Indonesia
Nigeria
South Africa

Preview: Reading Women vs. West Ham United Women - prediction, team news, lineups

sportsmole.co.uk, 3 March 2023, 21:40
Reading Women will attempt to avoid a fifth consecutive defeat in the Women's Super League when they play host to West Ham United Women on Sunday.

Like the Royals, West Ham are also searching for their first league win of 2023 after picking up one point from their three WSL games this year.

Match preview

Reading would have entered the international break in low spirits after losing 2-0 away to relegation rivals Liverpool.

A fifth straight league defeat ensures the Royals head into Sunday's encounter in 11th place - just one point above the sole relegation place, which is currently occupied by Leicester City.

The FA Cup has proven to be a welcome distraction for the Royals after they booked their place in the quarter-finals with a penalty shootout win over Tottenham Hotspur last weekend.

The Royals will face Chelsea in the last eight, but before they can begin to prepare for that difficult cup tie, they will have to negotiate league fixtures against West Ham and Arsenal.

Having collected all seven of their WSL points from home matches this season, Reading will know games like Sunday's encounter could have a significant impact on their survival bid.

In contrast to their hosts, West Ham were knocked out of the FA Cup last weekend despite scoring a 92nd-minute equaliser.

Dagny Brynjarsdottir's late leveller sent the tie to extra time, but with neither side able to find a winning goal in the additional 30 minutes, a penalty shootout was required.

Aston Villa ultimately prevailed 7-6 on penalties to leave Paul Konchesky's side to focus solely on their league campaign for the remainder of the season.

Although the Hammers held title-chasing Arsenal to a goalless draw in their most recent league outing, they are still waiting for their first WSL win of 2023.

However, West Ham do have the chance to complete a league double over Reading after beating Sunday's opponents 3-2 when the two sides met in October.

Reading Women Women's Super League form:

D

W

L

L

L

L

Reading Women form (all competitions):

West Ham United Women Women's Super League form:

W

L

W

L

L

D

West Ham United Women form (all competitions):

Team News

The Royals are still unable to call upon long-term injury absentee Deanne Rose, while Deanna Cooper could also be unavailable after missing the FA Cup tie against Spurs.

January arrival Easther Mayi Kith made her Reading debut last weekend, and she may retain her place in the back three alongside Gemma Evans and Emma Mukandi.

Reading boss Kelly Chambers could be tempted to select the same lineup that started against Tottenham last weekend.

As for the visitors, Jess Ziu is continuing her rehabilitation from the anterior cruciate ligament injury, which she sustained in October's League Cup encounter with London City Lionesses.

Konchesky is also without the services of January signing Amber Tysiak, who is still recovering from an injury issue, which has delayed her West Ham debut.

Fellow winter signing Amalie Thestrup was presented with her first start for the club last weekend, and she is set to retain her place in the forward line with Konchesky expected to name an unchanged lineup.

Reading Women possible starting lineup:

Moloney; Evans, Mayi Kith, Mukandi; Woodham, Moore, Vanhaevermaet, Eikeland; Harris, Rowe, Wellings

West Ham United Women possible starting lineup:

Arnold; Shimizu, Fisk, Cissoko, Smith; Longhurst, Brynjarsdottir, Hayashi; Snerle, Asseyi, Thestrup

