There’s only one game in the Women’s Super League this weekend as Tottenham make the short Mother’s Day trip to Reading.
With the Continental Cup final between Chelsea and Bristol City taking centre stage, all WSL attention turns to the Madejski Stadium on Sunday lunchtime.
Kelly Chambers’ Reading will be looking for a strong response after a disappointing 3-2 defeat to Bristol City last Monday. Influential midfielder Rachel Rowe saw red so will miss this encounter while Emma Harries netted her first senior goal for the Royals.
Tottenham travel to Berkshire on a torrid run of form after losing their last four games. Rehanne Skinner has faced a tough spell with an injury hit spell after a promising start to her Spurs career.
The Lilywhites lost 2-0 to Brighton last weekend and will be looking for a response of their own.
Tottenham’s Gemma Davison will look to cause trouble on her return to Berkshire after a spell with Reading during the 2018/19 campaign before moving to Spurs. Reading born Rosella Ayane will also want to make her Madejski mark. Reading defenders Emma Mitchell and Molly Bartrip have both spent time with Spurs before and will look to keep out their past employers.
LAST TIME THEY MET
In this season’s earlier encounter, the sides played out an exciting 1-1 draw at The Hive. The game will be most noted for Alex Morgan’s debut for Spurs, a spell not memorable for most!
The draw was sandwiched in the Royals run of four consecutive WSL 1-1 draws and they will be looking to steer away from that dreaded result again. Both scorers last time out are likely to miss this weekend’s encounter with Brooke Chaplen struggling with long-term illness and Ashleigh Neville celebrating the birth of her first child.
TEAM NEWS*
Reading welcomed back Fara Williams to action last Monday as she played 87 minutes after being sidelined through long-term illness. Ga-Eul Jeon also returned to the squad, replacing Emma Harries in the dying minutes against Bristol City after a hamstring injury has kept her out for the majority of the season. Brooke Chaplen remains sidelined through illness while Rachel Rowe will serve a one match suspension after her stoppage time dismissal for a second bookable offence last time out.
Tottenham have a lengthy absence list after a host of first team players missed last weekend’s fixtures. Goalkeeper Becky Spencer remains sidelined while Cho So-Hyun, Jessica Naz and Rachel Williams were not in the matchday squad for unknown reasons. Ashleigh Neville has missed the last three games after celebrating the birth of her first child so 18-year-old Esther Morgan has deputised in her absence. Fellow defender Hannah Godfrey has been ruled out since before the international break.
TIME: 12:30 Sunday 14th February, Madejski Stadium, Reading.
(Available to watch on FA Player)
Below we take a look at the players who could have a big impact on this game:
ONE TO WATCH – EMMA HARRIES (FW) – POINTS 26 (£15,000)
The 18-year-old striker has been making a name for herself in the WSL this season as she leads the Royals attack ahead of a host of experienced players. Harries netted her first senior goal last time out on her return to the starting line-up. A strong, physical presence, Harries will look to cause all sorts of trouble for a makeshift Spurs defence.
ONE TO WATCH: ANGELA ADDISON (FW) – POINTS 36 (£15,000)
A game for young talents to express themselves across the field, 21-year-old winger Angela Addison is likely to cause a shaky, Reading defence problems. The pacey winger will give Spurs a wide outlet most likely on the left side, against a right back that will almost certainly be playing out of position for the Royals. Reading have kept only one clean sheet in 12 WSL games and speedy attackers are their downfall. Addison will be given lots of space to operate and will hope to add to her WSL tally. She played the full 90 minutes last time out and scored two games ago against Everton.
Written by Ben Waite (Follow on Twitter at @etiawneb for regular WSL updates!)
*Please note, all injury information we have may not be 100% accurate
You can view and updated absence list here and an updated transfer list here.