Sørensen vows better performances as Villa face Palace

Interim head coach Brian Sørensen has made it clear that raising Aston Villa Women’s performances is his immediate priority as the side prepare for a Sunday clash with Crystal Palace. The Danish coach took charge earlier this week following the dismissal of former boss Natalia Arroyo.

Interim appointment and early challenges

Sørensen was installed as interim head coach after Villa sacked Natalia Arroyo. Arroyo’s departure came after a winless start to the new Barclays Women’s Super League campaign. The club acted swiftly to change direction.

“It was sad, it’s never fun to see a good colleague lose her job,” Sørensen said, adding that he felt for the staff and players who cherished Arroyo.

He admitted, “I didn’t sleep much that night. I got told the next morning,” reflecting the personal impact of the decision.

“At the end of the day, it’s the business that we work in and it’s how it is,” he continued. “I’m fully‑focused on making sure that the team are galvanised and we are together, that’s my job now.”

Sørensen also said, “I don’t know how long I’m the interim head coach, but the club have a vision and this is the focus, this is my task.”

He stressed the need to align all aspects of the side, aiming for performances that reflect Villa’s identity and can be recognised externally.

Villa prepare for Palace showdown

“We want our performances to be better than they have been. It’s not a one‑person issue, it’s a collective,” Sørensen explained. “I’m a different person and I’ll do things in a slightly different way, but at the end of the day, it’s a collective and we need to make sure our performances are better.”

Aston Villa’s Barclays Women’s Super League fixture against Crystal Palace is scheduled to kick off at 2pm on Sunday afternoon, giving Sørensen his first test in charge.