Crystal Palace defeats Aston Villa 3-1, boosts WSL survival hopes

Crystal Palace secured a crucial 3-1 victory against Aston Villa in a relegation battle, moving within a point of their rivals in the Women's Super League. New manager Leif Smerud emphasized the need for bravery, and his players delivered with standout performances, including a debut goal from Aniek Nouwen and a decisive contribution from Katie Stengel. The win marks only Palace's second victory of the season, boosting their hopes of avoiding relegation. Despite Villa's early dominance, Palace capitalized on their chances, with Ashleigh Weerden adding a second goal before Villa's Lucy Parker scored late to narrow the deficit. The result leaves Palace with an opportunity to escape the relegation zone if they defeat Everton next week while Villa faces Manchester United. With several matches against lower-ranked teams ahead, the competition at the bottom of the table is intensifying as the season progresses.