Burkina Faso
Chinese Taipei
Czech Republic
Indonesia
Nigeria

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

sportsmole.co.uk, 3 May 2023, 21:18
Arsenal Women will have to pick themselves up from their Champions League semi-final exit when they welcome relegation-threatened Leicester Women to Meadow Park on Thursday.

The Gunners are currently sitting in fourth position in the Women's Super League table, while the Foxes will enter the contest in 10th.

Match preview

Despite being without a number of key players, Arsenal ran Wolfsburg close in the semi-finals of the Champions League, but they ultimately fell short in their quest to reach their second European final.

After coming from two goals down to draw the first leg, Arsenal took the early advantage at a packed-out Emirates Stadium on Monday thanks to Stina Blackstenius's opener, before strikes from Jill Roord and Alex Popp turned the contest in Wolfsburg's favour.

Jen Beattie restored parity to send the tie to extra time where Pauline Bremer found the winner in the 119th minute to quash Arsenal's European dreams.

Arsenal will now turn their attention back to league matters, and the fourth-placed side know that they need to finish with a positive run of results to finish in the top three and qualify for a place in next season's Champions League.

Having won their previous three WSL meetings with Leicester by a combined 13-0 scoreline, the Gunners will be confident of picking up all three points on Thursday.

After beating relegation rivals Reading 2-1 at the beginning of April, Leicester claimed a second straight victory in emphatic fashion when they played host to Liverpool on Saturday.

The Foxes took a two-goal lead into half time thanks to strikes from Josie Green and Carrie Jones, before Ashleigh Plumptre and Missy Goodwin put their names on the scoresheet in the second period to wrap up a commanding 4-0 victory.

The impressive result lifted the Foxes out of the sole relegation place and two points clear of Reading, who are now propping up the WSL table.

Leicester will know that they are far from safe, especially with two difficult away games against Arsenal and Chelsea coming up over the next seven days.

Having lost seven of their eight away games in the WSL this season, the Foxes will know that they will have their work cut out to pick up a positive result on Thursday.

Arsenal Women Women's Super League form:

L

W

W

W

W

L

Arsenal Women form (all competitions):

W

W

W

L

D

L

Leicester Women Women's Super League form:

L

D

L

L

W

W

Team News

Arsenal are unable to call upon the services of Leah Williamson, Beth Mead, Vivianne Miedema and Kim Little.

Laura Weinroither will be unavailable after being stretchered off against Wolfsburg in the second leg, while Caitlin Foord is a doubt after missing the last three matches.

After returning from a spell on the sidelines to feature as a substitute on Monday, Lina Hurtig could be presented with a starting opportunity.

As for the visitors, Willie Kirk has revealed that he has no fresh injury concerns, but he is still without long-term absentees Abbie McManus, Shannon O'Brien and Lachante Paul.

After missing Saturday's victory through suspension, Sam Tierney could return to the starting lineup for Thursday's encounter.

Despite coming off the bench to score against Liverpool, Goodwin may have to settle for a place among the substitutes once again.

Arsenal Women possible starting lineup:

Zinsberger; Maritz, Wubben-Moy, Rafaelle, Catley; Walti, Maanum; Kuhl, Pelova, McCabe; Blackstenius

Leicester Women possible starting lineup:

Leitzig; Bott, Howard, Plumptre, Nevin; Tierney, Mace; Jones, Green, Whelan; Cain

