Preview: Bristol City Women vs. Aston Villa Women - prediction, team news, lineups

The visitors, meanwhile, are still searching for their first points of the season after losing their opening four Women's Super League fixtures.

Match preview

After winning promotion from the Championship last term, Bristol City endured a difficult start on their return to the top flight.

The Robins began the campaign with four consecutive defeats, losing to Leicester City, Tottenham Hotspur, Manchester City and Arsenal.

However, Lauren Smith's side received a much-needed confidence boost last week after they beat West Ham United 3-2 to pick up their first points of the season.

Goals from Amalie Thestrup and Ella Powell gave Bristol City a 2-1 lead before Riko Ueki restored parity in first-half stoppage time, but the Robins moved back in front in the second period, as Brooke Aspin scored the decisive goal to secure all three points.

While the result lifted Bristol City above Aston Villa, they will still be looking for a defensive improvement after conceding at least two goals in each of their five league games.

After achieving a fifth-place finish in the 2023-24 campaign, the Villans have been unable to build upon last season's success.

They are still looking for their first points of the season after losing their opening five league games to Manchester United, Liverpool, Arsenal, Tottenham Hotspur and Chelsea.

In their most recent outing, the Villans suffered a heavy 6-0 loss in their home meeting with Chelsea, leaving them with the joint-worst defensive record after conceding 16 goals in five matches.

As a result of their poor start to the campaign, Carla Ward's side are currently languishing at the foot of the WSL table with three points separating them from Bristol City.

Although they have struggled in the WSL, Aston Villa would have at least taken confidence from Wednesday's 5-0 League Cup win over Championship side Sheffield United, which came courtesy of a Rachel Daly hat-trick as well as goals from Ebony Salmon and Danielle Turner.

Bristol City Women Women's Super League form:

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L

L

L

W

Bristol City Women form (all competitions):

Aston Villa Women Women's Super League form:

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Aston Villa Women form (all competitions):

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Team News

Bristol City are still unable to call upon Fran Bentley and Jesse Woolley, who are both sidelined with injury issues.

Abi Harrison could be on the bench once again after returning from injury to appear as a late substitute last weekend.

After claiming their first victory of the season last weekend, Smith could select the same lineup that started the 3-2 win over West Ham.

Aston Villa, meanwhile, are expected to be without the services of Lucy Parker, who has missed the last two matches through injury.

France international Kenza Dali could be included in the squad after she returned from injury to make her first appearance of the season in Wednesday's League Cup win.

Fresh from scoring a hat-trick in midweek, Daly will look to add to the five competitive goals she has scored this season when she leads the line on Sunday.

Bristol City Women possible starting lineup:

Marckese; Powell, Aspin, Connolly, Layzell, Napier; Morgan, Rodgers, Furness, Jones; Thestrup

Aston Villa Women possible starting lineup:

Van Domselaar; Mayling, Patten, Turner, Pacheco; Nobbs, Staniforth, Blindkilde; Lehmann, Hanson, Daly

We say: Bristol City Women 1-3 Aston Villa Women

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