'It gives me strength' - Aston Villa Women's Alisha Lehmann opens up on social media abuse

Aston Villa Women's forward Alisha Lehmann has admitted that she doesn't allow criticism online to affect her despite receiving abuse on social media on a regular basis.

"I think sometimes it's a bit hard because obviously I play like I train every day, like everyone else, like I play every weekend and sometimes it's hard because they make a picture of you.

"I'm a proper footballer. I work hard every day. I want to be the best version of myself in football and that's my first priority in life."

However, her significant online presence has made the Villa forward a target for online abuse. The 24-year-old has insisted though that this no longer affects her.

"Behind the computer, it's always easy to say stuff because I don't think someone would stand in front of us in women's football and say, 'you're so bad, women can't play'."

The 24-year-old added that she only feels affected by abuse when her family see it, explaining: "I don't really care [about criticism on social media]. I don't read the stuff. It's more for my family because sometimes I feel bad about this because my Mum sends me stuff then I feel like, 'Mum, don't read this'. It's not important.

"It doesn't even affect me because I know that those people aren't important for me, it's more annoying for me that my family reads it or someone that's close to me who asks me about it after.

"I say, 'look, it doesn't affect me'. I'm strong with what I'm doing and if people are not happy with it then it's there own choice. It doesn't affect me."