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

On Sunday, Leicester Women will travel to Berkshire to face Reading Women, with the visitors looking to collect consecutive victories.

Meanwhile, Reading enter the contest in eighth position, and the hosts will be hoping to extend their current unbeaten league run to six league games.

Match preview

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Reading may have ended 2021 with a penalty shootout defeat in the League Cup against Lewes, but they would have still been pleased with their recent league performances.

The Royals have collected 13 points from their last five league matches, and it is a run of results that has seen Reading move away from danger.

In their last league fixture, Kelly Chambers's side stunned defending champions Chelsea as a Deanne Rose goal proved enough to help Reading to a narrow victory.

That result also saw Reading keep their fourth clean sheet in their last five WSL games, with three of those shutouts occurring on home turf.

Having collected nine of their 13 points at home this season, the Royals will be confident of picking up three points on Sunday.

Leicester's main goal for the second half of the season is to remain in the division, and their survival hopes received a boost before the winter break as the Foxes picked up a crucial 2-0 victory over relegation rivals Birmingham City.

Goals from Sophie Howard and Samantha Tierney guided Leicester to that all-important win, which resulted in Lydia Bedford's side claiming their first points of the season.

Those vital three points helped the Foxes leapfrog Birmingham in the league table, leaving them two points clear of safety.

However, rather than resting on their laurels, Bedford will be looking for her side to push on, and another win of Sunday would only strengthen their hopes of survival.

Although, Leicester's away form will not fill the Foxes boss with confidence as they have lost every league game on the road this season, while they have netted only once in their five WSL away fixtures.

Team News

In December, Reading signed Sanne Troelsgaard Nielsen on a two-and-half-year deal, and the Denmark international will be included in the squad for Sunday's contest, although she may have to settle for a place on the bench.

The hosts will be without the services of Deanna Cooper and Rachel Rowe, who are ruled out due to injury issues.

Chambers is expected to name the same side that performed so well against Chelsea.

Meanwhile, the visitors are missing Connie Scofield, Kirstie Levell and Lachante Paul due to injury problems.

The Foxes made a couple of new signings this week with Missy Goodwin and Freya Gregory announced as new arrivals on Friday, and the pair could be included in the squad for Sunday's contest.

Gregory may have to settle for a place on the bench, while Goodwin could come into the starting lineup.

Reading Women possible starting lineup:

Moloney; Harding, Vanhaevermaet, Evans; Bryson, Peplow, Eikeland, Woodham; Harries, Rose, Dowie

Leicester Women possible starting lineup:

Lambourne; Howard, McManus, Tierney, Plumptre; De Graaf, Pike, Barker, O'Brien; Goodwin, Bailey-Gayle

We say: Reading Women 2-1 Leicester Women

Despite beating Birmingham in their last outing, we think that Leicester will fall short on Sunday as we believe that an in-form Reading side will edge out the visitors.