Afrigather 
Simply three sides stay with no defeat heading into matchday eight of the Girls’s Tremendous League season, however two of the early pacesetters sq. off this Saturday.
Manchester Metropolis and Chelsea paved the way within the early-season standings, although Sonia Bompastor’s Blues are but to drop some extent from their six video games to date.
That blockbuster encounter, set for Saturday, headlines the upcoming WSL weekend, however there may be additionally a lot extra to whet the urge for food.
Brighton shall be seeking to preserve tempo with the highest two in opposition to West Ham, whereas a North London Derby is within the offing between Tottenham and Arsenal.
Sunday’s motion sees winless Everton sq. off in opposition to Merseyside rivals Liverpool, whereas Manchester United journey to the King Energy Stadium to tackle Leicester Metropolis.
However who does the Opta supercomputer predict will emerge victorious this time round? Right here, we delve into the pre-match information for every of this weekend’s fixtures.
BRIGHTON V WEST HAM
Brighton have been the shock bundle of the WSL this time period, sitting third within the standings, however they have been on the tip of a 5-0 defeat to a rejuvenated Arsenal final trip.
Regardless of the Seagulls’ heavy defeat, they’re handed a win likelihood of 51.3%, with West Ham given a 23.9% likelihood of following up their victory over Leicester with one other three factors. A draw is given a 24.8% chance of taking place.
Brighton have received six of their final eight WSL conferences with West Ham (D1 L1), with the Seagulls successful extra video games in opposition to the Hammers than some other opponent within the competitors (seven).
They received 4 straight matches on the Amex between 2019 and 2022 however are winless in three video games on the venue since (D1 L2), together with a 1-1 draw with Manchester United final month.
West Ham have received simply certainly one of their final 14 away video games within the Girls’s Tremendous League (D3 L10), conceding in every of these matches; the Hammers may now equal their longest run of away matches within the competitors with no clear sheet (15 in December 2020).
However Hammers boss Rehanne Skinner has received every of her final 4 WSL video games in opposition to Brighton with out conceding, a run that features her largest ever victory within the competitors, successful 8-0 with Tottenham in October 2022.
TOTTENHAM V ARSENAL
Renee Slegers maintained her unbeaten begin as Arsenal’s interim head coach with arguably probably the most dominant show of her tenure, beating Juventus 4-0 in midweek.
And she or he is predicted to proceed her successful streak this weekend, with Arsenal handed a whopping win likelihood of 67.2%, the most important of any facet on matchday eight.
Tottenham, who have been on the tip of a 4-0 thrashing by Man Metropolis final trip, are given a 14.9% likelihood of victory, with the specter of a draw at 17.9%.
Arsenal have received seven of their 9 video games in opposition to Tottenham within the WSL and have both stored a clear sheet (5) or conceded precisely as soon as (4) in every of these conferences.
Following their 5-0 win over Brighton, Arsenal shall be seeking to win back-to-back WSL video games for the primary time this season. That is the Gunners’ longest anticipate consecutive wins from the beginning of a WSL season since 2016 (ninth sport).
Tottenham have received solely certainly one of their 9 conferences with Arsenal within the WSL (D1 L7), however that sole victory did come on this fixture final season, successful 1-0 due to a Martha Thomas purpose.
Solely Vivianne Miedema (eight) has scored extra WSL objectives within the North London Derby than Arsenal’s Caitlin Foord. She has netted seven instances in simply eight league appearances in opposition to Spurs and shall be seeking to construct on her purpose in opposition to Juve in midweek.
CHELSEA V MAN CITY
The standout fixture of matchday eight sees Stamford Bridge host Chelsea’s top-of-the-table conflict with Man Metropolis.
Regardless of Gareth Taylor’s facet sitting on the summit of the standings, they’re handed a 22.5% win likelihood, with the Blues’ hopes of salvaging some extent ranked barely larger at 23.7%. Chelsea, in the meantime, received 53.7% of Opta’s data-led simulations.
Bompastor may develop into the primary ever supervisor to win every of their first seven video games within the WSL. Her Blues are aiming to develop into the third staff in WSL historical past to win every of their opening seven video games of a marketing campaign after this weekend’s opponents did so in 2017-18 (completed 2nd) and Arsenal did so in 2018-19 (completed 1st).
Chelsea have additionally received all six of their earlier matches at Stamford Bridge within the WSL by an mixture rating of 17-4, probably the most video games any staff has ever performed within the competitors at a house venue whereas sustaining a 100% document.
