Preview: Chelsea Women vs. Liverpool Women - prediction, team news, lineups

The visitors, meanwhile, will have the chance to go four league games without defeat after taking five points from their last three top-flight games.

Match preview

Chelsea have made an impressive start to Emma Hayes's final season in charge, having won five and drawn two of their seven competitive games.

Hayes, who will become USA Women's manager next summer, saw her side begin their Champions League campaign with a controversial 2-2 draw against Real Madrid in midweek.

Chelsea came from behind to take a 2-1 lead courtesy of goals from Niamh Charles and Sam Kerr, but Real Madrid were then given the chance to level from the penalty spot despite Jessie Fleming's challenge appearing to take place outside the box.

After Olga Carmona stepped up to score her second goal of the game, Charles thought she had restored Chelsea's advantage in stoppage time, however, the officials seemingly ruled that Kerr had interfered with play, much to Chelsea's frustration.

The Blues will now turn their attention to Saturday's home meeting with Liverpool, and the WSL leaders will be looking to extend their unbeaten league run to 14 matches.

Competing in their second straight top-flight season, Liverpool have made an encouraging start to their WSL campaign, winning three, drawing two and losing one of their opening six league matches.

The Reds began the WSL campaign with consecutive victories before they suffered a disappointing loss to local rivals Everton.

However, they have responded to their derby defeat in impressive fashion to put together a three-game unbeaten league run, which began with a draw against West Ham United.

Matt Beard's side then went on to beat Leicester City 2-1, before Sophie Roman Haug scored a second-half equaliser to salvage a point in last Sunday's away meeting with Tottenham Hotspur, ensuring they go into Saturday's contest in fifth position with just one point separating them from the top three.

Although they face their toughest test of the season this weekend, the Reds can draw inspiration from the fact they are one of four teams yet to lose a WSL away game this term (W1, D2).

Chelsea Women Women's Super League form:

W

D

W

W

W

W

Chelsea Women form (all competitions):

D

W

W

W

W

D

Liverpool Women Women's Super League form:

W

W

L

D

W

D

Liverpool Women form (all competitions):

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Team News

Chelsea are expected to be without the services of Melanie Leupolz, Guro Reiten, Katerina Svitkova and Catarina Macario due to injury.

With the Blues back in Champions League action on Thursday, Hayes could be tempted to make a number of changes, with Eve Perisset, Sophie Ingle and Mia Fishel all in contention to start.

Lauren James is also be brought into the lineup after recovering from concussion to appear as a substitute in the last two matches.

As for the visitors, defender Jasmine Matthews is set to miss six to eight weeks with a hamstring injury, while Mia Enderby will have to be assessed after an ankle problem forced her off in the first half against Tottenham.

Niamh Fahey, who is yet to feature this season, has made a full recovery from injury and is expected to appear among the substitutes.

Having missed the last three matches through injury, Finland international Emma Koivisto is set to return to the starting lineup for Saturday's away trip.

Chelsea Women possible starting lineup:

Berger; Perisset, Bright, Carter, Charles; Cuthbert, Ingle; Rytting Kaneryd, James, Fleming; Fishel

Liverpool Women possible starting lineup:

Laws; Fisk, Bonner, Clark; Koivisto, Hobinger, Nagano, Hinds; Holland, Lawley; Haug

We say: Chelsea Women 2-1 Liverpool Women

Having lost just one of their six league games, Liverpool have proven to be a tough team to beat this season, and we expect Beard's troops to be involved in another close-fought contest on Sunday.

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