We say: Arsenal Women 3-0 Leicester Women

Previews by email

Top News

27 April 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Manchester United have apparently been handed a significant boost in their hopes of signing Crystal Palace winger Michael Olise, who would welcome a switch to Old Trafford. 27 April 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Arsenal reportedly hope to bring three or four new statement signings to the club this summer as part of another lavish spending spree. 27 April 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Arsenal winger Bukayo Saka will be bidding to emulate an achievement last managed by Ian Wright when the Gunners tackle Tottenham Hotspur in Sunday's Premier League North London derby. 27 April 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Chelsea saw a last-gasp winner ruled out but nevertheless completed an impressive comeback to hold Aston Villa to a 2-2 Premier League draw at Villa Park. 27 April 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Both Estrela Amadora and SC Farense will be looking to open up some daylight between themselves and the Primeira Liga relegation zone when they face off on Monday night. 27 April 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Bournemouth will attempt to equal a club record when they welcome Brighton & Hove Albion to the Vitality Stadium for Sunday's Premier League contest. 27 April 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Round 34 of the 2023-24 Turkish Super Lig concludes on Monday evening as Fatih Karagumruk host Antalyaspor at the Ataturk Olympic Stadium. 27 April 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Premier League ever-presents Everton can look forward to another campaign in the big time thanks to a 1-0 win over Brentford at Goodison Park. 27 April 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Chelsea have made three changes for Saturday's Premier League fixture at Aston Villa. 27 April 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Ruben Amorim has apologised to Sporting Lisbon supporters after admitting that the timing and publicity of his talks in London with West Ham United were "completely wrong". 27 April 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Barcelona reportedly hope to ward off Manchester United interest in one of their star defenders by offering him a lucrative contract renewal. 27 April 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Newcastle United have set a new Premier League scoring record after coming from behind to beat Sheffield United 5-1 at St James' Park on Saturday. 27 April 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Liverpool are reportedly running out of patience with one of their first-team attackers as their Premier League title fight ends with a whimper. 27 April 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Liverpool attacker Mohamed Salah made a cryptic "fire" comment after his touchline row with Jurgen Klopp in the Reds' 2-2 draw with West Ham United. 27 April 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Chelsea are prepared to part ways with four home-grown players this summer in order to retain Liverpool and Paris Saint-Germain-linked defender Levi Colwill, according to a report. 27 April 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Manchester City will be looking to strengthen their Premier League title when they face Nottingham Forest at the City Ground on Sunday afternoon. 27 April 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Arsenal are leading the race ahead of both Manchester City and Manchester United to sign Brighton & Hove Albion attacker Kaoru Mitoma this summer, according to a report. 27 April 2024 sportsmole.co.uk West Ham United manager David Moyes has insisted that his side did not specifically target any aerial weaknesses in Liverpool's defence during their 2-2 draw at the London Stadium this afternoon. 27 April 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Rather than a glorious send-off for one of their greatest-ever managers, the story of Jurgen Klopp's final season as Liverpool boss is fast turning into what might have been. 27 April 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Jarrod Bowen has followed in the footsteps of Geoff Hurst and Paolo Di Canio after scoring in West Ham United's 2-2 draw with Liverpool in the Premier League on Saturday. 27 April 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Liverpool's Premier League title chances effectively crashed and burned in a 2-2 draw with West Ham United at the London Stadium, where Jurgen Klopp and Mohamed Salah were seen engaging in a touchline spat in the second half. 27 April 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Premier League and Serie A-winning head coach Antonio Conte has supposedly agreed a return to management by signing a three-year contract with an Italian giant. 27 April 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Liverpool title hopes suffer huge setback against West Ham United 27 April 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Manchester United centre-back Victor Lindelof is reportedly being linked with a transfer away from Old Trafford this summer, with Galatasaray showing apparent interest. 27 April 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Mohamed Salah and Darwin Nunez have been dropped from Liverpool's starting lineup for their Premier League clash with West Ham United at the London Stadium. 27 April 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Tottenham Hotspur could supposedly make a surprise U-turn on their decision to accept offers for out-of-favour midfielder Giovani Lo Celso this summer. 27 April 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Tottenham Hotspur could supposedly try to steal a march on their rivals in the race for Genoa's Albert Gudmundsson by proposing a swap deal for the Icelandic striker. 27 April 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Liverpool have reportedly deployed scouts to keep an eye on a prolific Primeira Liga centre-forward also wanted by Arsenal. 27 April 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Leicester City make the trip to Deepdale to face Preston North End looking for the win that could secure the Championship title. 27 April 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Promoted together last year, Genoa and Cagliari will both seek points to secure Serie A survival when they meet at Stadio Luigi Ferraris on Monday.