Preview: West Ham United Women vs. Manchester City Women - prediction, team news, lineups

Manchester City Women will look to begin their Women's Super League campaign with a win when they play host to West Ham United Women on Sunday.

The Citizens will be targeting Champions League qualification and a title push, while the Hammers will want to improve last season's eighth-placed finish.

Match preview

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West Ham experienced an underwhelming 2022-23 campaign after picking up 21 points from 22 games to round off the season in eighth position.

After overseeing a dismal run of form which saw West Ham win one game in 12 league matches, Paul Konchesky left his role as manager at the end of the 2022-23 season.

Rehanne Skinner has replaced Konchesky in the hot seat, and she has a point to prove after being dismissed as Tottenham boss in March following a run of nine straight league defeats.

The Hammers have seen the likes of Grace Fisk and Lucy Parker leave the club in the summer, but they have made a number of their own additions.

Emma Harries and Riko Ueki have strengthened West Ham's attacking options, while goalkeeper Megan Walsh and defender Jessie Stapleton have also joined the club over the summer.

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Despite finishing level on points with third-placed Arsenal, Man City were edged out of the Champions League places due to their inferior goal difference.

The Citizens will be targeting a top-three finish this time around, while they will also be hoping to challenge for trophies after failing to win any silverware last season.

Man City experienced a quiet summer transfer window, which saw Hayley Raso leave for Real Madrid and Jill Roord arrive from Wolfsburg.

Having kept the majority of his players, Gareth Taylor will head into the new season with a settled squad, who will be looking to claim their first away victory in the WSL since March after losing their final three away league games of the 2022-23 campaign.

The Citizens will draw inspiration from the fact that they have won their last four competitive meetings with West Ham, including a 6-2 victory when the two sides last met in April.

Team News

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After being named as West Ham captain, Australian goalkeeper Mackenzie Arnold will be looking to start the season with a strong performance.

Viviane Asseyi will pose one of the home side's main goal threats after finishing the 2022-23 season as West Ham's joint-top scorer in the WSL.

Ueki, who scored two goals for Japan at the 2023 World Cup, will look to make an instant impact in Sunday's league opener.

As for the visitors, Taylor is expected to hand a Man City debut to Roord, who previously played in the WSL for Arsenal.

Man City are hoping to have Bunny Shaw available after the striker missed the second leg of Jamaica's Olympic qualifier with Canada due to a knock.

England duo Chloe Kelly and Lauren Hemp are expected to provide the width for the Citizens in Sunday's WSL opener.

West Ham United Women possible starting lineup:

Arnold; Shimizu, Cissoko, Tysiak, Smith; Hayashi, Brynjarsdottir; Asseyi, Evans, Harris; Ueki

Manchester City Women possible starting lineup:

Roebuck; Casparij, Houghton, Greenwood, Morgan; Hasegawa, Angeldal; Kelly, Roord, Hemp; Shaw

We say: West Ham United Women 0-2 Manchester City Women

Man City may have lost their final three away league games of last season, but after winning their last two competitive away matches against West Ham, we think that they will kick off the new campaign with a victory.

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