Preview: Leicester Women vs. Manchester United Women - prediction, team news, lineups

Leicester Women make their home Women's Super League debut on Sunday, when they welcome Manchester United Women to the King Power stadium.

The Foxes are looking to record their first points of this campaign after defeat on the opening day, while Man United will want to continue their winning start to the season.

Match preview

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Jonathan Morgan's WSL newcomers were going well at Banks's Stadium last weekend, with Natasha Flint scoring the club's first top-flight goal, giving her side a half-time lead against Aston Villa.

However, Villa responded in the second half with two quick-fire goals from Sarah Mayling and Remi Allen, with just one minute separating the strikes from the Villa pair.

Despite the 2-1 defeat, Morgan was encouraged by his side's performance as he says the Foxes dominated large parts of the game, but ultimately the team were left disappointed about the manner in which they conceded the second goal, so soon after the hosts equalised.

Welcoming Marc Skinner's side to the King Power perhaps poses a much bigger challenge for the WSL's new side, considering the Red Devils' league position last season compared to last week's opposition Aston Villa, but Leicester do have recent success against Man United.

The then Championship outfit travelled to play Casey Stoney's team at Leigh Sports Village in May in the FA Cup fifth round, and the Foxes came from behind twice to secure a 3-2 win and progress into the quarter-final.

Manchester United kicked off a new era for women's football in England live on Sky Sports last Friday evening, and they put on a good performance for the cameras, securing a 2-0 win over Reading.

Skinner's side limited the visitors to few chances on Mary Earps's goal, and finished their own efforts at the other end of the pitch, with the goals coming from Kirsty Hanson and Ona Batlle.

That game against the Royals was Skinner's first competitive game in charge of Man United and he said after the match that he was pleased to see his side building togetherness, which they will take into this weekend's clash with Leicester.

Sometimes teams fall to recently promoted sides as they underestimate them, but the Red Devils' boss is wary of their ability and Man United will respect their hosts but at the same time focus on how they can exploit any Leicester weaknesses.

At the beginning of the 2020-21 campaign, Man United went 10 games unbeaten in the WSL which took them all the way from September up until January, and they will be looking to emulate that run by continuing this season with victory on Sunday.

Team News

Morgan handed four players their full competitive debut last weekend, including Abbie McManus, Georgia Brougham, Molly Pike and Jessica Sigsworth.

The Foxes operated in a 3-5-2 formation, and Flint will be delighted to have got off the mark in the top flight after a successful scoring season during their promotion-winning campaign last term.

All of the back three - Brougham, McManus and Samantha Tierney - were shown yellow cards last weekend, so they will have to improve their discipline to avoid suspension in the future.

Jackie Groenen came off the bench for Man United last weekend, after a full summer of action representing Netherlands at the Olympics, but she could be in line to start on Sunday.

Skinner will have the same squad as last week to pick from with no new injury updates, and the front three of Hanson, Ella Toone and Leah Galton are almost certain to retain their places.

A number of Red Devils have been called up to represent their countries next week, perhaps showing the strength of Man United's squad, which should shine through against Leicester.

Leicester Women possible starting lineup:

Levell; Brougham, McManus, Tierney; Cain, Barker, O'Brien, Pike, Bailey-Gayle; Flint, Sigsworth

Manchester United Women possible starting lineup:

Earps; Batlle, Thorisdottir, Mannion, Blundell; Zelem, Risa; Galton, Staniforth, Hanson; Toone

We say: Leicester Women 0-2 Manchester United Women

Morgan was pleased with his side's performance against Aston Villa, which they will be looking to build on this weekend at the King Power, but Manchester United also played very well last Friday and got the result to go with it.

Man United are strong favourites for this tie, and many of the players would have been involved in the 3-2 defeat to the Foxes in May and will have learnt from that experience, meaning that history should not repeat itself.