Manchester City Women will begin the new year with a trip down South with Brighton & Hove Albion Women awaiting the visitors on Sunday
Little separates the two sides in the Women's Super League, with Man City located in sixth place, while Sunday's hosts are two points better off in fifth position.
Match preview
The Seagulls will be hoping to start the new year on a slightly more positive note after ending 2021 in a poor run of form.
Hope Powell's side entered the winter break on the back of four consecutive defeats in all competitions, with Brighton failing to score in all four of those fixtures.
However, that poor run of results does not detract from the fact that Brighton have impressed this term, and find themselves in a hunt for the Champions League qualification places.
They head into the weekend five points adrift of Tottenham Hotspur in third place, but they do have the advantage of a game in hand, and if they are to challenge the top three, they will need a change in fortunes.
Brighton's main strength this season has been a defence that has conceded just nine league goals, while they have kept four clean sheets in their nine WSL games this term, and that resolute backline will need to be on form on Sunday to prize points off Man City.
Unlike their opponents, Man City ended 2021 in high spirits after winning consecutive league games as a 5-0 home victory over Aston Villa was followed by an entertaining 3-2 away win against Birmingham City.
Those successive victories have helped Man City climb into sixth place, and they head into Saturday's encounter seven points adrift of the top three with a game in hand.
If they are to close that gap, Gareth Taylor's side need to demonstrate an improvement defensively, with only the bottom three teams in the WSL conceding more goals than City this term.
Home form has also been an issue for the Citizens, so Taylor may be pleased that his side starts the new year with an away fixture.
In fact, City have been at their best on their travels after picking up 10 points from their five away league games, and that tally has come courtesy of a frontline that have scored 13 league goals on the road - no other team has scored more away from home in the WSL, with Chelsea the only other team to net the same number.
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Team News
Brighton could give debuts to both of their new signings, with Emma Kullberg and Julia Zigiotti set to start on Sunday after joining the Seagulls from BK Hacken.
Inessa Kaagman missed the last league game, but the Netherlands international is expected to start on Sunday.
Despite starting the most recent WSL encounter on the bench, there could be a place in the starting lineup for Danielle Carter.
As for the visitors, they will be without the services of Esme Morgan, Ellie Roebuck and Chloe Kelly, who are all ruled out due to injury issues.
In more positive news, Lucy Bronze and Steph Houghton are available for Man City following their recoveries from injury, and they could both start on Sunday.
Having top scored for City in the league this term, Lauren Hemp will be one of the away side's major goal threats as she looks to add to her four-goal tally.
Brighton & Hove Albion Women possible starting lineup:
Walsh; Koivisto, Le Tissier, Kullberg, Williams, Gibbons; Zigiotti, Connolly, Whelan; Carter, Lee
Manchester City Women possible starting lineup:
Benameur; Bronze, Houghton, Greenwood, Stokes; Angeldal, Walsh, Weir; Park, Hemp, White
We say: Brighton & Hove Albion Women 1-1 Manchester City Women
Man City normally fare well against Brighton, but the Seagulls have improved this season, and we think that they have enough quality to hold the visitors to a draw.
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