Everton Women host Manchester City on Sunday as the WSL leaders return from the winter break with a six point advantage at the top of the table. Brian Sorensen’s side will be without several key players including Rion Ishikawa due to sickness and Hikaru Kitagawa who is being assessed after feeling her hamstring during training.

Elise Stenevik, Megan Finnigan and Lucy Hope remain unavailable while Katie Robinson has returned to Aston Villa after her loan spell ended, having made 12 appearances for the Toffees. Everton sit 10th in the table, five points above the relegation zone.

Kick-off: 12:00 GMT, Sunday, January 11, 2026
Venue: Joie Stadium, Manchester
TV: TBC

Sorensen Demands Defensive Discipline

The Everton boss knows his side face an uphill task against the league’s highest scorers. “They have a very good team and we have to put a performance in. We have the confidence to know that we can do it if we get it right. But, it is going to be extremely hard. We have to be right in the defensive department. We know how good they are. We need to focus on ourselves and make sure we get our things right.”

Manchester City have been relentless since their opening day defeat to Chelsea in September, establishing a commanding lead at the top. Khadija Shaw tops the scoring charts with support from Vivianne Miedema and Aoba Fujino providing goals throughout the season.

Recent Meetings Favor City

The clubs have already met twice this season with Andrée Jeglertz’s team winning both encounters. City won 3-1 in the League Cup at Joie Stadium in September before edging a competitive 2-1 victory at Goodison Park in November, despite Kelly Gago’s equalizer.

Predicted Lineups:

Everton (4-2-3-1): Ramsey; Vanhaevermaet, Wheeler, Payne, Boje Sørensen; Clare, Hayashi; Thomas, Gago, Bissell; Snoeijs

Manchester City (4-2-3-1): Yamashita; Casparij, Rose, Knaak, Ouahabi; Hasegawa, Blindkilde Brown; Fujino, Miedema, Hemp; Shaw

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Everton Women have confirmed the arrival of fresh minority investment from GED Investments, a Canadian privately-held investment company.

The announcement comes 12 months after The Friedkin Group completed their takeover of Everton, ending Farhad Moshiri’s eight-and-a-half-year ownership reign.

Under TFG’s restructuring plans, the WSL outfit became a standalone entity capable of attracting focused external investment. GED Investments will invest in on-field resources while driving commercial growth as part of their involvement with the club.

Leadership Changes Confirmed

Everton CEO Angus Kinnear will join the board of Everton Women as part of the investment deal, alongside David Beeston, chief of TFG umbrella company Pursuit Sports. The reshuffle signals a strategic shift in how the women’s team operates within the Friedkin Group’s wider football portfolio.

Kinnear welcomed the development, stating: “I am delighted to welcome GED to the Everton family. This investment is testament to the vision we have for Everton Women, and a reflection of our aligned sporting ambition. I look forward to working with them as we embark on this journey.”

Investment Comes at Critical Time

The fresh capital arrives as Everton Women fight relegation from the WSL, sitting 10th in the table with eight points from 11 matches. They’re five points above bottom-placed Liverpool heading into the winter break but have struggled for consistency throughout the campaign.

Brian Sorensen’s side face Manchester City in their first match after the break on January 11, a daunting fixture that could determine their survival hopes. The club will hope the investment provides resources to strengthen in the January transfer window.

The Friedkin Group’s decision to make Everton Women a standalone entity aims to unlock commercial opportunities unavailable under the traditional club structure, following similar models implemented by other WSL teams.

Also read: Brian Sorensen Tells Everton Women to “Lift Their Heads” After Arsenal Lesson as Goodison Curse Continues

Brian Sorensen urged his Everton players to accept they faced a top-quality side after Arsenal secured a comfortable 3-1 victory at Goodison Park on Sunday.

The Toffees were unable to replicate their shock Chelsea win from the previous weekend, suffering their fifth consecutive home defeat of the season.

Katie McCabe and Alessia Russo gave Arsenal a 2-0 first-half lead before Honoka Hayashi pulled one back for Everton. But Olivia Smith’s late strike sealed all three points for the Gunners, who dominated with 71% possession and 22 shots to Everton’s three.

Sorensen Accepts Quality Gap

The Everton boss acknowledged his side couldn’t match the Champions League holders despite their best efforts. “The girls tried everything they could, but Arsenal are a very good team. They played extremely fast,” Sorensen told the club’s website.

“We tried to do what we did against Chelsea by riding the storm, but they got into good positions. I said to the girls that some days you just have to lift your head and accept you’re playing a very good team.”

Everton’s Relegation Worries Grow

The defeat leaves Everton 10th in the WSL table with eight points from 11 games, just five points above bottom-placed Liverpool. While their status isn’t in immediate danger due to Liverpool’s horrific form, the Toffees have won just twice all season. The opening day 4-1 victory over Liverpool and last weekend’s stunning Chelsea upset.

Their winless home record is particularly concerning, with zero points from five Goodison fixtures. Everton face league leaders Manchester City in their first match after the winter break on January 11, continuing a brutal run that could drag them deeper into the relegation battle.

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