It is undeniable that results have been poor: Villa have won only one match in the league, against bottom-of-the-table Crystal Palace. However, they have had tough fixtures, playing all of the top four away from home, and their performances have been far more positive than the results would lead you to believe.

Robert de Pauw’s departure from his role as Aston Villa’s women’s team manager on Wednesday came amid ­concerns regarding the way he had allegedly spoken to his players, including about their appearance, the Guardian has been told.

Aston Villa have parted ways with manager Robert de Pauw after one win from the first nine Women's Super League (WSL) games this season.