Aoba Fujino tries to find some room down the left wing, but the Charlton defenders are quickly across to shut the space down and the Manchester City forward is forced to retreat.

First corner of the game goes to Manchester City, unsurprisingly.

The referee feels Beth Mead's cross took a touch of a Charlton defender on its way behind but Charlton are not happy with the decision.

It matters little in the end as the home defence heads away the resulting short corner.

Helen Ward
Former Wales striker on BBC Radio 5 Live Sports Extra

I imagine it was a hard decision for Beth Mead to make the move to Manchester. She's a northern girl at heart, she was part of the furniture at Arsenal.

She had so much success and went through so many tough times there. But Man City is not a bad change.

It looks like a picture-perfect afternoon for some football at The Valley, with the afternoon sun bathing the pitch.

Charlton are looking to find Lorena Azzaro with the long ball in the early stages.

The forward, on loan from Paris FC, almost gets on the end of one but Manchester City goalkeeper Eartha Cumings is quick off her line to gather.

Manchester City are hogging all the early possession at The Valley.

An offside flag briefly gives Charlton a chance to get their first touches, but it isn't long before the visitors are back in control of the ball.

And we are under way at The Valley!

BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra

You can also follow the audio commentary of this game live on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra.

Just tap 'listen live' at the top of this page or head to BBC Sounds to tune in.

Helen Ward
Former Wales striker on BBC Radio 5 Live Sports Extra

It doesn't get much tougher than this for Charlton, they're coming against a formidable force which is Man City.

Charlton Athletic

Charlton Athletic manager Karen Hills, speaking before the game: "We approach this game with same fashion as the last two games. It's been a tough start but were not expecting anything else as a newly promoted side. Players are really looking forward to facing Manchester City.

"It's going to be a big test but players are relishing the opportunity. We are going to focus on ourselves and improve on areas we are working on."

Helen Ward
Former Wales striker on BBC Radio 5 Live Sports Extra

The Manchester City news is going to be unsettling for everyone involved at the club but for the women's team they just have to get on with their jobs, then see what happens.

It's been going on for so, so long now. I don't know about anyone else but I was quite surprised they suddenly came up with a verdict last night. It's a massive moment in the game and it will be an interesting few weeks or months ahead.

Image source, Getty Images

We're just minutes away from kick-off at The Valley.

A reminder that you can watch this game live on BBC iPlayer or at the top of this page, so don't miss a kick as this weekend's WSL action gets under way.

Manchester City were also among the three English clubs in Women's Champions League action in midweek.

Last season, City exploited their absence from European competition to romp to the WSL title.

In returning to the elite tier this season, their squad face greater tests, and that proved immediately true when 2025-26 semi-finalists Bayern Munich raced into a two-goal lead.

But Andree Jeglertz's team gave an immediate indication they belong at this level by recovering to draw 2-2, with summer signings Beth Mead and Carlotta Wamser justifying their arrival at the champions with their first goals for the club.

That was crucial given usual goalscorer Khadija Shaw surprisingly proved fallible in missing a penalty.

When she inevitably finds her shooting boots, City should be just fine in this competition.

Read our takeaways from the first round of Champions League fixtures here.

Manchester City

Manchester City manager Andree Jeglertz, speaking before the game: "Both mentality and performances has been good. There are parts in games I am really pleased with but there are parts we have not done well."

On whether midweek Champions League fixtures will have an effect on his side: "That's what we want. It gives me lot of chances to see players on the pitch. We have recovered really well. So I am not worried about it.

On goalkeeper Ayaka Yamashita missing out: "Yamashita has done really well for us. But we have got two other great goalkeepers. It's just a rotation."

On Khadija Shaw and Lauren Hemp starting on the bench: "There are a lot of games now. We have so many good players who deserve playing time. These two deserve to play but I want to see other players, who get a chance to show what they have."

Defending champions Manchester City left it late to maintain their 100% start to the season against Liverpool last week.

They came from behind to claim a thrilling 4-2 win as Reds defender Grace Fisk put through her own net in the 90th minute, before Lauren Hemp raced clear in added time to calmly score the winner - her second of the game.

It was the first time City were seriously challenged in the WSL this season after recording a 4-1 win against Aston Villa and a 3-1 victory over Birmingham City in their previous outings.

City are the sixth team to score three or more goals in each of their first three WSL games and the first since Arsenal in 2021-22.

Another victory today will send an early reminder of why City remain the team to beat in the WSL.

It's safe to say Charlton's life in the WSL has not started well.

They earned promotion to the top flight via play-off victory against Leicester City but found themselves at the end of a 4-0 defeat by Liverpool in their WSL opener.

The newcomers then conceded an own goal and had two players sent off in their 1-0 defeat at Everton a week later. They let in four goals again in a 4-1 defeat by London City Lionesses, which leaves them searching for their point heading into matchday four.

The eight goals they have conceded in their opening two WSL home games is the joint-most of any side in their first two matches alongside Aston Villa and Crystal Palace.

And a meeting with defending champions Manchester City is hardly the fixture the Addicks would have chosen to halt their early-season jitters.

Can Manchester City keep their perfect start going? Who will be their closest challengers as they look to defend their WSL title? Can Charlton bounce back from a poor start?

Send us your thoughts, predictions and more by clicking on 'Get Involved'.

Image source, Getty Images

After three rounds of matches, Manchester City have set the early pace in the WSL.

But Tottenham, Chelsea, Arsenal and big-spending London City Lionesses are all within striking distance, so Andree Jeglertz's City know they have little room for error as they take on Charlton.

Charlton Athletic boss Karen Hills makes four changes to the side that suffered a 4-1 home defeat to London City Lionesses last weekend.

Grace Johnston, Keira Flannery and Lorena Azzaro all come in today, as does Hawa Cissoko, who returns from suspension.

Kiera Skeels is ruled out through injury, while Gloria Siber, Gillian Kenney and Leighanne Robe drop to the bench.

Ashleigh Neville continues to serve a suspension.

Charlton XI: Whitehouse, Cissoko, Lobato, N'Dow, Johnston, Hutton, Flannery, Davidson, Van Egmond, Korhonen, Azzaro.

Subs: Mason, Humphrey, Kenney, Fitzgerald, Lockwood, Koivunen, Waldie, Robe, Nelson-Iye.

Andree Jeglertz has rotated heavily, making six changes to the Manchester City side that came from behind to beat Liverpool 4-2 last time out.

Eartha Cumings replaces Ayaka Yamashita in goal, who is not named in the matchday squad.

Kerstin Casparij, Sam Coffey, Gracie Prior, Grace Clinton and Aoba Fujino all start.

Iman Beney misses out with a head injury sustained against Liverpool, while Lauren Hemp, Carlotta Wamser, Khadija Shaw and Yui Hasegawa start on the bench after starting in a draining midweek Champions League draw with Bayern Munich.

Summer signing Niamh Charles makes her first match squad after recovering from injury.

Man City XI: Cumings, Casparij, Prior, Rose, Greenwood, Coffey, Blindkilde Brown, Clinton, Fujino, Fowler, Mead.

Subs: Moorhouse, Shaw, Hemp, Wienroither, Charles, Hasegawa, Wamser, Lewis, Davies.

Image source, Getty Images

We are less than half hour away from kick-off to our first game, so let's take a look at the team news first.