Albion return to WSL action on Saturday when they entertain leaders Manchester City, kick off 12 noon at the Broadfield Stadium. The match is being shown live on Sky Sports.
Team news
Head coach Dario Vidosic has had his players back this week after the international break. “The girls who played for their countries are in good shape and we’re now ready to tackle this last block of the season.”
Dario’s pre-match thoughts
Facts and stats
Albion have lost 12 of their 14 WSL games against Manchester City, with the exceptions a 0-0 draw in September 2020 and a 1-0 win in November 2023.
Manchester City have won all six of their Women’s Super League away games against Albion by an aggregate score of 27-4.
Albion have kept a clean sheet in their last two WSL games (W1 D1) and could keep three in a row for only the second time in the competition, previously doing so in March 2021. The Seagulls have only kept two shutouts in 14 WSL meetings with Manchester City however, averaging 3.4 goals against per game (48 in total).
Manchester City have won 16 of their last 18 WSL games (D1 L1) and have won each of their last 17 matches when taking the lead at any stage – the Citizens and Manchester United are the only two teams that haven’t lost a single point from a winning position this term, while Brighton have lost the most (12).
Albion have taken four points from their last two league games (W1 D1), more than across their six matches prior (W1 L5); the Seagulls could win back-to-back WSL games for the fifth time under Dario Vidosic which would actually be their joint-longest win streak under the Australian.
City have scored 11 first-half goals across their last four WSL games, netting from almost every two shots on target in the opening 45 minutes of matches this season (28/57 – 49%). That rate drops to just slightly better than one in three in second halves (27/79 – 34%).
Manchester City average the longest open play sequences (10.4s) in the WSL this season as well as recording the most open play sequences of 10+ passes (245), while they also rank third for field tilt (63%) behind Arsenal (76%) and Chelsea (68%).
Kiko Seike has scored seven league goals this season with only Elisabeth Terland in 2023-24 (13) and Inessa Kaagman in 2020-21 (8) netting more times in a WSL campaign for Brighton and Hove Albion; the Japanese will be aiming to become the first player to net in four straight appearances in the Women’s Super League for the Seagulls.
Vivianne Miedema is just three goals away from becoming the first player in WSL history to score 100 goals. The Dutchwoman has eight goals and eight assists against Brighton in the top-flight with her own tally of 19 against Bristol City the only instance of a player recording more goal involvements vs one side in the competition.
Albion defender Caitlin Hayes has won 95% of her aerial duels in the WSL this season (36/38), the best rate by a player to contest at least 20 in a single campaign in the competition’s history.
Match officials
Referee: Megan Wilson
Assistants: Ella Broad & Anastasiya Voloshchuk
Fourth official: Lisa Benn