Vidosic: Everyone is looking forward to getting started again

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A look-ahead to Sunday's WSL game against Aston Villa.

Olivia Jackson

2026-01-10T06:00+00:00

Dario Vidosic addresses the media ahead of Albion's first game of 2026. 📸 by Paul Hazlewood.

Albion are back on the pitch on Sunday when they face Aston Villa in the WSL, kick-off 12 noon.

Dario Vidosic's thoughts

“The team enjoyed their time off, but they were all ready to come back and excited to get started. From day one, everyone was focused on the football.

“In the first half of the season there were some good performances and lessons we have had to learn, but the team can take confidence from last year. Now we need to get ready to attack the second half of the season."

Team news

Vidosic said, "Jelena (Cankovic) and Bex (Rayner) should be back soon. Maelys (Mpome) and Marit (Auee) are further away from returning."

The opposition

Aston Villa currently sit in eighth position on the WSL table, one position below Albion.

Before the break, the Villians lost 6-1 to Manchester City, one of three defeats in their last four games.

When the sides met earlier this season it ended in a goalless draw

Stats and facts

Aston Villa lost their first two WSL home games against Brighton but are unbeaten in their three since (W2 D1) – winning this fixture 3-1 at Villa Park in May last season.

Albion have won just one of their last seven Women’s Super League meetings with Aston Villa (D2 L4), a 4-2 home win in October 2024.

Villa have lost three of their last four WSL matches (W1), having only suffered one defeat across their 12 league games prior (W7 D4); the Villans are unbeaten in their opening Women’s Super League game in each of the last three years however (W2 D1).

Albion are unbeaten in their last two WSL away games, already their longest run on the road under Dario Vidosic – the Seagulls last won back-to-back league matches on the road in March 2024 under Mikey Harris.

No team have conceded three or more goals in more different WSL games this season than Aston Villa (4 times), who lost 6-1 last time out to Manchester City. In 2025, only West Ham (46) conceded more goals in the English top-flight than the Villans (44 – level with Leicester).

The team scoring first has an 80%-win rate in Brighton's WSL games this season (8/10, D1 L1 – 1 x 0-0 draw), with only London City Lionesses’ (91%) and Manchester City’s (82%) matches seeing the team that went 1-0 ahead go on to win the game more often.

No side have conceded a greater proportion of their total goals against in the WSL this season in the second half of games than Aston Villa (16/24 – 67%), while four of Brighton’s last seven league goals have come in the 87th minute or later.

Only Manchester City (6) have scored more goals via corners in the Women’s Super League so far this season than Aston Villa (5), though Brighton haven’t conceded from a corner in 24 league games, since December 2024 against Chelsea; only the Blues (36 games) are on a longer run without doing so in the WSL.

Lucia Kendall has made the most interceptions (13) and the most ball recoveries (60) of any Aston Villa outfield player in the WSL so far this season, while also ranking third for completed passes (290) behind defenders Anna Patten (409) and Océane Deslandes (314).

Albion’s Madison Haley wins possession in the final third more often per 90 minutes in the WSL this season than any other player to feature for at least 150 minutes (2.7). However, Aston Villa have faced the fewest shot ending high turnovers in the 2025-26 Women’s Super League (11).

Match officials