Preview: Chelsea Women vs. Brighton & Hove Albion Women - prediction, team news, lineups

The reigning champions have some ground to catch up on, with Arsenal taking an early lead at the top of the table, while Brighton will be pleased with the start that they have made to the 2021-22 season.

Match preview

Emma Hayes's side booked their place in the semi-finals of the FA Cup last time out, when they travelled to face Birmingham City in the long-awaited quarter-final tie.

The Blues progressed into the last eight back in May, but the long wait for the next round did not cause a stumble in Chelsea's quest for more silverware, as goals from Samantha Kerr, Pernille Harder and a brace from Fran Kirby sealed a 4-0 win on Wednesday and set up a semi-final clash with Manchester City.

After a disappointing opening day defeat against Arsenal, Chelsea have now hit the ground running this season, and continued that with an emphatic 6-1 win against Manchester United in their last WSL game on Sunday.

Hayes's team put themselves into a comfortable position by half time in that game, as goals from Kirby, Harder and Kerr ensured a 3-0 lead at the break, and Kerr's second of the game before Drew Spence and Jessie Fleming added their names to the scoresheet in the second half sealed an impressive three points.

That result has now placed Chelsea alongside Arsenal on the goalscoring front, having both scored 12 goals in the opening three games, and Brighton will have to put in their best defensive performance yet to earn anything from Saturday's game.

Hope Powell's side also progressed into the FA Cup semi-finals in midweek, defeating Championship outfit Charlton 1-0 thanks to a strike from left-back Felicity Gibson, and the Seagulls will face Arsenal in the last four at the end of October.

That result gave the Brighton squad a morale boost after suffering their first league defeat of the season last weekend, when they hosted Aston Villa.

It was an evenly-fought encounter last Sunday, but Emily Gielnik scored her first goal for her new club just after the half-time break to seal a 1-0 victory for Villa.

Brighton are more than capable of getting back on track in the league after that defeat, but they will have to be at their best if they are to take any points home with them, which is what they managed to achieve last time they travelled to Kingsmeadow.

The Seagulls will be looking to emulate their performance and result from the last time they met Chelsea in February, when Powell's side turned the game around thanks to goals from Aileen Whelan and Megan Connolly to seal a 2-1 win against the Blues.

Chelsea Women Women's Super League form:

Chelsea Women form (all competitions):

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

Brighton & Hove Albion Women form (all competitions):

Team News

Hayes made eight changes to the side for Wednesday's FA Cup triumph against Birmingham, but the Blues are likely to lineup in a more similar way to how they did against Man United last Sunday.

That will mean Harder, Kerr and Kirby will lead the attack in a front three, while Sophie Ingle and Melanie Leupolz offer defensive help to the back three, including Magdalena Eriksson, Jessica Carter and Millie Bright.

Goalkeeper Ann-Katrin Berger will be slightly disappointed that she did not keep a clean sheet against Man United, but she will be looking to keep Brighton out this weekend just like she did against Everton in gameweek two.

Powell only made four changes to her starting 11 for their midweek quarter-final, but the visitors' lineup this weekend is likely to revert back to the team which has most regularly featured in the WSL this season.

A back four including Emma Koivisto, Victoria Williams, Danique Kerkdijk and Maya Le Tissier, have all started every league game this season and that will continue against Chelsea.

Striker Danielle Carter scored her first Brighton goal against Birmingham, and she will want to add to her goal tally against the Blues, considering the rivalry she would have built during her long Arsenal career.

Chelsea Women possible starting lineup:

Berger; Eriksson, Carter, Bright; Reiten, Leupolz, Ingle, Charles; Harder, Kerr, Kirby

Brighton & Hove Albion Women possible starting lineup:

Walsh; Koivisto, Williams, Kerkdijk, Le Tissier; Simpkins, Whelan; Babajide, Kaagman, Brazil; Carter

We say: Chelsea Women 3-1 Brighton & Hove Albion Women

When Chelsea find the form that they did against Man United last weekend, they become quite hard to stop, and they will fancy their chances for another three points on Saturday and exploit some of the weaknesses Brighton showed against Villa.

Brighton will be confident heading to Kingsmeadow considering they won at this venue last season, but it is difficult to bet against Chelsea when they have just scored six against a side which is expected to be at the business end of the table come the end of the season.