Arsenal and Manchester United both face difficult propositions on Sunday when the two 100 per cent records in the FA Women’s Super League are put to the test.
Jonas Eidevall’s Gunners entertain fifth-placed West Ham United at Meadow Park, while United travel to Walton Hall Park to face Everton, who are fourth.
Those are just two of the six stellar fixtures on the docket in the top flight. Here is everything you need to know ahead of Sunday’s clashes.
Brighton & Hove Albion v Tottenham Hotspur
Venue: Broadfield Stadium
Kick-off: 2pm
Hope Powell’s Brighton need a kick-start to their season, having beaten only lowly Reading so far in their four games this term. All eyes will be on Lee Geum-min, who has been their most obvious threat in front of goal.
Spurs have struggled to get going themselves, with two wins and two defeats to their name, meaning a big performance from the likes of Drew Spence and Ash Neville is needed this weekend to put them back in the mix at the top of the WSL.
Chelsea v Aston Villa
Venue: Kingsmeadow
Kick-off: 2pm
Chelsea are coming off the back of a stunning 8-0 win in the Women’s Champions League over Vllaznia, meaning four-goal Sam Kerr and hat-trick hero Pernille Harder will arrive back at Kingsmeadow in the goalscoring mood.
This will be a huge early test for Villa, though. After three straight defeats in league and cup Carla Ward’s side face the reigning champions at an unforgiving moment. The good news for Ward is that Rachel Daly and Hannah Hampton are both expected to be fit after injuries.
Everton v Manchester United
Venue: Walton Hall Park
Kick-off: 2pm
Everton will fancy their chances in this one. After Lucy Graham’s goal gave them victory at Aston Villa in midweek the Toffees find themselves hanging off the coat-tails of the top three just as they get set to welcome arguably the least convincing of that triumvirate.
United edged past Leicester City last time out and many an onlooker is starting to wonder whether they really have the legs to stay the course in the race for a top-three spot. This will be an early examination of Marc Skinner’s side’s mettle.
Manchester City v Liverpool
Venue: City Academy Stadium
Kick-off: 2pm
The big news coming out of the City setup heading into Sunday’s game is that they will become the latest club to switch from white shorts due to period concerns. Having worn their burgundy away shirts with their sky blue shirts in their 6-0 midweek Conti Cup win over Blackburn Rovers, City have decided this will be their first-choice strip for the remainder of the season.
Matt Beard’s side are also coming off the back of Conti Cup success having beaten Leicester 4-0, but they need to find some inspiration having lost three straight games in the league since shocking holders Chelsea 2-1 on the opening weekend.
Reading v Leicester City
Venue: Select Car Leasing Stadium
Kick-off: 2pm
Something has to give at the Madejski when the league’s bottom two sides come head-to-head. It might be early to be talking about relegation deciders, but in a 22-game season this really is a massive fixture in the destiny of these outfits.
Two late goals at West Ham last week were not enough to rescue a point for Reading but it will have given them a sense of momentum coming into this fixture, and Tash Dowie will be looking to find some goalscoring touch. The visitors need Missy Goodwin and Natasha Flint to fire given their record of just one goal scored in five games to this point.
Arsenal v West Ham United
Venue: Meadow Park
Kick-off: 6:45pm
League leaders Arsenal were Champions League winners in midweek, overcoming Zurich 3-1 at the Emirates Stadium thanks to a Lina Hurtig double and one from Jordan Nobbs. That result, which takes them two points clear in Group C, continues a near-perfect start to their competitive campaign.
On Sunday night the Gunners meet a West Ham side who will be brimming with confidence themselves having won back-to-back WSL games against Aston Villa and Reading, albeit they almost dropped points late on against the Royals having built up a 3-0 lead in the opening half-hour. Still, Paul Konchesky will believe his girls have nothing to lose heading to Borehamwood.
