Manchester City Women currently sit fourth in the Women's Super League, just three points behind Manchester United with a game in hand on their rivals, who they want to leapfrog to secure a place in the Champions League qualifiers next season.
Gareth Taylor's side welcome Leicester Women to the Academy Stadium on Sunday, when the visitors could mathematically secure their safety in the top flight with a win if Birmingham City lose on Saturday.
Match preview
Man City just cannot stop winning at the moment, entering this game on the back of nine consecutive victories across all competitions, including booking their place in the FA Cup final last time out.
Last weekend, Taylor's team travelled to face West Ham United for the second time in two weeks, and goals from Ellen White, Chloe Kelly and a brace from Lauren Hemp secured a 4-1 win in the FA Cup semi-final.
The Citizens would have been disappointed to concede a goal, though, having gone 450 minutes without allowing the opposition to score, but they will be confident about securing another clean sheet this weekend given Leicester's low scoring record during this campaign.
Man City are currently three goals worse off than Man United, and being just three points behind the Red Devils, goal difference may play a big factor in deciding who finishes third, meaning that Sunday's hosts should look to try and significantly increase their goal tally.
Despite a poor run of form which has seen Leicester lose five games on the bounce in all competitions, they remain seven points clear of bottom-placed Birmingham, and have all but secured their survival in the WSL.
The Foxes need to try and tighten up defensively, having conceded 28 goals in their last five outings, while only finding the back of the net themselves on two occasions during that time.
Last time out, Leicester welcomed title-chasing Arsenal to the King Power Stadium, but it turned out to be an easy afternoon for the visitors, who defeated Lydia Bedford's side by a 5-0 scoreline.
Leicester did not record a single meaningful shot in that encounter, and if they are to avoid another similar result this weekend, they will have to be more dangerous on the counter-attack as they are expected to sustain large periods of the game without possession of the ball.
This will be the fourth meeting between these two teams this season, having faced each other in the FA Cup and League Cup as well as the reverse WSL fixture, and Man City are so far beating Leicester by a 15-1 aggregate score from those three matches.
- L
- W
- W
- W
- W
- W
- W
- W
- W
- W
- W
- W
- W
- W
- L
- L
- L
- L
- W
- L
- L
- L
- L
- L
Team News
There is no new injury news for Taylor to deal with, meaning that the hosts will continue to be without captain Steph Houghton, meaning Alanna Kennedy will remain in the heart of the back four alongside Alex Greenwood.
Man City made a few changes for their FA Cup semi-final last time out, with Laura Coombs, Kelly and Ellen White returning to the starting 11, but Georgia Stanway is expected to come back into the midfield three this weekend.
Stanway and Hemp are battling it out to finish as the team's top scorer this season, both currently sitting on six goals in the WSL, but the hosts have attacking threat from all over the pitch, with the likes of Caroline Weir chipping in with four goals this season from midfield.
Molly Pike has been a main figure in Leicester's midfield this season, but she was replaced by Sophie Barker in the starting lineup last time out, with Samantha Tierney certain to remain in the middle of the pitch for the visitors.
Natasha Flint will be tasked with leading the line for the Foxes, and she will need support from Freya Gregory and Shannon O'Brien when Leicester get the opportunity to go forward, as those chances are expected to be few and far between.
Manchester City Women possible starting lineup:
Roebuck; Stokes, Kennedy, Greenwood, Bronze; Weir, Stanway, Walsh; Hemp, White, Kelly
Leicester Women possible starting lineup:
Lambourne; Purfield, Howard, Plumptre, De Graaf; O'Brien, Pike, Tierney, Gregory, Goodwin; Flint
We say: Manchester City Women 3-0 Leicester Women
After Leicester have taken some heavy beatings in recent weeks, Man City should fancy their chances at securing three points, but also putting a few goals past Leicester themselves to increase their goal difference.
The two teams are in contrasting form and there is a gulf between quality in the two squads, making the hosts strong favourites for Sunday's encounter.
Top tip
body check tags ::
Previews by email
