Sports Mole previews Sunday’s Women’s Super League clash between Aston Villa Women and Crystal Palace Women, including predictions, team news and possible lineups.
Aston Villa Women will attempt to claim their first win of the Women’s Super League season when they play host to Crystal Palace on Sunday.
The Villans are languishing in 11th place in the WSL table, while the visitors are two points better off in 10th position.
Match preview
Aston Villa boss Robert De Pauw is still waiting for his first WSL victory after drawing three and losing four of his seven league games in charge.
As a result of their poor form, Villa are battling to secure their top-flight status, with goal difference currently separating them from basement side Everton.
Despite being in a worrying position, the Villans would have taken some confidence from the fact they held Man United to a goalless draw in last Sunday’s away clash.
After claiming their first away point of the WSL season, Villa will now turn their focus to Sunday’s home fixture, where they will attempt to claim their first home league victory since beating Brighton & Hove Albion in December 2023.
The hosts have already recorded a home victory over Crystal Palace this season, with Kirsty Hanson and Katie Robinson grabbing a goal apiece in last month’s League Cup group match.
© Imago
Newly-promoted Palace are sitting one place above Villa after winning one, drawing three and losing four of their seven WSL matches this season.
Laura Kaminski‘s side began their first-ever WSL campaign with heavy defeats against Tottenham Hotspur and Chelsea, before they got off the mark with a 2-0 away win over Leicester City.
Unfortunately for the Eagles, they have failed to add another victory to their tally, having fallen to defeats against Brighton and Manchester City alongside draws with Liverpool and Everton.
They picked up their first home point of the season in last Sunday’s 1-1 draw with Everton, but they would have been disappointed to miss out on all three points after Indiah-Paige Riley’s first-minute opener was cancelled out by Honoka Hayashi‘s 72nd-minute equaliser.
Palace will head on their travels for Sunday’s fixture, with the visitors looking to make it three away league games without defeat after taking four points from their last two road trips.
Aston Villa Women Women’s Super League form:
Aston Villa Women form (all competitions):
Crystal Palace Women form (all competitions):
Team News
The hosts are likely to be without the services of Rachel Corsie, Georgia Mullett and Jill Baijings.
Defender Lucy Parker is also expected to miss out after she sustained an injury in last Sunday’s goalless draw with Man United.
Anna Leat is closing in on a return to action, but it remains to be seen whether the goalkeeper will be passed fit for Sunday’s fixture.
As for the visitors, they are unable to call upon the injured trio of Elise Hughes, Poppy Pritchard and Hayley Nolan.
Midfielder Annabel Blanchard will have to be assessed after she was forced to sit out the draw with Leicester due to a knock.
Aston Villa Women possible starting lineup:
D’Angelo; Turner, Patten, Tomas; Hanson, Staniforth, Nobbs, Mayling; Grant, Daly, Nunes
Crystal Palace Women possible starting lineup:
Yanez; Green, Everett, Veje, Woodham; Weerden, Cato, Potter, Gejl, Riley; Stengel
We say: Aston Villa Women 1-1 Crystal Palace Women
Villa will be looking to end the wait for their first league win of the season, but we think they may be held to a frustrating draw, especially as Palace have managed to avoid defeat in their last two away WSL matches.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
