BRIGHTON, England – Brighton & Hove Albion Women go face-to-face with Manchester City Women this Sunday at 2 PM UK time for a crucial clash in the Women’s Super League (WSL) Gameweek 18 at the Broadfield Stadium. Both teams are looking for a much-needed boost after tough spells, with Brighton eager to solidify their position in the top half of the table, while City aims to regain momentum following a rocky start to the month.
Brighton, under the guidance of their first-year coach, has shown improvement, already earning three more points than they did in the entire 2023-24 campaign. Currently fifth in the standings, they’re 10 points behind fourth-placed City. The Seagulls are keen to maintain a position in the top half for the first time since the 2020-21 season, holding a three-point buffer over Everton in seventh place.
However, Brighton faces a challenging task as they try to hold their ground after winning only once in their last nine league games (D3, L5). That said, their home performance has been solid; their unbeaten streak at home this season includes four wins and four draws. They’ll need to overcome a troubling history against City, having lost all five previous WSL encounters and conceded 25 goals during those matchups, including four from last season’s 4-1 defeat at Broadfield.
On the other side, Manchester City is looking to recover from a string of disappointing results, having lost three of their last four matches against Chelsea in all competitions. The team, currently sitting in fourth place in the WSL, struggled last weekend, losing 2-1 after conceding a late goal, making their path to the top three tougher with just five games left to play.
Head coach Nick Cushing will need to regroup his players following their disappointing exit from the UEFA Women’s Champions League, where a second-leg loss against Chelsea saw their hopes dashed after losing 3-0. City’s last 10 league matches reveal inconsistency, compiling only four wins while grappling with injuries and fatigue.
Brighton will continue to miss key player Alicia Lehmann, while the fitness of others remains uncertain. For City, a lengthy injury list includes important players which has further complicated their strategy. Cushing talks about the importance of mental resilience heading into this weekend’s match, hinting, “We know it’s going to be tough, but my players have the spirit to rise to the occasion.”
Brighton’s lineup could see Loeck; Auee, Thorisdottir, Bergsvand, Pattinson, Olislagers; Kirby, Symonds, Noordam; Haley, Parris starting. For City, Keating; Casparij, Prior, Aleixandri, Ouahabi; Roord, Hasegawa, Park; Kerolin, Fowler, Miedema would likely take the pitch.
Despite the odds, both Brighton and City are poised for an exciting battle as they each strive for points that could shape their season outcomes. With Brighton’s home advantage and City’s quest for revival, fans can expect a thrilling contest in this WSL matchup.
