Manchester United boss Marc Skinner returns to the club “forever in his heart” on Sunday as his side face Birmingham in the Women’s Super League.
Skinner spent three years with the Blues and was widely praised for the style of play he implemented during his time there.
Scott Booth’s side, who are yet to win a game this season, are currently bottom of the WSL table.
“It’s always nice to go back, it’s a wonderful club,” Skinner said.
“If I could pick something out, it would probably be the people. I was at Birmingham when I met the love of my life, there are lots of memories there.
“I’m looking forward to going back because of the respect I have for it. The club will forever be in my heart.”
United suffered a 6-1 defeat by Chelsea last time out, a result which the 38-year-old said was his first taste of pressure as United manager.
“This is a club with expectations,” he added.
“I’m not somebody who will shirk away from bad results. We looked at it hard and we promised ourselves we will grow from it.”
The defeat, which Skinner described as a “punch in the face”, was a reminder of the level United must reach in order to challenge in the WSL this season.
Brighton might not have expected to be level on points with defending champions Chelsea when the two sides meet on Saturday (11:30 BST), but Seagulls boss Hope Powell’s biggest problem this week has been getting her players to spend time away from the training ground.
The women’s team has recently moved into a brand-new £8.5m training facility at the American Express Elite Football Performance Centre.
“We’ve got everything on our doorstep,” Powell said.
“It gives us the best possible chance to get players in the right physical position we need them to be in on a Saturday.
“To be honest sometimes we have to tell the players to go home! I’m sure that will wear off but at the moment I’m here at 6pm telling the players they need to go home.”
Brighton, who ended Chelsea’s 33-game unbeaten run last season, have won two out of three in the league so far.
Blues boss Emma Hayes said Powell is a “world-class coach” and that there will be “zero underestimation” from her Chelsea side this weekend.
“Nobody within the game is surprised by what Brighton are doing,” Hayes said.
“Her achievements in the game are second to none. We have to face a really difficult test in terms of breaking a block down and we will be ready at the weekend.”
‘We’ve trained against 12 players’
Aston Villa face a huge test on Saturday when they host league leaders Arsenal at Villa Park in a game live on BBC Two (17:15 BST).
The Gunners have won all three of their league games this season under new boss Jonas Eidevall and are currently top of the table with a maximum nine points.
“They’re in scintillating form,” said Villa boss Carla Ward, whose side are also undefeated.
“In training we put 12 players on the opposition team because it feels like that at times doesn’t it?
“I’ve watched them this season and wanted to applaud them. Their movement is unbelievable and it can feel like an overload in all areas.”
Despite their emphatic start to the campaign, Eidevall said his side would need to be “very good” in their own execution against a “very hard working and structured” Villa side.
Midweek win ‘reward’ for City players
Manchester City look to build on their FA Cup victory over Birmingham in the week as they host West Ham on Sunday (14:00 BST)
Manager Gareth Taylor said his side’s FA Cup quarter-final win provided the squad with both “relief and reward”.
City are without a number of key players because of injury and have won just one of their opening three WSL games.
“It’s been difficult,” Taylor said.
“It was great for the girls to get that bit of confidence and for us all to get that bit of confidence that we are a good team regardless of the many missing players. I can only take my hat off to the players for the way they have handled things.”
Alongside Birmingham, Leicester and Reading are also looking to pick up their first points of the season.
Reading host Everton (Sunday 14:00 BST) as Willie Kirk’s side look to build on their first win of the campaign last week, while Leicester face second-placed Spurs (Sunday 14:00 BST), who are also undefeated in the league this season.
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