Nonetheless, Metropolis are unbeaten of their final three WSL conferences with Chelsea (W2 D1) whereas solely Arsenal (10) have recorded extra wins over the Blues within the competitors than the Residents (seven).
Metropolis have additionally received 17 of their 19 WSL video games in 2024 (D1 L1) and will win 18 top-flight video games in a single calendar yr for the very first time.
wins in a row in all competitions! pic.twitter.com/t9EJT1Twqe
— Manchester Metropolis Girls (@ManCityWomen) November 12, 2024
ASTON VILLA V CRYSTAL PALACE
Aston Villa are certainly one of solely two sides within the division but to document a win this season, however are predicted to get their first three factors on the board at residence to Crystal Palace.
Opta’s data-led simulations favoured the Villans in 51.1% of situations. A draw is given a 24.8% likelihood of taking place, with Palace handed a win likelihood of simply 24.1%.
This would be the second assembly between the 2 sides already this season, with the Villans successful 2-0 at residence in a League Cup group-stage sport in October.
It will, nonetheless, be the primary time Palace have confronted Villa in a league sport since September 2019, when the Eagles suffered a 6-0 residence loss to the eventual 2019-20 Championship winners.
Crystal Palace have received 4 factors from their three away video games within the WSL thus far this season (W1 D1 L1), turning into simply the third newly promoted facet to take action after Tottenham in 2019-20 (six) and Aston Villa in 2020-21 (six). No such staff has ever picked up seven factors from their first 4 matches on the highway in a single marketing campaign.
However Villa are unbeaten in six earlier WSL video games in opposition to newly promoted opposition (W4 D2), although they did draw their final two such residence matches (3-3 v Liverpool, 2-2 v Bristol Metropolis), and have stored two clear sheets of their final 4 league video games, the identical variety of shutouts as they managed throughout their earlier 15 WSL matches.
EVERTON V LIVERPOOL
Everton’s 1-1 draw with Crystal Palace noticed them choose up simply their third level of the season, however they are going to be hoping to earn their first three factors of the yr in opposition to rivals Liverpool.
The Toffees are handed a 32.6% win likelihood in comparison with Liverpool’s 41.9%, the closest margin between any two sides on matchday eight. A draw is given a 25.5% chance.
Everton, nonetheless, have received 4 of their final seven conferences with Liverpool within the WSL (D2 L1), greater than they managed of their first 10 Merseyside Derbies within the competitors (W3 D3 L4).
However they’ve struggled at Goodison Park. They haven’t received a WSL sport in 4 makes an attempt on the iconic stadium (D2 L2), failing to attain in three of these video games. Their most up-to-date such match got here earlier this month, dropping 5-0 to Chelsea.
Whereas the Reds are winless of their final three journeys throughout Stanley Park, they’re having fun with their longest ever unbeaten run away from residence within the WSL, going eight with out defeat since dropping to Man Metropolis in January (W6 D2). Solely Chelsea (9) and Metropolis (eight) have received extra instances on the highway within the high flight in 2024 than the Reds (six).
The Reds’ Marie-Therese Hobinger would be the participant to observe. She has created extra possibilities from set-pieces than some other participant within the WSL this season (10), whereas every of her seven assists within the competitors have come by way of corners.
Subsequent up…the Merseyside derby #EVELIV
— Liverpool FC Girls (@LiverpoolFCW) November 11, 2024
LEICESTER V MAN UTD
One among two video games that conclude the weekend’s motion takes place within the East Midlands, with Man United, the third staff with no loss this time period, taking over Leicester.
The Pink Devils are, unsurprisingly, favoured by Opta’s data-led simulations and are handed a 66.7% likelihood of rising victorious. Leicester are given only a 15.2% likelihood of successful, with a draw valued at 18.1%.
Although they’re unbeaten within the WSL this season, United have drawn their final three league matches. The final staff to attract 4 in a row within the competitors was Aston Villa in Might 2021 (5 in a row).
United have conceded simply twice of their opening six league video games this season, with solely Man Metropolis in 2016 (0) and 2019-20 (one) and Arsenal in 2022-23 (one) ever leaking fewer objectives at this stage of a marketing campaign. The Pink Devils’ opponents have by far the worst conversion price within the competitors this time period, nonetheless (2.9%).
The Foxes are winless in six earlier conferences with United within the WSL (D1 L5), solely dealing with Arsenal (P7 L7) and Villa (P7 D2 L5) extra usually within the competitors with out successful.
Elisabeth Terland has scored three objectives in her final two WSL appearances in opposition to Leicester, with the striker solely netting in additional video games within the competitors in opposition to Tottenham (4 totally different video games).
