Tottenham Hotspur Ladies will have a big influence on the title race during the run-in of the Women's Super League season, starting on Sunday when they face current league leaders Chelsea Women.
The Blues leapfrogged Arsenal at the end of March to go top of the WSL for the first time this year, while Spurs have lost ground on third spot, currently sitting fifth and 10 points behind Manchester United, but with two games in hand.
Match preview
Despite coming so late in the campaign, this is the first meeting between these two teams this season, and they will get to know each other well over the next few days, as Spurs visit Kingsmeadow on Thursday also.
Not only do Tottenham face Chelsea twice in the run-in, they also visit Arsenal in their penultimate match of the campaign, meaning that Rehanne Skinner's side have the potential to change the look at the summit of the table.
However, Spurs enter this encounter in poor form, having not won in the last three outings, going into this match on the back of consecutive 1-0 defeats in the league.
At the beginning of April, Tottenham all but gave up their chance to finish in third spot as Ramona Petzelberger netted a late 87th-minute winner for Aston Villa at The Hive, where Spurs had been so strong this year.
Prior to their last two matches, Skinner's side were unbeaten on home soil, but consecutive defeats have ruined that record, and they will face one of the toughest tests of the season in their penultimate home game of the campaign.
Chelsea go into this fixture full of confidence after booking their place in the FA Cup final last time out, by beating rivals Arsenal 2-0 away from home.
The reigning FA Cup champions had to wait until the second half for Guro Reiten and Ji So-Yun to open the scoring in that match with two high-quality finishes.
That result meant that Emma Hayes's side also kept their sixth consecutive clean sheet across all competitions, and they have netted 25 goals in that time also.
Three out of four of Chelsea's remaining WSL fixtures will come against sides in the top five, playing Spurs twice and hosting Manchester United on the final day, meaning that the Blues will have to be at their best to fend off any challenge from Arsenal to regain top spot.
Hayes's side are expected to dominate possession on Sunday, and Spurs are likely to sit off the visitors and let them have the ball in their own half, but Tottenham will then be looking to hit Chelsea on the counter-attack and cause them problems using the pace of Jessica Naz and potentially Rosella Ayane from the bench.
- L
- W
- W
- D
- L
- L
- L
- W
- W
- D
- L
- L
- D
- W
- W
- W
- W
- W
- W
- W
- W
- W
- W
- W
Team News
Tottenham midfielder Ria Percival, who has started all 17 of Spurs' WSL matches this season, will not feature again during this campaign after sustaining a knee injury at the beginning of April.
Since their last outing, right-back Ashleigh Neville and midfielder Kit Graham have signed new long-term deals with the club, and while Graham remains sidelined due to injury, Neville is certain to start in the back four on Sunday.
Rachel Williams is likely to be joined by Naz and Kyah Simon in a front three, looking to add to their nine goals between them so far this season.
Zecira Musovic is expected to continue between the posts for Chelsea, in place of usual number one Ann-Katrin Berger, while Aniek Nouwen is likely to retain her place in the back three as Jessica Carter's replacement.
Fran Kirby announced last week that she will take time out at the end of this season to focus on her health, meaning that Bethany England is expected to partner Samantha Kerr up top.
Tottenham Hotspur Ladies possible starting lineup:
Spencer; Harrop, Zadorsky, Bartrip, Neville; Addison, Summanen, Clemaron; Simon, Williams, Naz
Chelsea Women possible starting lineup:
Musovic; Eriksson, Nouwen, Bright; Reiten, Ji, Ingle, Cuthbert, Charles; Kerr, England
We say: Tottenham Hotspur Ladies 1-2 Chelsea Women
Tottenham will not want to see either of their London rivals, Chelsea nor Arsenal lift the WSL trophy, but one of those sides will be crowned champions but not without getting past a tough Spurs side.
Spurs will want to dent Chelsea and that is expected to make for a close game this Sunday, but with the finish line in sight, Hayes's side are expected to have enough quality to claim three points.
Top tip
body check tags ::
Previews by email
