Preview: West Ham United Women vs London City Lionesses W - prediction, team news, lineups

London City Lionesses W will make the short trip to the Chigwell Construction Stadium for Sunday’s Women’s Super League meeting with West Ham United Women.

The Hammers are languishing in 11th place in the WSL table, while the visitors are eight points better off in seventh spot.

Match preview

West Ham are just three points clear of the relegation playoff spot after winning three, drawing three and losing 12 of their 18 league games.

The Hammers have struggled at both ends of the pitch, demonstrated by the fact they have the league’s worst defensive record with 40 goals conceded and are the division’s second-lowest scorers with just 15 goals.

They have averaged just 0.83 goals across their 18 WSL matches, a significant drop-off from their 1.64 average from last season.

Their struggles in both boxes were on display in last Saturday’s heavy 5-0 defeat against Arsenal, making it four competitive matches without a win and three consecutive league games without scoring.

West Ham will be comforted by the fact they at least have home advantage for Sunday’s fixture, considering they have collected nine of their 12 points from home contests.

They can also take encouragement from the fact they recorded their first home clean sheet of the season in their most recent outing against Man United.

London City will be content to be setting in seventh spot in their first-ever WSL campaign, even if they had slightly higher hopes following an ambitious recruitment drive over the last two transfer windows.

With Everton in sixth place on goal difference, Eder Maestre’s side will be looking to snatch a top-half finish in their four final games of the season.

They may be winless in four league games, but London City will head into Sunday’s fixture in high spirits after they held reigning WSL champions Chelsea to a 1-1 draw last weekend.

Substitute Isobel Goodwin struck in the 82nd minute to cancel out Johanna Rytting Kaneryd’s opener and deny Chelsea a fourth consecutive league victory.

After playing three consecutive home games, Eder Maestre's charges will head on their travels with hopes of claiming their fourth away league win of the season.

A victory on Sunday would see the visitors complete a league double over the Hammers after winning 1-0 in October's reverse fixture.

West Ham United Women Women's Super League form:

W L W L D L

West Ham United Women form (all competitions):

L W L L D L

London City Lionesses W Women's Super League form:

L W L L L D

London City Lionesses W form (all competitions):

W L L L L D

Team News

West Ham Eva Nystrom will be available for selection, having shaken off the issue that forced her off in the defeat to Arsenal.

However, Rita Guarino are unable to call upon striker Vivianne Asseyi, who will miss a second consecutive game through injury.

Australian midfielder Katrina Gorry and Japanese forward Riko Ueki could feature after returning from the Asian Cup.

As for the visitors, forward Nikita Parris will serve a one-match ban after picking up her fifth yellow card of the WSL last weekend.

Goodwin is in contention to start in Parris’s absence, while Lucia Corrales is pushing for a recall after featuring as a half-time substitute against Chelsea.

Saki Kumagai could also feature in the starting line-up, having returned from the Asian Cup in Australia, where she helped Japan win the competition for the third time.

West Ham United Women possible starting lineup:

Szemik; Endo, Hansen, Cascarino; Wandeler, Siren, Gorry, Hanshaw; Martinez, Tennebo, Ueki

London City Lionesses W possible starting lineup:

Lete; Fernandez, Linari, Sangare, Pattinson; Kumagai, Geyoro; Godfrey, Asllani, Corrales; Goodwin

We say: West Ham United Women 1-2 London City Lionesses W

London City have won two of their last three competitive away games, and we think they will enjoy more success on the road against a West Ham side that have lost three of their last four games.

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