Bristol City and Brighton will face off at Twerton Park tomorrow with both sides in desperate need of a win.
City haven’t won on league duty since the beginning of November. However, a recent League Cup victory over Aston Villa lifted spirits within Matt Beard’s camp, who’ve been busy on the recruitment front.
Molly Pike and Kiera Skeels join from Everton and Reading respectively. The new recruits will bring freshness to the squad with Chloe Logarzo departing to Kansas City.
Beard still has a lot to play for this season and will be keen to end it on a high.
This assignment tomorrow from a Bristol perspective will be the perfect opportunity to hit the correct rhythms before Wednesday’s League Cup semi-final against Leicester City.
Brighton manager Hope Powell will be looking for a reaction to last weekend’s 7-1 defeat to Man City. She will look at this fixture as an opportunity to pull clear of City at the bottom.
This is a re-arranged match following Covid-19 cases in the Brighton camp. The visitors will undoubtedly will be looking to bounce back strong.
The sides haven’t faced each other yet this season, with the last meeting between the sides taking place back in October 2019. Bristol came out 2-1 winners thanks to goals by Abi Harrison and Ebony Salmon, with Kayleigh Green netting for Albion.
Bristol will be without Gemma Bonner, Aoife Mannion, Powell will have more depth to choose from tomorrow with defender Fiss Gibbons the only certainty to miss out.
Ones to watch
Bristol City
A player who will be fresh into the squad for tomorrow’s encounter is Molly Pike. She joins on loan from Everton and has already made strides with the Merseyside outfit, netting twice in 27 appearances for Willie Kirk’s side.
Beard will be keen to unleash Pike’s attacking prowess. The aim for the young forward will be to add more goals to her game with the intention of keeping City out of the relegation zone.
Brighton
Brighton will look at this game as an opportunity to get some goals and Rianna Jarrett will be key in providing that. Jarrett netted in the defeat to Man City and will be keen to add more goals to her tally.
A number of Brighton players will return to the squad after positive Covid-19 cases, with Green expected to return in an attacking role having played at right-back last week.
