Preview: Aston Villa Women vs. Chelsea Women - prediction, team news, lineups

Aston Villa Women will attempt to reach their first Women's FA Cup final when they welcome Chelsea Women to the Bescot Stadium for Sunday's semi-final tie.

The visitors, meanwhile, are hoping to progress to the final and win the competition for a third consecutive season.

Match preview

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Aston Villa have enjoyed a successful 2022-23 season up until this point, having reached the FA Cup semi-finals and performed impressively in the WSL.

Despite losing 3-0 to Chelsea in a home league meeting before the international break, Aston Villa look well set to end the campaign in fifth position, which would be a significant improvement on last season's ninth-placed finish.

The Villans are also dreaming of claiming their first major trophy after progressing to the semi-finals by eliminating AFC Fylde, West Ham United and Manchester City.

Their extra-time victory over Man City in the quarter-finals suggests that Aston Villa have the ability to beat another member of the 'big four' on Sunday.

Prior to their defeat to Chelsea in their most recent game, Carla Ward's side embarked on an eight-game unbeaten run in all competitions, and they will be looking to rediscover that form this weekend.

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Chelsea, meanwhile, went into the international break in a confident mood after they followed their penalty-shootout victory over Lyon in the Champions League quarter-finals with a comfortable win over Aston Villa.

Jelena Cankovic, Guro Reiten and Sam Kerr all got on the scoresheet in the 3-0 win against Sunday's opponents, leaving second-placed Chelsea one point adrift of WSL leaders Manchester United, who have played a game more.

With the Blues competing on three fronts, they will be looking to pull off a remarkable treble, which would require them to win the FA Cup trophy for a third straight season.

Emma Hayes's side have made their way to the semi-finals with three victories over WSL outfits Liverpool, Arsenal and Reading.

Having won all 10 of their competitive meetings with Aston Villa, the Blues will be confident that they can move past another top-flight side on Sunday.

Team News

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Aston Villa are still expected to be without the services of Remi Allen, Simone Magill, Meaghan Sargeant and Natasha Harding.

Sarah Mayling has missed the last two matches through injury, but if she is passed fit, the defender will start against Chelsea.

Having scored 21 goals in 24 competitive appearances this season, Rachel Daly will pose of the home side's main goal threats.

As for the visitors, Hayes has revealed that Kadiesha Buchanan has joined her fellow defender Millie Bright in the treatment room.

The Chelsea boss may opt to use Maren Mjelde and Magdalena Eriksson in central defence, while Eve Perisset and Jess Carter are expected to operate as the two full-backs.

Ann-Katrin Berger, Erin Cuthbert, Melanie Leupolz and Lauren James did not feature in the recent league win over Aston Villa, but the quartet are expected to start on Sunday.

Aston Villa Women possible starting lineup:

Hampton; Mayling, Patten, Turner, Pacheco; Dali, Nobbs, Staniforth; Blindkilde, Hanson, Daly

Chelsea Women possible starting lineup:

Berger; Perisset; Mjelde, Eriksson, Carter; Cuthbert, Ingle, Leupolz; James, Reiten, Kerr

We say: Aston Villa Women 0-2 Chelsea Women

Chelsea will go into the semi-final as the favourites, and after claiming a comfortable victory over Aston Villa before the international break, we think that they will have the confidence and belief required to record another win over the Villans on Sunday.

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