Preview: Leicester City Women vs Brighton & Hove Albion Women - prediction, team news, lineups

Leicester City Women will attempt to claim their first points of 2026 when they welcome Brighton & Hove Albion to the King Power Stadium on Saturday.

The Foxes are languishing at the foot of the WSL table, while the Seagulls head into the weekend in ninth position. 

Match preview

Having won two, drawn three and lost 12 of their 17 WSL games, Leicester are currently languishing in the relegation playoff spot with three points separating them from West Ham in 11th spot.

Leicester have one game in hand over the Hammers, but that will count for very little if they continue on their poor run of form that has seen them lose six consecutive league games.

Alisha Lehmann gave the Foxes a half-time lead in last Sunday's home clash with Aston Villa, but second-half efforts from Anna Patten and Kirsty Hanson condemned Leicester to their 12th WSL defeat of the season. 

While they may have the division's third-worst defensive record, Leicester's real struggles are at the opposite end of the pitch, where they have netted just nine times in 17 matches, making them the league's lowest scorers by a six-goal margin.

In fact, the Foxes have not scored more than one goal in a single league game since they beat West Ham 4-2 at the end of the 2024-25 campaign. 

They may at least be able to draw inspiration from the fact they claimed a 3-2 victory in their most recent home meeting with Brighton in March 2025. 

© Imago / Sports Press Photo

Brighton will feel that Sunday's game offers a great opportunity to return to winning ways after taking just a point from their last four league outings.

The Seagulls suffered back-to-back defeats against London City Lionesses and West Ham United, before they got revenge against the latter with a 2-1 success in the FA Cup fifth round. 

However, they then suffered a third consecutive league defeat in their away meeting with Chelsea and had to settle for a goalless draw in last Sunday's home meeting with Liverpool. 

As a result of their poor form, Brighton are down in ninth position in the league table, although with just two points separating them from Everton in sixth spot, they still have an opportunity to secure a top-half finish for a second consecutive season.

Dario Vidosic's side have the chance to complete a league double over Leicester after running out comfortable 4-1 winners in November's reverse fixture.

They have been hit and miss on the road in recent times, having seen their last six away games split evenly between wins and defeats. 

Leicester City Women Women's Super League form:

Leicester City Women form (all competitions):

Brighton & Hove Albion Women Women's Super League form:

Brighton & Hove Albion Women form (all competitions):

Team News

© Imago / Sports Press Photo

Leicester boss Rick Passmoor is unable to call upon Olivia Clark, Heather Payne, Jutta Rantala and Celeste Boureille due to injury.

Sari Kees and Noemie Mouchon are also battling to prove their fitness in time for Sunday's home fixture.

Aston Villa loanee Sarah Mayling will return to the squad after being ineligible to feature against her parent club, while Australia international Emily van Egmond is back from representing her country in the Asian Cup. 

As for Brighton, they are unable to call upon Michelle Agyemang, Aisha Masak and Tahirah Heron. 

Moeka Minami, Kiko Seike and Charlie Rule should be available to feature after returning from the Asian Cup. 

Seike will be hoping to pick up from where she left off before the tournament, after netting in each of her last three matches for the Seagulls. 

Leicester City Women possible starting lineup:

Leitzig; Mayling, Thibaud, Swaby, Neville; Cain, Tierney, Jansson, Van Egmond, Lehmann; O'Brien

Brighton & Hove Albion Women possible starting lineup:

Nnadozie; Rule, Minami, Vanegas, Olislagers; Seike, Symonds, Cankovic, Rayner; Kirby; Hayley

We say: Leicester City Women 1-2 Brighton & Hove Albion Women

Leicester will be low on confidence after losing all six of their league games in 2026, and we think their poor run of form will continue with a narrow defeat against a Brighton team that have won three of their last six away games. 

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