Preview: Bristol City Women vs. Leicester Women - prediction, team news, lineups

Newly-promoted Bristol City Women will look to get off to a positive start on their return to the Women's Super League when they welcome Leicester Women to Ashton Gate on Sunday.

While the hosts will be targeting safety, Leicester will want to avoid another relegation battle after finishing in 10th place last term.

Match preview

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After being relegated in 2021, Bristol City spent two seasons in the second tier before winning promotion back to the top flight last season.

The Robins collected 48 points from their 22 matches to hold off their fellow promotion contenders to win the Championship title.

In a bid to remain in the top flight, Bristol City have been busy strengthening their squad over the summer months, bringing in the likes of Kaylan Marckese, Sille Struck, Carrie Jones, Megan Connolly, Jamie-Lee Napier and Amalie Thestrup.

The Robins will hope that their new additions can help them make a positive start on Sunday when they face Leicester for the first time since winning 1-0 in the League Cup in February 2021.

After finishing last term with the best defensive record in the second tier, Bristol City will look to bring that resilience into the opening game of the new WSL season.

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Willie Kirk managed to guide Leicester to safety last season after taking over the reins from Lydia Bedford in November.

The Foxes finished five points clear of bottom-placed side Reading to extend their stay in the top flight to a third season.

Kirk is now set to take charge of his first full campaign as Leicester boss, and he will go into the 2023-24 campaign with a new-look squad.

Julie Thibaud, Deanne Rose, Jutta Rantala, Janica Cayman and Lena Petermann are among the new arrivals, who will be hoping to steer Leicester clear of another relegation battle.

After failing to win any of their opening 12 league matches of last term, the Foxes will be desperate to get off the mark in their opening game of the new season.

Team News

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Brooke Aspin was loaned back to Bristol City after completing a permanent move to Chelsea in the summer, and the 18-year-old is expected to start in a back three against Leicester.

Bristol City boss Lauren Smith could hand debuts to several of their summer additions, with Struck, Jones, Connolly and Napier all in contention to start Sunday's WSL opener.

After scoring 11 league goals in Bristol City's promotion campaign, Shania Hayles will be one of the home side's main attacking threats.

As for the visitors, Kirk has revealed that Australian forward Remy Siemsen sustained an ankle injury in pre-season and is set to be out of action for six to seven weeks.

Janina Leitzig has returned to the club and will start in goal after converting her loan move from Bayern Munich into a permanent deal.

Thibaud, Cayman, Rantala and Petermann are all expected to make their Leicester debuts in Sunday's WSL opener at Ashton Gate.

Bristol City Women possible starting lineup:

Bentley; Layzell, Aspin, Struck; Powell, Connolly, Furness, Jones; Hayles, Napie, Harrison

Leicester Women possible starting lineup:

Leitzig; Bott, Howard, Thibaud, Nevin; Cayman, Whelan, Green; Rantala, Cain, Petermann

We say: Bristol City Women 0-1 Leicester Women

Both teams have added to their squads over the summer, but we think that Leicester have the extra quality required to claim a narrow victory in Sunday's meeting at Ashton Gate.

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