A mid-table clash in the Women’s Super League takes place on Sunday, when Brighton & Hove Albion travel to London to face West Ham United Women.
The visitors could leapfrog their opponents with victory, but the Hammers are in decent form ahead of this fixture, with both teams looking to finish as high as possible with that being the only thing to play for now in the league.
Olli Harder’s side progressed in the FA Cup last time out, with a narrow 1-0 victory over third-tier outfit Ipswich Town, thanks to Lisa Evans’s 32nd-minute strike.
West Ham snatched a point from Manchester United in their last WSL outing, with defender Grace Fisk netting a 93rd-minute equaliser to send that game to a 1-1 draw.
Perhaps slight cause for concern is the fact that Harder’s side have not managed to score more than one goal in a single game during their last six matches, with particular focus on that Ipswich encounter.
Facing a third-tiered team on paper presents an opportunity to flurry in front of goal, but the Hammers stumbled and were not clinical on that occasion, something they will want to improve on going forward.
Perhaps Sunday is a good chance to work on their attacking play, as they have scored double the amount of goals on their own patch than they have managed away from home.
The Seagulls are looking to bounce back from a 3-0 defeat against Arsenal last time out, but they have had ample amount of time to reflect and work on improving that performance, as that match was played on 13 March.
Hope Powell’s side demonstrated promise earlier in the season that they can compete with the top five teams in the division, as they were in and around the Champions League places for a while at the beginning of the campaign.
Brighton will want to finish the season strongly, as next year they will aim to maintain their position further up the table for a longer duration in the season, and preparation for that can start now.
These two sides already know each other quite well, having faced twice before this season, with Brighton gaining the upper hand in the WSL fixture, only for the Hammers to get their revenge in the League Cup with a 3-0 win.
This encounter is likely to be a closely-fought affair, as they are seemingly well matched in terms of league position and stats for the season.
West Ham United Women Women’s Super League form:
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West Ham United Women form (all competitions):
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Brighton & Hove Albion Women Women’s Super League form:
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Brighton & Hove Albion Women form (all competitions):
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We say: West Ham United Women 2-1 Brighton & Hove Albion Women
With both teams quite similarly matched, the margin of victory in this encounter is likely to be by just one goal, and home advantage could play the biggest role in determining the outcome.
In both of their previous meetings this season, the hosts have come out triumphant, and that is why West Ham are being tipped for victory this weekend.