Brightonvs.Liverpool

The Seagulls head into the weekend in fifth position, while the Reds are one place behind in sixth spot in the Women's Super League table.

Match preview

Brighton are in a strong position to achieve their first top-half finish since they ended the 2020-21 season in sixth place.

The Seagulls have already bettered last season's tally by three points, although they will be frustrated that they failed to build upon their promising start in their first campaign of Dario Vidosic's tenure.

Brighton recorded six wins in their first eight league matches of the season, but they have since managed just one win in their previous 10 top-flight matches (D3, L6).

They recorded their most recent league win in last month's away game against Tottenham Hotspur, as Fran Kirby scored the decisive goal in a narrow 1-0 victory.

However, they went on to lose 3-2 away to Leicester, before they fell to a 2-1 defeat in their home meeting with Manchester City before the international break.

Brighton will be keen to return to winning ways in Saturday's fixture, but that will be easier said than done, especially as they have gone four WSL home games without a win since beating West Ham United in November (D3, L1).

Liverpool will have to pick themselves up after their hopes of winning their first Women's FA Cup were ended in last Sunday's semi-final defeat against Chelsea.

Olivia Smith scored a 21st-minute opener to get Liverpool off to the perfect start, before Chelsea's Erin Cuthbert restored parity in first-half stoppage time.

The Reds looked set to take the five-time winners to extra time until Aggie Beever-Jones scored a stoppage-time winner to condemn Liverpool to a 2-1 defeat at Kingsmeadow.

Interim boss Amber Whiteley has now seen her side lose three consecutive matches since she started her tenure with three successive victories.

They may be fearful of experiencing another disappointing result in Saturday's trip to the South Coast, having lost five of their previous six away league games, including a heavy 4-0 loss to Arsenal in their most recent WSL road trip

With that said, the Reds will draw inspiration from the fact they have won each of their previous four meetings with the Seagulls.

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

D

L

D

W

L

L

Brighton & Hove Albion form (all competitions):

Liverpool Women Women's Super League form:

W

L

W

W

L

L

Liverpool Women form (all competitions):

Team News

The hosts will have to assess the fitness of Bex Raynor, Jorelyn Carabali, Bruna Vilamala and Kirby.

Forward Madison Haley is a doubt for the home fixture after she was forced off in the first half against Man City before the international break.

Nikita Parris will continue to offer one of the home side's main goal threats, with the striker looking to add to her five-goal league tally for the season.

As for the visitors, it was confirmed earlier this month that Zara Shaw sustained an anterior cruciate ligament injury while on international duty with the England Under-19 side.

Sofie Lundgaard remains sidelined with a long-term knee injury, while Chelsea loanee Julia Bartel is a doubt for Saturday's away trip.

Midfielder Ceri Holland has taken part in training this week and is now pushing to prove her fitness in time for the weekend.

Brighton & Hove Albion Women possible starting lineup:

Loeck; McLauchlan, Thorisdottir, Bergsvand, Auee, Pattinson; Kirby, Noordam, Symonds; Agyemang, Parris

Liverpool Women possible starting lineup:

Laws; Fisk, Bonner, Evans, Hinds; Nagano, Kerr, Hobinger; Smith, Haug, Kiernan

We say: Brighton & Hove Albion Women 1-1 Liverpool Women

Written by

Ben Sully

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