WSL preview: Albion host Leicester City

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Final home game of 2023 on Sunday at the Broadfield Stadium.

Bruce Talbot

2023-12-09T19:00:00Z

Melissa Phillips addresses her squad after the 3-0 loss against Arsenal.

Albion round off their home fixtures in 2023 against Leicester City in the Women's Super League on Sunday, kick off 2pm at the Broadfield Stadium.

Team news

Goalkeeper Nicky Evrard is being assessed by parent club Chelsea after she suffered a hamstring injury playing for Belgium on Tuesday. Dejan Stefanovic is still sidelined by a long-term back issue. Head coach Mel Phillips said all of the players who have been on international duty have returned well and will be available to face the Foxes.

Melissa Phillips’ thoughts

“We face another tough test, as they all are in this league! Leicester finished last season strongly and with some additions to their squad they are a competitive side who have already shown they can test the very best in this league. The backing of our supporters in recent weeks has been fantastic and helped create an atmosphere in the stadium that has been really special and which our players thrive in. We looking to put in a performance worthy of a result and earn our first win at home to reward the fans on Sunday.”

Melissa Phillips has left her role as women's head coach.

Player to watch

Striker Jutta Rantala joined Leicester in August on a two-year deal and has already netted three WSL goals. The 23-year-old Finnish international previously played in Sweden’s top flight, making 57 appearances for two clubs most recently Vittsjo GIK. She made a superb debut for the Foxes, scoring twice in the opening-day win over Bristol City and winning the player of the match award.

Previous meetings

Both clashes last season were won by the Foxes. They claimed their first win of the season in January with a 3-0 victory in what was Jens Scheuer’s first game as Albion head coach. Then, on the final day of the season, they won 1-0 at the Broadfield Stadium to climb above Albion into tenth place in the final league table.

Pascal Gross is closing in on Mesut Ozil's record for the most Premier League goal involvements by a German player.

Stats and facts

Since winning their first WSL meeting with Leicester 1-0 in November 2021, Brighton have lost their last three against the Foxes without scoring a single goal.
Leicester have won more WSL games (3) and kept more clean sheets (3) against Brighton than they have against any other opponent in the competition.
Albion are winless in six WSL home games (D1 L5), since beating Everton and West Ham in back-to-back such games towards the end of last season. One of those defeats was against Leicester in May.
Having won their first two WSL games this season, Leicester are now winless in their last six (D2 L4). However, they’ve picked up four points from four games away from home this term (W1 D1 L2), just two fewer than they managed in the whole of last season (W2 D0 L9).
Leicester have scored 12 WSL goals this season, from an expected goals tally of 8.2. Their difference of 3.8 goals more than their xG is the joint-highest in the competition this term (level with Chelsea).
Brighton have faced more shots than any other WSL side so far this season (173) and also have the highest xG against of any side this term (19.8).

Brighton have scored the highest share of their WSL goals this season in the first half of games (63% -5/8). However, Leicester have conceded the lowest share of their goals before half-time this term (28% -5/18).
Based on Opta’s expected goals on target conceded (the quality of shots on target a goalkeeper has faced), Brighton keeper Sophie Baggaley has prevented 1.6 WSL goals this season (17.6 xGoT faced, 16 goals conceded). Only Man City’s Khiara Keating (3.8) has done better so far.
Elisabeth Terland has scored 62.5% of Brighton’s WSL goals this season (5/8), the highest percentage of any player in the competition this term.
Both Jutta Rantala (3 goals, 2 assists) and Lena Petermann (2 goals, 3 assists) have registered five goal involvements in the WSL for Leicester City this season. Last season, their most goal involvements by a player was four (3 players).