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

The Foxes began the Women's Super League season with a 2-1 defeat to Tottenham Hotspur, while Villa pulled off an upset to beat Manchester City in a seven-goal thriller.

Match preview

After winning promotion to the WSL in the 2020-21 campaign, Leicester managed to avoid an immediate return to the Championship last term.

The Foxes may have avoided relegation by two points, but they face another battle this season to remain in the top flight.

Leicester finished last term with a narrow loss to Tottenham, and they began the 2022-23 campaign in a similar manner with a 2-1 home defeat to the North London side.

As a result of losing to Spurs, the Foxes are now winless in their previous eight WSL matches, with seven of those encounters resulting in defeat.

In her first full season as Leicester boss, Lydia Bedford will be determined to end her side's poor run of form as quickly as possible, although three consecutive defeats in meetings with Aston Villa will do little to inspire optimism ahead of Sunday's contest.

While the hosts may be pessimistic about their chances on Sunday, Aston Villa will enter the contest in a jovial mood after claiming a dramatic win last weekend.

Despite entering the home meeting with Man City as underdogs, Villa stormed into a two-goal lead thanks to strikes from Alish Lehmann and Rachel Daly.

Normal service looked to have resumed when the visitors turned the game on its head with a Laura Coombs brace and Khadija Shaw effort, but Kenza Dali hit back for Villa before Daly marked her memorable debut with her second goal of the game to secure a dramatic 4-3 victory.

After finishing last season with one win in eight league games, Villa's certainly set their stall out with their opening day upset.

Ahead of their first away game of the season, Carla Ward's side will hope they can replicate their away form from last term where they collected 16 of their 21 points on their travels.

Leicester Women Women's Super League form:

Aston Villa Women Women's Super League form:

Team News

Leicester are still without long-term injury absentees Hannah Cain, Jess Sigsworth and Lachante Paul for Sunday's contest.

Kirstie Levell will continue in goal with Demi Lambourne still unavailable, while Abbie McManus is also sidelined for the Foxes.

Shannon O'Brien is in contention for a starting place after featuring for the final half-hour against Tottenham last weekend.

As for the visitors, Ward has indicated that Chantelle Boye-Hlorkah could return to the squad, although Natasha Harding is expected to miss out through injury.

Although Daly featured as a left-back in England's Euro 2022 triumph, Ward has claimed the summer signing will be utilised as a forward for the Villans, and after scoring a brace on her debut, Daly will be aiming to add to her tally against Leicester.

Meanwhile, Freya Gregory recently signed a new contract extension with the Foxes until 2025, but the 19-year-old will have to settle for a place on the bench on Sunday with Ward expected to name an unchanged lineup.

Leicester Women possible starting lineup:

Levell; Howard, Tierney, Plumptre; Simon, O'Brien, Green, Whelan, Purfield; Flint, Jones

Aston Villa Women possible starting lineup:

Hampton; Mayling, Patten, Turner, Pacheco; Dali, Corsie, Blindkilde; Lehman, Hanson, Daly

We say: Leicester Women 1-3 Aston Villa Women

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