Chelsea Women continue their quest to climb into top spot in the Women's Super League this weekend, when they travel to the People's Pension Stadium where they will face an out-of-form Brighton & Hove Albion Women.
The Seagulls have dropped to seventh spot in the WSL after four straight defeats in the division, and adding two League Cup defeats amongst that run means they have now lost their last six outings.
Match preview
Hope Powell's side were having their best-ever campaign in England's top flight, but her side have dropped off massively, and that continued last time out against Leicester City Women.
The Foxes had only won a single match prior to their encounter with Brighton on Sunday, but the visitors fell to a 1-0 defeat, having dominated possession of the ball but failed to create many clear cut chances in front of goal.
A major aspect that Sunday's hosts will want to improve is their clinical edge in the final third, as during their run of six defeats in all competitions, Brighton have not managed to score one goal in that time.
Brighton are now six points behind third spot and the dream of European football next season is slipping away from them, with another tough test against the reigning champions this weekend.
Emma Hayes's side had gone over a month without playing after their matches at the beginning of this month against Tottenham Hotspur and Everton were cancelled due to coronavirus.
However, Chelsea returned to the field in the League Cup on Wednesday evening, booking their place in the semi-final of that competition with a 4-2 win over West Ham, courtesy of goals from Erin Cuthbert and a hat-trick from Pernille Harder.
The Blues needed to get back to winning ways, having lost their last two outings before the winter break, and the last league game they played was on December 11, when Reading produced a shock 1-0 win against Chelsea.
Hayes's side looked tired in that defeat, not managing to find an equaliser after Deanne Rose opened the scoring for the Royals in the fourth minute, but after a long break they are expected to push on in the second half of the season and put leaders Arsenal under massive pressure.
A repeat of the result they managed against Brighton in the last meeting between these two teams would be welcomed in the Chelsea camp, having secured a 3-1 win against Powell's side in October.
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Team News
New signing Julia Zigiotti made her Brighton debut against Leicester last time out, coming off the bench in the second half, while Emma Kullberg made her full debut for the club in that defeat, with both new figures likely to start on Sunday.
Danielle Carter will lead the line for the hosts, in what is expected to be a tough afternoon for the 28-year-old who will have to be patient and take her chances when they come, as Chelsea are expected to have the lion's share of possession.
Emily Simpkins, Inessa Kaagman and Aileen Whelan are likely to operate in the middle of the pitch for Brighton, trying to protect the defensive line, made up from Kullberg, Maya Le Tissier, Danique Kerkdijk, Victoria Williams and Emma Koivisto.
Chelsea will be without striker Samantha Kerr and midfielder Ji So-Yun as the pair are away on international duty representing their nations in the Asian Cup.
Alsu Abdullina arrived at the club this month from Lokomotiv Moscow and made her first appearance for Chelsea from the bench on Wednesday evening, and she is likely to be amongst the substitutes again this weekend.
Fran Kirby will lead the line centrally for the Blues in Kerr's absence, with Harder and Niamh Charles likely to provide the width from the front attacking trio.
Brighton & Hove Albion Women possible starting lineup:
Walsh; Kullberg, Kerkdijk, Williams, Le Tissier, Koivisto; Zigiotti, Simpkins, Kaagman, Whelan; Carter
Chelsea Women possible starting lineup:
Berger; Eriksson, Carter, Bright; Reiten, Ingle, Leupolz, Cuthbert; Harder, Kirby, Charles
We say: Brighton & Hove Albion Women 0-2 Chelsea Women
Brighton have not found the back of the net since November and there is not much to suggest that will change against the reigning champions, who are expected to collect three points on Sunday.
Chelsea cannot afford to drop many more points in the WSL, already chasing leaders Arsenal, and so that mindset with the visitors is likely to produce a strong performance from Hayes's side.
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