Aston Villa Women will put their eight-game unbeaten run to the test against Chelsea this weekend.
Carla Ward's high-flying side will welcome the champions to Poundland Bescot Stadium on Sunday in front of the Sky Sports cameras.
Kick-off is set for 6.45pm, and it's shaping up to be a cracker under the lights.
Villa's form continued last time out with a 5-0 demolition of Leicester City, and this coming Sunday will prove to be the sternest test the team have faced during their rich vein of form.
It also kicks off a crunch double header against Emma Hayes' side, with an FA Cup semi-final to come in a couple of weekends' time.
This weekend's visitors to Poundland Bescot Stadium are Chelsea.
Emma Hayes brings her side to the West Midlands with the race for the Barclays WSL title hotting up.
Only a handful of points currently separate the top four teams in the division, but Chelsea will feel they have the upper hand in the experience department.
Just five league games will follow Sunday's fixture, meaning we are well and truly on the home straight.
The reverse fixture saw tonight’s opponents prevail by a 3-1 scoreline.
Rachel Daly equalised for Villa just before half-time, but the Blues proved too strong on that occasion.
These two sides will meet again in just two weekends' time in the semi-final of the FA Cup.
The Last Meeting
Villa Women lost 3-1 to Chelsea when these two sides last met in October at Kingsmeadow.
Lauren James scored a brace before Sam Kerr put the game beyond doubt for the hosts after Rachel Daly had equalised just before half-time.
Team News
Carla Ward confirmed during Friday morning's press conference that Sarah Mayling will likely miss out again this weekend.
The full-back hobbled off during our FA Cup victory over Manchester City and subsequently missed last weekend's win against Leicester City.
Ward did, however, hint that the player would be available for the semi-final in two weeks' time.
Ruesha Littlejohn, meanwhile, is set to return to the matchday squad having not featured in the previous two.
Remi Allen and Simone Magill are continuing to progress well as they ramp up their rehab, while Meaghan Sargeant and Natasha Harding remain out with long-term injuries.
Standout Stats
- Aston Villa are unbeaten in their last seven WSL games (W5 D2), and are currently enjoying their longest ever winning run in the competition (4 games).
- Aston Villa have scored 15 goals in their last four WSL games, just two fewer than they had in their first 12 this season (17).
- Aston Villa have scored more goals from outside the box than any other WSL side this season (7), though Chelsea have yet to concede a goal from distance in the competition this term.
- No side has scored more goals following a high turnover in the WSL this season than Aston Villa (6, level with Man Utd). However, only Arsenal (16) have faced fewer shots from high turnovers than Chelsea (21) this term.
- Aston Villa's Kenza Dali has carried the ball further than any other player in the WSL this season (3462.5 metres). The French midfielder has also been involved in five goals in her last four WSL appearances (2 goals, 3 assists).
