Chelsea Women will look to extend their unbeaten run to 17 games in all competitions when they play host to Liverpool Women on Sunday.
While the Blues are currently top of the Women's Super League table, the visitors are in eighth place, having won only two of their 10 league games this season.
Match preview
© Reuters
Chelsea began the season with a surprise 2-1 defeat against Sunday's opponents, but that result has provided motivation for the Blues to embark on a 16-game unbeaten run across all competitions.
In the WSL, the Blues followed the defeat to Liverpool with nine consecutive victories, before they rescued a point against title rivals Arsenal last weekend.
Sam Kerr scored the crucial goal against the Gunners, equalising in the 89th minute to cancel out Kim Little's spot kick.
Although they managed to avoid defeat last Sunday, Chelsea only have a three-point cushion over Arsenal and Man United, who both have a game in hand over the Blues.
Emma Hayes's will be confident that they can at least maintain their lead at the top, after winning 19 and drawing one of their last 20 home league games since losing to Brighton & Hove Albion in February 2012.
© Reuters
After winning promotion from the Championship last season, Liverpool could not have wished for a better start to the WSL season when they claimed an opening-day victory over Chelsea.
While the Blues bounced back from the defeat, Liverpool failed to build upon that success, going on to lose their next five league games.
Consecutive draws against Brighton and Reading followed, before the Reds recorded a 2-0 home victory over West Ham United in their final WSL match of 2022.
However, their three-game unbeaten run in the league was abruptly brought to an end by a demoralising 6-0 defeat to Manchester United last weekend.
That result leaves Liverpool still searching for their first away win of the WSL season, and after conceding at least two goals in their previous four away league games, Liverpool know that they will have to be far more resilient against a free-scoring Chelsea side.
- D
- D
- W
- W
- L
- L
Team News
© Reuters
Although Pernille Harder is still sidelined for the hosts, Hayes has indicated that she has no fresh injury concerns ahead of Sunday's encounter.
After featuring as a second-half substitute against Arsenal, Fran Kirby could be brought into the starting lineup.
Kerr scored her sixth goal of the WSL season last weekend, and the Australia international will be looking to add to that tally when she leads the line on Sunday.
As for the visitors, Leanne Kiernan is sidelined with an ankle injury, while Hannah Silcock is unavailable for seven to 10 days, with the 18-year-old having to sit exams.
Fuka Nagano and Chelsea academy product Miri Taylor have recently joined the club from the National Women's Soccer League in the USA, and Liverpool boss Matt Beard is hopeful that all the necessary paperwork will be completed in time for the two new additions to feature in the matchday squad.
While Nagano and Taylor may have to settle for places on the bench, Liverpool's top scorer Katie Stengel is expected to return to the starting lineup after missing the defeat to Man United through injury.
Chelsea Women possible starting lineup:
Musovic; Charles, Buchanan, Bright, Eriksson; Cuthbert, Ingle; James, Kirby, Reiten; Kerr
Liverpool Women possible starting lineup:
Laws; Koivisto, Bonner, Fahey, Campbell, Hinds; Kearns, Holland, Matthews, Lawley; Stengel
We say: Chelsea Women 3-1 Liverpool Women
After being thrashed by Man United, Liverpool will be keen to offer some sort of improvement against Chelsea, and although we think that the scoreline will be much closer than last weekend, we still expect the Blues to secure all three points.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
