The new Women's Super League marks the start of a new era for reigning champions Chelsea, with long-serving boss Emma Hayes having departed in summer to start a new adventure with the USA Women's team.
Last year they just about did enough to claim the title on goal difference ahead of Manchester City, while Arsenal will again hope to make it a three-horse race for the WSL title. Meanwhile Liverpool, Manchester United and Tottenham will hope to progress after further rebuilding this summer.
Crystal Palace were promoted to replace Bristol City in the top flight, while on a wider note, the league is now under the management and operation of a new organisation set up to lead women's football towards further growth and progression, with Nikki Doucet overseeing both the WSL and Championship in a new phase for the game.
Follow the live action below as Aston Villa face Chelsea today in the WSL:
Aston Villa WFC 0 - 1 Chelsea FC Women
Aston Villa vs Chelsea
16:26Match ends, Aston Villa Women 0, Chelsea Women 1.
Aston Villa vs Chelsea
16:26Second Half ends, Aston Villa Women 0, Chelsea Women 1.
Aston Villa vs Chelsea
16:25Rachel Daly (Aston Villa Women) is shown the yellow card.
Aston Villa vs Chelsea
16:24Miri Taylor (Aston Villa Women) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Aston Villa vs Chelsea
16:25Foul by Sjoeke Nüsken (Chelsea Women).
Aston Villa vs Chelsea
16:24Foul by Mayra Ramírez (Chelsea Women).
Aston Villa vs Chelsea
16:24Attempt blocked. Ebony Salmon (Aston Villa Women) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked.
Aston Villa vs Chelsea
16:22Attempt missed. Erin Cuthbert (Chelsea Women) right footed shot from the centre of the box is too high. Assisted by Maika Hamano with a cross following a corner.
Aston Villa vs Chelsea
16:22Corner, Chelsea Women. Conceded by Lucy Parker.
Aston Villa vs Chelsea
16:22Foul by Mayra Ramírez (Chelsea Women).
Aston Villa vs Chelsea
16:22Attempt blocked. Mayra Ramírez (Chelsea Women) header from the centre of the box is blocked. Assisted by Maika Hamano with a cross.
Aston Villa vs Chelsea
16:19Fourth official has announced 6 minutes of added time.
Aston Villa vs Chelsea
16:19Foul by Jill Baijings (Aston Villa Women).
Aston Villa vs Chelsea
16:19Niamh Charles (Chelsea Women) wins a free kick on the left wing.
Aston Villa vs Chelsea
16:19Substitution, Aston Villa Women. Katie Robinson replaces Kirsty Hanson.
Aston Villa vs Chelsea
16:19Substitution, Aston Villa Women. Ebony Salmon replaces Jordan Nobbs.
Aston Villa vs Chelsea
16:18Corner, Chelsea Women. Conceded by Sarah Mayling.
Aston Villa vs Chelsea
16:15Corner, Aston Villa Women. Conceded by Nathalie Björn.
Aston Villa vs Chelsea
16:15Foul by Maika Hamano (Chelsea Women).
Aston Villa vs Chelsea
16:10Own Goal by Sarah Mayling, Aston Villa Women. Aston Villa Women 0, Chelsea Women 1.
Aston Villa vs Chelsea
16:06Substitution, Chelsea Women. Keira Walsh replaces Lauren James.
Aston Villa vs Chelsea
16:06Substitution, Aston Villa Women. Adriana Leon replaces Chasity Grant.
Aston Villa vs Chelsea
16:06Offside, Chelsea Women. Niamh Charles is caught offside.
Aston Villa vs Chelsea
16:04Corner, Chelsea Women. Conceded by Lucy Parker.
Aston Villa vs Chelsea
16:04Attempt blocked. Mayra Ramírez (Chelsea Women) right footed shot from the right side of the box is blocked. Assisted by Erin Cuthbert.
Aston Villa vs Chelsea
16:03Attempt missed. Sjoeke Nüsken (Chelsea Women) right footed shot from outside the box is high and wide to the left. Assisted by Lauren James.
Aston Villa vs Chelsea
16:02Corner, Aston Villa Women. Conceded by Niamh Charles.
Aston Villa vs Chelsea
16:02Attempt saved. Kirsty Hanson (Aston Villa Women) left footed shot from outside the box is saved in the top centre of the goal. Assisted by Jordan Nobbs.
Aston Villa vs Chelsea
16:00Mayra Ramírez (Chelsea Women) wins a free kick in the attacking half.
Aston Villa vs Chelsea
16:02Foul by Anna Patten (Aston Villa Women).
Aston Villa vs Chelsea
16:00Delay over. They are ready to continue.
Aston Villa vs Chelsea
15:56Delay in match because of an injury Lucy Parker (Aston Villa Women).
Aston Villa vs Chelsea
15:56Foul by Mayra Ramírez (Chelsea Women).
Aston Villa vs Chelsea
15:55Substitution, Aston Villa Women. Miri Taylor replaces Gabi Nunes.
Aston Villa vs Chelsea
15:53Substitution, Chelsea Women. Maika Hamano replaces Catarina Macário.
Aston Villa vs Chelsea
15:53Foul by Sjoeke Nüsken (Chelsea Women).
Aston Villa vs Chelsea
15:53Attempt saved. Catarina Macário (Chelsea Women) right footed shot from outside the box is saved in the bottom left corner.
Aston Villa vs Chelsea
15:53Jill Baijings (Aston Villa Women) is shown the yellow card for a bad foul.
