Aston Villa dismiss Natalia Arroyo after four WSL games without a win

Aston Villa have dismissed manager Natalia Arroyo after taking two points from their first four Women's Super League matches of the season, according to BBC Sport. The Spaniard leaves following two draws and two defeats, with the BBC reporting that the winless league start prompted the club to make a change.

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The decision follows a 4-0 defeat by Tottenham on Sunday. Villa had begun their league campaign with a draw against Chelsea, but that result did not lead to a first victory in the next three matches. Arroyo joined in January 2025 and, according to the BBC, still had two years left on her contract.

One of Villa's two points came from a late recovery against Brighton at the Amex Stadium. Brighton's own account of that September meeting records a 1-1 draw, with Villa equalising as full-time approached. Albion head coach Arturo Ruiz said afterwards that his team needed to manage narrow leads better, while expressing disappointment that their performance had not produced a win.

Arroyo's first months at Villa had also involved a difficult run before a sharp improvement. WSL Football's club profile records that Villa lost their first five league games under her after she replaced Robert de Pauw. They then finished that season with five consecutive victories, securing sixth place and scoring half of their 32 league goals during that closing sequence of wins.

The league's profile also highlights Arroyo's previous work at Real Sociedad, where she had overseen runner-up finishes in both league and cup competitions. Her initial Villa recovery helped the club move away from relegation danger, but BBC Sport reports that consistency remained a problem despite transfer-window investment.

Villa now face a quick return to action, with BBC Sport listing a Women's League Cup meeting with Newcastle on Wednesday at 19:30 BST. The BBC described Arroyo as the first managerial departure of the current WSL season. Its report did not identify a successor or specify who would take charge for the Newcastle match.