoke of the challenge that lies ahead for her Aston Villa side.

She said “I think Man City and Gareth Taylor in particular, don’t get enough credit, he’s done an unbelievable job. They had a big turnover of players last summer and I think what he’s done has been brilliant. He deserves an awful lot of credit, they’re an unbelievable team and they play with a lot of freedom, they play with a lot of quality.

“It’s going to be a tough game, they’re a team that you don’t want to face off the back of their last two fixtures let’s put it that way.”

Aston Villa’s Barclays Women’s Super League fixture at Manchester City kicks-off at 12pm on Saturday afternoon.