‘I think it’ll go to the wire’ – Leicester City boss Passmoor comments on battle for survival | OneFootball

Leicester City head coach Rick Passmoor expects the Barclays Women’s Super League’s survival battle to go the distance and says that his side must be ready to compete in every game.

The bottom-four are currently separated by just four points. Leicester City are two points and two places above the bottom of the table.

When speaking to the media ahead of this weekend’s fixture against Manchester United, Passmoor said that he is expecting a competitive battle in what looks to be a four-team mini league at the bottom of the table.

“When you look at that mini-league at the bottom, it’s competitive, teams have recently changed management and have recruited,” Passmoor said. “Everybody wants to stay in the WSL. 

“I think it’ll go to the wire, so the players and staff need to ensure they remain composed and are ready for every game. We know our targets and if we hit our targets, we will be fine for the future.”

Leicester City face back-to-back games against both Manchester clubs and Passmoor wants to see his side switched on for every second.

He said “It’s about working with individuals on and off the pitch to ensure that they remain within the game in the small margins. When the ball goes dead, you stay alive. For example, if the ball goes out of play for a throw-in, ensuring you are compact out of possession, making it as difficult as possible.

“Compact only means one thing, you’ve got to be aggressive in your actions when you decide to go and jump or decide to transition. It has to be done with realism. It’s no good playing with 10 players behind the ball because you can be passive. 

“We have a fantastic fanbase, so we’ve got to make sure they’re out of their seats. What we’ve seen and what we know is how much they back us.

“We have got to make sure that we make it as difficult as possible for any opposition in this league. Can we be ruthless and take our opportunities in the final third?”

Leicester City forward Rachel Williams will come up against her former club this weekend. Passmoor says that she has offered a useful insight into her former teammates ahead of the game.

He said “You try to get anything on the small margins from everything that you’ve seen on the data and anything you’ve watched at the weekend. If you can tap into that knowledge with Rachel [it’s beneficial]. We got some good knowledge from her. We’ve got some good information on top of what we already know.

“They’re a terrific team with a manager who has been in place for four years. They have a very efficient, very effective style of play and we’ve got to make sure we are in the game for the entirety.”

Leicester City’s Barclays Women’s Super League fixture against Manchester United kicks-off at 12pm on Saturday afternoon. Tickets are on-sale and can be purchased by clicking here.