Chelsea Women will look to extend their unbeaten run to seven competitive games when they face Brighton & Hove Albion Women in Saturday's Women's Super League contest.
The hosts, meanwhile, will be hoping to continue their impressive start to 2024 after beginning the year with three victories across all competitons.
Match preview
After failing to win any of their final three games of 2023, Brighton have got back on track in the first month of the new year.
The Seagulls eased to a 6-0 FA Cup win over fifth-tier Luton Town, before they recorded a 3-2 home league win over Bristol City thanks to Elisabeth Terland's 95th-minute winner.
Brighton enjoyed another successful outing in midweek, as goals from Jocelyn Carabali and Tatiana Pinto guided them to a narrow 2-1 victory against Championship side Charlton Athletic in their final League Cup group game.
Melissa Phillips's side will now turn their attention back to league matters, with the Seagulls currently sitting in eighth place with 11 points to their name from as many matches.
While they may have claimed their first home win of the WSL season last weekend, Brighton will have their work cut out to replicate a similar result against Chelsea, especially as they have lost four of their last five head-to-head meetings (D1), including a 4-2 defeat in October's reverse fixture.
Like their hosts, Chelsea have enjoyed a successful start to the new year, which began with an extra-time victory over West Ham United in the FA Cup.
Lauren James then played a starring role in Chelsea's first WSL outing of 2024, with the England international meeting a hat-trick in a 3-1 victory against her former club Manchester United.
After maintaining their three-point lead at the top of the WSL table, the Blues went on to edge out Real Madrid in Wednesday's Champions League fixture.
Guro Reiten saw her penalty cancelled out by Athenea del Castillo, but a Mylene Chavas own goal proved enough for Chelsea to clinch all three points and secure their place in the quarter-finals with one group match left to play.
Following three consecutive home games, Emma Hayes's side will now head on their travels for the first time in 2024, and the league's highest scorers will be relishing the chance to face a Brighton team that has conceded two goals in each of their six home league games this season.
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Team News
The hosts are expected to be without the services of Charlie Rule and Madison Haley, who are working their way back from injury issues.
After rotating her squad in midweek, Phillips could decide to revert back to the team that started the recent league win over Bristol City.
Having scored five goals in her last four competitive appearances, Terland will be looking to continue her fine run of form when she leads the line against Chelsea.
As for the visitors, they are unable to call upon Millie Bright, Aniek Nouwen, Katerina Svitkova, Catarino Macario and Sam Kerr.
James is expected to return to the Chelsea lineup after dropping down to the bench for Wednesday's Champions League clash.
Hayes may be tempted to make a couple more changes in a bid to freshen up her side, with Eve Perisset and Sjoeke Nusken among those who could be considered for a starting place.
Brighton & Hove Albion Women possible starting lineup:
Baggaley; Kullberg, Bergsvand, Thorisdottir, Pattinson; Bremer, Losada, Zigiotti Olme, Symonds, Robinson; Terland
Chelsea Women possible starting lineup:
Hampton; Perisset, Buchanan, Carter, Charles; Cuthbert, Nusken; Rytting Kaneryd, James, Reiten; Fishel
We say: Brighton & Hove Albion Women 1-3 Chelsea Women
While Brighton have made a fine start to 2024, we think that their winning run will come to an end against a Chelsea side that have won four of the last five head-to-head meetings.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
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