Aston Villa vs Chelsea
15:53Foul by Jill Baijings (Aston Villa Women).
Aston Villa vs Chelsea
15:49Attempt saved. Catarina Macário (Chelsea Women) right footed shot from outside the box is saved in the top centre of the goal. Assisted by Sjoeke Nüsken.
Aston Villa vs Chelsea
15:47Foul by Sjoeke Nüsken (Chelsea Women).
Aston Villa vs Chelsea
15:47Gabi Nunes (Aston Villa Women) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Aston Villa vs Chelsea
15:47Offside, Aston Villa Women. Rachel Daly is caught offside.
Aston Villa vs Chelsea
15:46Foul by Sjoeke Nüsken (Chelsea Women).
Aston Villa vs Chelsea
15:47Chasity Grant (Aston Villa Women) wins a free kick on the right wing.
Aston Villa vs Chelsea
15:46Delay over. They are ready to continue.
Aston Villa vs Chelsea
15:46Substitution, Chelsea Women. Mayra Ramírez replaces Agnes Beever-Jones.
Aston Villa vs Chelsea
15:46Substitution, Chelsea Women. Sjoeke Nüsken replaces Wieke Kaptein.
Aston Villa vs Chelsea
15:44Delay in match because of an injury Rachel Daly (Aston Villa Women).
Aston Villa vs Chelsea
15:42Attempt missed. Rachel Daly (Aston Villa Women) left footed shot from the centre of the box.
Aston Villa vs Chelsea
15:40Agnes Beever-Jones (Chelsea Women) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Aston Villa vs Chelsea
15:36Foul by Nathalie Björn (Chelsea Women).
Aston Villa vs Chelsea
15:34Second Half begins Aston Villa Women 0, Chelsea Women 0.
Aston Villa vs Chelsea
15:33Substitution, Chelsea Women. Johanna Rytting Kaneryd replaces Guro Reiten.
Aston Villa vs Chelsea
15:17First Half ends, Aston Villa Women 0, Chelsea Women 0.
Aston Villa vs Chelsea
15:17Attempt missed. Lauren James (Chelsea Women) right footed shot from outside the box is high and wide to the left. Assisted by Agnes Beever-Jones.
Aston Villa vs Chelsea
15:17Fourth official has announced 1 minutes of added time.
Aston Villa vs Chelsea
15:17Offside, Chelsea Women. Catarina Macário is caught offside.
Aston Villa vs Chelsea
15:17Guro Reiten (Chelsea Women) wins a free kick in the defensive half.
Aston Villa vs Chelsea
15:14Offside, Chelsea Women. Guro Reiten is caught offside.
Aston Villa vs Chelsea
15:12Offside, Chelsea Women. Agnes Beever-Jones is caught offside.
Aston Villa vs Chelsea
15:11Attempt blocked. Kirsty Hanson (Aston Villa Women) left footed shot from the right side of the box is blocked. Assisted by Chasity Grant.
Aston Villa vs Chelsea
15:07Attempt missed. Rachel Daly (Aston Villa Women) header from very close range following a corner.
Aston Villa vs Chelsea
15:07Corner, Aston Villa Women. Conceded by Nathalie Björn.
Aston Villa vs Chelsea
15:05Offside, Aston Villa Women. Chasity Grant is caught offside.
Aston Villa vs Chelsea
15:02Foul by Lauren James (Chelsea Women).
Aston Villa vs Chelsea
15:01Offside, Chelsea Women. Niamh Charles is caught offside.
Aston Villa vs Chelsea
14:58Foul by Agnes Beever-Jones (Chelsea Women).
Aston Villa vs Chelsea
14:57Foul by Ashley Lawrence (Chelsea Women).
Aston Villa vs Chelsea
14:57Corner, Chelsea Women. Conceded by Jill Baijings.
Aston Villa vs Chelsea
14:52Attempt missed. Erin Cuthbert (Chelsea Women) right footed shot from the centre of the box misses to the right following a corner.
Aston Villa vs Chelsea
14:52Corner, Chelsea Women. Conceded by Anna Patten.
Aston Villa vs Chelsea
14:48Foul by Millie Bright (Chelsea Women).
Aston Villa vs Chelsea
14:48Attempt missed. Nathalie Björn (Chelsea Women) header from very close range is too high. Assisted by Catarina Macário with a cross following a corner.
Aston Villa vs Chelsea
14:48Corner, Chelsea Women. Conceded by Lucy Parker.
Aston Villa vs Chelsea
14:48Attempt blocked. Lauren James (Chelsea Women) right footed shot from the centre of the box is blocked.
Aston Villa vs Chelsea
14:44Attempt saved. Gabi Nunes (Aston Villa Women) right footed shot from outside the box is saved.
Aston Villa vs Chelsea
14:44Foul by Kirsty Hanson (Aston Villa Women).
Aston Villa vs Chelsea
14:42Corner, Aston Villa Women. Conceded by Niamh Charles.
Aston Villa vs Chelsea
14:37Foul by Nathalie Björn (Chelsea Women).
Aston Villa vs Chelsea
14:35Foul by Anna Patten (Aston Villa Women).
Aston Villa vs Chelsea
14:32Foul by Catarina Macário (Chelsea Women).
Aston Villa vs Chelsea
14:31First Half begins.
Aston Villa vs Chelsea
14:00Lineups are announced and players are warming up.
Aston Villa vs Chelsea
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