Sports Mole previews Saturday’s Women’s Super League clash between Everton Ladies and Tottenham Hotspur Ladies, including predictions, team news and possible lineups.
On Saturday, Everton will welcome Tottenham Hotspur to Walton Hall Park for their final home game of the Women’s Super League season.
The Toffees have taken four points from their last two games, while Spurs have avoided defeat in each of their last six competitive outings.
Match preview
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Everton returned from the international break with a narrow 2-1 win over Brighton & Hove Albion earlier this month.
The Toffees back up that result with a hard-fought 1-1 draw in last Sunday’s game against third-placed Arsenal.
Alessia Russo‘s 80th-minute effort looked set to condemn Everton to a defeat, before 16-year-old Issy Hodson headed home a 95th-minute equaliser to net her first senior goal and salvage a point for her side.
Having picked up 19 points from 20 matches, Brian Sorensen’s are sitting in ninth place with two games left to play against Tottenham and recently-relegated Bristol City.
Everton will be determined to claim all three points in their final home fixture after winning just one of their 10 home matches in the top flight this season (D3, L3).
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Tottenham have put together a six-game unbeaten run, consisting of four WSL matches and two outings in the FA Cup.
Robert Vilahamn‘s troops have had to settle for draws in their last two WSL games against Manchester United and Brighton.
Spurs appeared to be towards a narrow defeat in last Sunday’s clash with the Seagulls, before Bethany England scored an 81st-minute equaliser to ensure the contest finished as a 1-1 draw.
Tottenham have undoubtedly made progress in Vilhamn’s first season in charge, having already surpassed last season’s tally by nine points.
With Spurs set to achieve a top-half finish, their current objective will be to claim all three points this weekend to build momentum ahead of next Sunday’s FA Cup final against Man United.
Everton Ladies form (all competitions):
Tottenham Hotspur Ladies form (all competitions):
Team News
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Everton are expected to be without Emily Ramsey, Aurora Galli, Heather Payne, Rikke Madsen and Toni Duggan due to injury.
There are also doubts over the availability of Katrine Veje and Karoline Olesen after the pair sat out the draw with Arsenal.
Kathrine Kuhl was ineligible to face her parent club last weekend, but she is expected to return to the side to start Saturday’s contest.
As for the visitors, they may be unable to call upon the services of Celin Bizet, who has been sidelined for the last two matches with a foot problem.
Midfielder Drew Spence and forward Martha Thomas are both doubtful after they were forced to miss the draw with Brighton due to injury.
Vilahamn could make a couple of changes to his side, with Ash Neville and Kit Graham both in contention to start against Everton.
Everton Ladies possible starting lineup:
Brosnan; Hope, Vanhaevermaet, Finnigan, Stevenik, S Holmgaard; Hope, Kuhl, Wheeler, Snoeijs; Piemonte
Tottenham Hotspur Ladies possible starting lineup:
Spencer; Neville, Turner, Buhler, Nilden; Graham, Summanen, Clinton; Naz, Vinberg, England
We say: Everton Ladies 1-1 Tottenham Hotspur Ladies
After holding one North London club to a draw last weekend, we think Everton could repeat the feat and take a point off a Tottenham side that will have one eye on the upcoming FA Cup final.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.