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Women's Super League | Gameweek 13
Jan 23, 2022 at 2pm UK
 

Reading Women
3 - 2
B'ham Women

Vanhaevermaet (45+4'), Dowie (48' pen.), Harries (55')
FT(HT: 1-2)
Lawley (3'), Pennock (36')

Preview: Reading Women vs. Birmingham City Women - prediction, team news, lineups

Sports Mole previews Sunday's Women's Super League clash between Reading Women and Birmingham City Women, including predictions, team news and possible lineups.

On Sunday, Reading Women will look to achieve a club record fourth consecutive league win when they play host to Birmingham City Women.

The visitors, meanwhile, find themselves embroiled in a relegation battle and enter the weekend bottom of the Women's Super League table.


Match preview

Reading Women manager Kelly Chambers pictured in March 2021© Reuters

Unbeaten in their last six games, Reading are aiming for a fourth consecutive victory in the WSL when they face Birmingham on Sunday.

The Royals may be dreaming of making a run for the European places as they sit five points adrift of the top three with a game in hand.

With their encounter against Arsenal postponed last weekend, Reading will return to action for the first time in two weeks at the weekend.

In their last outing, they edged out struggling Leicester City, with a first-half Natasha Dowie strike proving enough to guide the Royals to a 1-0 victory.

Kelly Chambers has seen her side win their last four home league matches, which has been largely thanks to a defence that has kept four successive clean sheets in those contests.

Birmingham City Women celebrate victory over Arsenal Women on January 9, 2022© Reuters

As for Birmingham, they slipped into the relegation zone last weekend courtesy of Leicester's win over Brighton & Hove Albion.

After pulling off a shock victory over Arsenal, Blues were brought back down to earth last weekend as they suffered a heavy 5-0 defeat against Manchester United.

With Leicester winning last weekend, Darren Carter's side are now two points adrift of safety and their fight for survival now takes them to Berkshire for a tough contest against an in-form Reading side.

They may be pessimistic about their chances of collecting a positive result on Sunday as Birmingham are winless away from in all competitions this term.

The Blues have struggled at both ends of their pitch on their travels, scoring just two away league goals this term, while they hold the worst defensive record in the WSL.

Reading Women Women's Super League form:
  • W
  • W
  • D
  • W
  • W
  • W

Reading Women form (all competitions):
  • D
  • W
  • W
  • W
  • L
  • W

Birmingham City Women Women's Super League form:
  • L
  • L
  • L
  • L
  • W
  • L

Birmingham City Women form (all competitions):
  • L
  • L
  • L
  • L
  • W
  • L



Team News

Birmingham City Women's interim manager Darren Carter before the match on January 15, 2022© Reuters

Reading are still without the services of Rachel Rowe, who is currently unavailable due to injury.

Following their victory last time out, Chambers could name an unchanged Reading lineup for Sunday's contest.

That would see new signing Sanne Torelsgaard given her second start for the Royals, while Dowie will be aiming to continue her fine goalscoring form after netting in three of her last four appearances.

Birmingham are still missing Marie Hourihan and Cecilie Sandvej, with injuries keeping the pair out, while the Blues are also without Arabella Suttie and Lily Simkin, who are long-term injury absentees.

Emily Whelan returned to the squad last weekend to make a substitute appearance, and she is expected to be on the bench once again on Sunday.

Carter could bring Lucy Whipp into the forward line after the 20-year-old came on at half time in the defeat to Manchester United.

Reading Women possible starting lineup:
Moloney; Harding, Evans, Cooper, Woodham; Harries, Vanhaevermaet, Troelsgaard, Eikeland; Dowie, Rose

Birmingham City Women possible starting lineup:
Ramsey; Lawley, Lo. Quinn, Scott; Pennock, Murray, Sarri, Holloway, Finn; Smith, Lu. Quinn


SM words green background

We say: Reading Women 3-0 Birmingham City Women

Reading won the reverse fixture 3-0 in November, and with the Royals proving to be in imperious form on home turf, we think that they could replicate that result on Sunday to claim another home victory.



Top tip

Our expert tipster partners at Sporita.com are predicting under 3.5 goals in this match. Click here to find out what else they are predicting for this game and for more of their tried-and-tested football tips.Under 3.5:data



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Data Analysis

Our analysis of all available data, including recent performances and player stats up until an hour before kickoff, suggested the most likely outcome of this match was a Reading Women win with a probability of 64.74%. A draw had a probability of 20.6% and a win for Birmingham City Women had a probability of 14.68%.

The most likely scoreline for a Reading Women win was 2-0 with a probability of 11.8%. The next most likely scorelines for that outcome were 1-0 (11.79%) and 2-1 (9.8%). The likeliest drawn scoreline was 1-1 (9.79%), while for a Birmingham City Women win it was 0-1 (4.89%). The actual scoreline of 3-2 was predicted with a 2.7% likelihood. Our team at Sports Mole and our data analysis both correctly predicted that Reading Women would win this match.


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Birmingham City Women celebrate victory over Arsenal Women on January 9, 2022
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