Croatia
Indonesia
Nigeria
South Africa

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

25 December 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Aston Villa midfielder Emiliano Buendia may reportedly make the switch to Leeds United during the January transfer window. 25 December 2024 sportsmole.co.uk West Bromwich Albion have confirmed that Carlos Corberan has left the club to become the new manager of Valencia. 25 December 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Liverpool winger Mohamed Salah could hit yet another new Premier League goalscoring milestone when the Reds host Leicester City in their Boxing Day battle at Anfield. 25 December 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Ipswich Town manager Kieran McKenna has lost captain Sam Morsy to suspension ahead of Friday's Premier League clash with Arsenal at the Emirates. 25 December 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Arsenal temporarily begin life without Bukayo Saka when Ipswich Town arrive at the Emirates for Friday's Premier League showdown. 25 December 2024 sportsmole.co.uk The curtain closes on the festive round of Premier League fixtures at the Emirates Stadium, where title outsiders Arsenal and relegation candidates Ipswich Town lock horns on Friday evening. 25 December 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Is there a more satisfying sight in football than a sweetly-struck volley ripping into the back of the net? 25 December 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Manchester City must beat Everton on Boxing Day and end their dire form considering they face a relatively unthreatening opponent, Steven McInerney of Esteemed Kompany has told Sports Mole. 25 December 2024 sportsmole.co.uk The January transfer window is almost here and clubs around the UK and Europe are lining up moves as they look to take advantage of the opportunity to strengthen. 25 December 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Brighton & Hove Albion manager Fabian Hurzeler is close to welcoming back many first-team players ahead of the visit of Brentford to the Amex on Friday. 25 December 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Brighton & Hove Albion welcome Brentford to the Amex in one of two games being played after Boxing Day in the Premier League. 25 December 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Fulham will attempt a 45-year winless run when they face West London neighbours Chelsea at Stamford Bridge on Boxing Day. 24 December 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Erling Haaland is preparing to leave Manchester City in the summer, with the Norwegian expressing dissatisfaction behind the scenes, according to reports. 24 December 2024 sportsmole.co.uk The final match on a jam-packed Boxing Day in the Scottish Premiership will come from the SMISA Stadium in Paisley, where St Mirren will be playing host to Rangers. 24 December 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Aiming for a fourth consecutive League One victory at the New York Stadium, Rotherham United welcome Wigan Athletic on Boxing Day, keen to secure maximum points in gameweek 22. 24 December 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Real Madrid forward Rodrygo reportedly down a lucrative offer from Manchester City in the summer to stay in Spain. 24 December 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Boxing Day brings us a bottom-half clash in the Scottish Premiership with Dundee set to take on a struggling Ross County at The Scot Foam Stadium at Dens Park. 24 December 2024 sportsmole.co.uk In a promotion 'six-pointer', Huddersfield Town are set to host Stockport County at John Smith's Stadium on Boxing Day in League One. 24 December 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Arsenal are supposedly likely to have the chance to sign Paris Saint-Germain forward Randal Kolo Muani on loan in January after Bukayo Saka's injury. 24 December 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Two places separate Edinburgh rivals Hearts and Hibernian in the Scottish Premiership table heading into gameweek 19's Boxing Day derby at Tynecastle Park. 24 December 2024 sportsmole.co.uk A stuttering Aberdeen will be hoping for some post-Christmas cheer when they travel to the BBSP Stadium Rugby Park to face Kilmarnock in the Scottish Premiership on Thursday. 24 December 2024 sportsmole.co.uk As families up and down the country tuck into their turkey leftovers, 20 Premier League teams will be putting on a festive spectacle across December 26 and 27, including eight intriguing Boxing Day battles. 24 December 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Manchester United will reportedly set an asking price of £40m for Marcus Rashford in the upcoming January transfer window. 24 December 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Embattled St Johnstone will be aiming to end a four-match winless run as they welcome Dundee United to McDiarmid Park for a Boxing Day clash in the Scottish Premiership. 24 December 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Crystal Palace are prepared to welcome Eberechi Eze back to their matchday squad for the Premier League trip to Bournemouth on Boxing Day. 24 December 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Queens Park Rangers will head to South Wales for a Championship encounter against Swansea City on Boxing Day. 24 December 2024 sportsmole.co.uk The "resurrected" Gabriel Jesus should be Arsenal's first-choice centre-forward over the festive period after his pair of attacking masterclasses against Crystal Palace, according to Gunners expert Charles Watts. 24 December 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Arguably the pick of the Boxing Day fixtures in the Scottish Premiership will see league leaders Celtic taking on fourth-placed Motherwell at Celtic Park. 24 December 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Fulham manager Marco Silva is facing an injury crisis in midfield ahead of their trip to West London rivals Chelsea in the Premier League on Boxing Day. 24 December 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Noni Madueke will be hopeful of a start when Chelsea welcome West London neighbours Fulham to Stamford Bridge in the Premier League on Boxing Day.