Relegated Crystal Palace Women will welcome Leicester City Women to the VBS Community Stadium for their final home game of the 2024-25 season.
The Eagles will hope to restore some pride in their final two Women’s Super League matches after their relegation was confirmed with a heavy defeat last weekend.
Match preview
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Palace are guaranteed to finish at the bottom of the WSL table, having collected just nine points from their 20 league matches this season.
The Eagles have experienced a disastrous run of results since they claimed their second WSL victory in a home game against Aston Villa on March 16.
They went on to lose three consecutive games without scoring against Everton, Arsenal and Chelsea, before they were hammered 7-1 in Sunday’s home clash against West Ham United.
Leif Smerud‘s side conceded four of those goals beyond the hour mark, as they slumped to a heavy defeat that confirmed their immediate return to the Championship, ensuring their first-ever experience of the WSL will come to an end after just one season.
While they may know their fate, Palace will still be keen to claim all three points in their final home match of the 2024-25 campaign, especially as they have the opportunity to complete a league double after beating Leicester 2-0 in October’s reverse fixture.
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Leicester are guaranteed to extend their four-year stay in the top flight, but they will be disappointed to be down in 11th position with just two games left to play.
The Foxes head into Sunday’s fixture off the back of a poor run of form, having lost four of their previous six matches (W1, D1), including defeats in their last two outings against Arsenal and Manchester City.
After they fell to a heavy 5-1 away loss against the Gunners, the Foxes were then edged out via a 1-0 scoreline in last Sunday’s home clash against Manchester City following Jess Park‘s 70th-minute effort.
The Foxes will now head on their travels, where they are winless in 15 WSL road trips, including defeats in each of their previous eight away league games.
Leicester may view Sunday’s clash against a relegated Palace side as the perfect opportunity to claim their first WSL away win since beating Everton 1-0 in January 2024.
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Team News
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Palace remain without the services of midfielder Aimee Everett, whose season was cut short in February after she underwent foot surgery.
Defender Allyson Swaby could return to the starting lineup after serving a one-match ban following her dismissal in the defeat to Chelsea earlier this month.
Smerud could make a few more changes for Sunday’s fixture, with Molly Sharpe, Chloe Arthur and Abbie Larkin among those who could come into the starting lineup.
As for the visitors, they are unable to call upon the services of Sari Kees, Ruby Mace, Jutta Rantala, Noemie Mouchon and Lena Petermann.
Leicester boss Amandine Miquel has admitted she is unsure whether CJ Bott will be ready for the weekend after she missed the defeat to Man City through injury.
Missy Goodwin is pushing for a starting berth after returning from a two-game injury absence to make back-to-back substitute appearances.
Crystal Palace Women possible starting lineup:
Yanez; Sharpe, Swaby, Gejl, Woodham; Arthur, Cato, Gejl; Larkin; Weerden, Stengel
Leicester City Women possible starting lineup:
Leitzig; Thibaud, Howard, Swaby, Ale; Tierney, Cayman; Goodwin, Momiki, Chossenotte; O’Brien
We say: Crystal Palace Women 1-2 Leicester City Women
Leicester may have gone 15 WSL road trips without a win, but we believe they could end their long wait for an away win when they face a Palace side that will be bereft of confidence following four consecutive defeats.
For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.
