Sports Mole previews Sunday’s Women’s Super League clash between Manchester City Women and Tottenham Hotspur Ladies, including predictions, team news and possible lineups.
Tottenham Hotspur Ladies will look to extend their unbeaten run to nine competitive games when they face Manchester City Women at Joie Stadium on Sunday.
The Citizens occupy third position in the Women’s Super League table, while the visitors are one point adrift in fifth place.
Match preview
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After suffering back-to-back defeats in the WSL, Man City got back on track with a crucial victory over their local rivals Manchester United last weekend.
The Citizens came from a goal down to take a narrow lead into the break thanks to quickfire strikes from Jill Roord and Lauren Hemp.
Bunny Shaw added Man City’s third within 10 minutes of the restart, and although Laia Aleixandri was given her marching orders in the 72nd minute, the Citizens saw out the remainder of the contest to move above their rivals and into third place.
They had little time to celebrate their derby success due to their midweek League Cup meeting with Leicester City, where they came from two goals down to draw 2-2 before losing the subsequent penalty shoutout, ensuring the Foxes took home the bonus point.
With Man City now focusing on Sunday’s home clash with Spurs, they will be looking to continue their impressive head-to-head record after winning each of their last four competitive games against the North London club.
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Tottenham have been a rejuvenated side under Robert Vilahamn this season, having picked up 12 points from their seven league matches, leaving them just six points shy of their total tally for the 2022-23 season.
Impressively, Spurs have put together an eight-game unbeaten run in all competitions since being edged out by London rivals Chelsea on the opening day of the season.
They recorded four successive victories before playing out three consecutive 1-1 draws against Everton, Liverpool and Leicester City.
Following their flurry of draws, the North London club returned to winning ways in midweek, with a Kit Graham penalty and a Rosella Ayane brace guiding Spurs to a commanding 3-0 victory over Bristol City.
Spurs will now be aiming to beat Man City for the first time since September 2021, and they will be fully aware that a win would see them move above Sunday’s opponents in the WSL table.
Manchester City Women Women’s Super League form:
Manchester City Women form (all competitions):
Tottenham Hotspur Ladies Women’s Super League form:
Tottenham Hotspur Ladies form (all competitions):
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Team News
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After rotating his side against Leicester, Man City boss Gareth Taylor could revert back to the lineup that started the Manchester derby.
Aleixandri, who served her one-match suspension in midweek, is expected to feature in a back four alongside Alanna Kennedy, Alex Greenwood and Leila Ouahabi.
At the opposite end of the pitch, Shaw will be looking to add to her three-goal league tally when she leads the line for the hosts.
Tottenham, meanwhile, are still unable to call upon Olga Ahtinen and Bethany England, who are sidelined with knee and hip issues respectively.
Luana Buhler and Molly Bartrip will feature in central defence, while Angharad James and Ash Neville will as the two full-backs.
WSL’s leading scorer Martha Thomas will spearhead the Tottenham attack after netting six goals in her seven league appearances this season.
Manchester City Women possible starting lineup:
Keating; Aleixandri, Kennedy, Greenwood, Ouahabi; Roord, Hasegawa; Kelly, Angeldal, Hemp; Shaw
Tottenham Hotspur Ladies possible starting lineup:
Spencer; James, Buhler, Bartrip, Neville; Graham, Summanen, Clinton; Bizet, Naz, Thomas
We say: Manchester City Women 1-1 Tottenham Hotspur Ladies
Man City will be desperate to add three more points to their tally on Sunday, but we think a stubborn Tottenham side could extend their unbeaten run by holding their hosts to a score draw.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.