We say: Reading Women 1-2 West Ham United Women

Previews by email

Top News

25 December 2024 sportsmole.co.uk The Boxing Day feast of Premier League football concludes at around 10pm at Anfield, where league leaders Liverpool will hope to be celebrating a 13th top-flight win of the season against Leicester City. 25 December 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Liverpool will almost certainly win their Premier League match against Leicester City at Anfield on Boxing Day, according to Reds expert David Lynch. 25 December 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Ruben Amorim's Manchester United will look to return to winning ways when they travel to Molineux to face Wolverhampton Wanderers in the Premier League on Boxing Day. 25 December 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Arsenal fans should not expect Ethan Nwaneri to start Premier League matches week in week out in the wake of Bukayo Saka's injury, Gunners expert Charles Watts has warned. 25 December 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Chelsea and Fulham and meet at Stamford Bridge on Boxing Day in a second West London derby to be played at the stadium in the space of three weeks. 25 December 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Looking to strengthen their unlikely push for a Champions League spot, Bournemouth will host Crystal Palace at the Vitality Stadium in the Premier League on Boxing Day. 25 December 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Three years after being given the boot by Tottenham Hotspur, Nuno Espirito Santo reunites with his former employers again on Boxing Day, as Spurs head to the City Ground to meet Nottingham Forest. 25 December 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Closing out the first round of post-Christmas Premier League fixtures, Arsenal and Ipswich Town engage in an Emirates battle on Friday evening. 25 December 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Two iconic north-west clubs meet in the Premier League on Boxing Day, looking to move further up the standings from where they currently are, when Manchester City welcome Everton to the Etihad. 25 December 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Aston Villa midfielder Emiliano Buendia may reportedly make the switch to Leeds United during the January transfer window. 25 December 2024 sportsmole.co.uk West Bromwich Albion have confirmed that Carlos Corberan has left the club to become the new manager of Valencia. 25 December 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Liverpool winger Mohamed Salah could hit yet another new Premier League goalscoring milestone when the Reds host Leicester City in their Boxing Day battle at Anfield. 25 December 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Ipswich Town manager Kieran McKenna has lost captain Sam Morsy to suspension ahead of Friday's Premier League clash with Arsenal at the Emirates. 25 December 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Arsenal temporarily begin life without Bukayo Saka when Ipswich Town arrive at the Emirates for Friday's Premier League showdown. 25 December 2024 sportsmole.co.uk The curtain closes on the festive round of Premier League fixtures at the Emirates Stadium, where title outsiders Arsenal and relegation candidates Ipswich Town lock horns on Friday evening. 25 December 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Is there a more satisfying sight in football than a sweetly-struck volley ripping into the back of the net? 25 December 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Manchester City must beat Everton on Boxing Day and end their dire form considering they face a relatively unthreatening opponent, Steven McInerney of Esteemed Kompany has told Sports Mole. 25 December 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Manchester City must beat Everton on Boxing Day and end their dire form considering they face a relatively unthreatening opponent, Steven McInerney of Esteemed Kompany has told Sports Mole. 25 December 2024 sportsmole.co.uk The January transfer window is almost here and clubs around the UK and Europe are lining up moves as they look to take advantage of the opportunity to strengthen. 25 December 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Brighton & Hove Albion manager Fabian Hurzeler is close to welcoming back many first-team players ahead of the visit of Brentford to the Amex on Friday. 25 December 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Brighton & Hove Albion welcome Brentford to the Amex in one of two games being played after Boxing Day in the Premier League. 25 December 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Fulham will attempt a 45-year winless run when they face West London neighbours Chelsea at Stamford Bridge on Boxing Day. 24 December 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Erling Haaland is preparing to leave Manchester City in the summer, with the Norwegian expressing dissatisfaction behind the scenes, according to reports. 24 December 2024 sportsmole.co.uk The final match on a jam-packed Boxing Day in the Scottish Premiership will come from the SMISA Stadium in Paisley, where St Mirren will be playing host to Rangers. 24 December 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Aiming for a fourth consecutive League One victory at the New York Stadium, Rotherham United welcome Wigan Athletic on Boxing Day, keen to secure maximum points in gameweek 22. 24 December 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Real Madrid forward Rodrygo reportedly down a lucrative offer from Manchester City in the summer to stay in Spain. 24 December 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Boxing Day brings us a bottom-half clash in the Scottish Premiership with Dundee set to take on a struggling Ross County at The Scot Foam Stadium at Dens Park. 24 December 2024 sportsmole.co.uk In a promotion 'six-pointer', Huddersfield Town are set to host Stockport County at John Smith's Stadium on Boxing Day in League One. 24 December 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Arsenal are supposedly likely to have the chance to sign Paris Saint-Germain forward Randal Kolo Muani on loan in January after Bukayo Saka's injury. 24 December 2024 sportsmole.co.uk Two places separate Edinburgh rivals Hearts and Hibernian in the Scottish Premiership table heading into gameweek 19's Boxing Day derby at Tynecastle Park.