Preview: Everton Ladies vs. Aston Villa Women - prediction, team news, lineups

Everton and Aston Villa will both have the chance to extend their respective unbeaten runs to five league matches.

Match preview

Since losing 1-0 to Arsenal on December 3, Everton have embarked on an impressive run of form, dropping just two points in four WSL matches.

The Toffees claimed three straight wins over Tottenham Hotspur, Reading and West Ham United, racking up three goals in each of those victories.

They were unable to continue their winning run when they faced Man United at the beginning of February, but they would have been satisfied to hold their title-chasing opponents to a goalless draw.

A month after beating Man United, Everton will have the chance to leapfrog Aston Villa in the league table if they can secure all three points on Sunday.

The Toffees have already faced Carla Ward's side on two occasions this season - securing a 1-0 away victory in the league before they won on penalties in their League Cup tie to claim the bonus point following a 1-1 draw in regulation time.

Aston Villa are also unbeaten in four league matches after they eased to a memorable 6-2 victory over Brighton in their most recent WSL game on February 12.

A Jordan Nobbs hat trick as well as goals for Lucy Staniforth, Kirsty Hanson and Rachel Daly ensured the Villans entered the international break in a positive mood.

They returned to action last weekend with a tense FA Cup tie against West Ham United, who sent the tie to extra time after Dagny Brynjarsdottir's 92nd-minute equaliser cancelled out Daly's opening goal.

Neither side was able to find a winner in the additional 30 minutes, but Aston Villa held their nerve to prevail 7-6 in the subsequent penalty shootout.

While Aston Villa have failed to beat Everton this season, they may take confidence from the fact that they won their most recent away meeting 2-0 in February last year.

Everton Ladies Women's Super League form:

L

L

W

W

W

D

Everton Ladies form (all competitions):

Aston Villa Women Women's Super League form:

L

L

W

D

D

W

Aston Villa Women form (all competitions):

Team News

Everton boss Brian Sorensen has revealed that Emily Ramsey and Sara Holmgaard will miss out for the hosts through injury.

Having been sidelined since October, Katrine Veje is expected to return to the matchday squad, although she will have to settle for a place on the bench.

Lucy Hope and Clare Wheeler dropped out of the side that began the goalless draw against Man United before the international break, but the pair could return to the starting lineup for Sunday's encounter.

As for the visitors, they are still unable to call upon the services of long-term injury absentees Meaghan Sargeant, Natasha Harding and Chantelle Boye-Hlorkah.

Remi Allen and Simone Magill are also sidelined, while goalkeeper Anna Leat is a doubt due to a back problem.

Ward has confirmed that Daly will be fit for Sunday's contest despite being forced off against West Ham last weekend with a knock, and the WSL's joint-highest scorer will be looking to add to the 10 league goals she has scored this season.

Everton Ladies possible starting lineup:

Brosnan; Hope, Finnigan, Sevecke, George; Galli, K.Holmgaard, Wheeler; Sorensen, Park, Snoeijs

Aston Villa Women possible starting lineup:

Hampton; Mayling, Patten, Turner, Pacheco; Staniforth, Nobbs, Dali; Lehmann, Hanson, Daly

We say: Everton Ladies 1-1 Aston Villa Women

Previews by email