The start of a busy month in league and cup competitions begins in earnest this weekend as LCFC Women prepare to tackle the Royals in the first of five January matches. Take a look at all the key information to know ahead of the visit to Berkshire…
The Foxes camp
Lydia Bedford’s charges will be boosted by putting three points on the board in their final game ahead of the winter break, when defenders Sophie Howard and Sam Tierney were the goalscorers at King Power Stadium.
Howard's strike has since been nominated for the WSL's December Goal of the Month competition, while Molly Pike's performance, which included two assists, led to her nomination for WSL Player of the Month.
That 2-0 success against Birmingham City meant Leicester leapfrogged Darren Carter’s side in the table and another victory for the Foxes this weekend could extend the gap to the relegation zone to five points.
Meanwhile, Leicester's rescheduled fixture against Manchester City in the Continental Tyres League Cup comes three days later, with tickets and Fox Travel for the game at Pirelli Stadium available HERE.
The opposition
Reading masterminded an impressive 1-0 victory over WSL title-holders Chelsea in their final home fixture of 2021 on 11 December, as Deanne Rose’s fourth-minute strike proved to be the difference between the sides.
In fact, the Royals were the in-form team in the division heading into the Christmas break, with league leaders Arsenal the only other side to remain unbeaten and amass the same number of points (13) as Reading over the last five games.
Those results, which included four clean sheets, have moved the Berkshire club well clear of relegation danger after a tricky start to 2021/22 and up to eighth in the standings nine matches into the campaign, level on points with Manchester City in sixth position.
In the dugout
Kelly Chambers is Reading’s long-serving manager and director of football, having taken up the post following her retirement from playing, which included a five-year spell with the Royals between 2007 and 2012, during which she became the club’s captain.
The 35-year-old oversaw the transition from a third-tier, part-time outfit, into a professional side in the top-flight, earning promotion into the FA Women’s Championship (then WSL 2) and up to the WSL in 2015, finishing fourth in 2017/18.
One to watch
Experienced forward Natasha Dowie returned to English shores this summer to sign for Reading, following five years playing for the likes of Boston Breakers, Melbourne Victory, Linköping in Sweden, Vålerenga in Norway, and AC Milan.
The striker’s career before that was similarly varied, starting out at Watford before spells with Fulham, Charlton Athletic, Barnet, Doncaster Rovers Belles and Liverpool – where she won the WSL title in 2013 and 2014, when she was named in the WSL PFA Team of the Year, also finishing the former season as the league’s top goalscorer.
Her spell with their Merseyside rivals Everton included winning the FA Cup in 2010, with Dowie named as Player of the Match in the final. She also has 14 senior England caps to her name and has scored four times in 10 appearances for the Royals so far this term.
Last time out
Although this will be the first meeting in the top-flight between Reading and LCFC Women, the pair did face off in the 2019/20 Women’s FA Cup Fifth Round, with Leicester securing an extra-time victory at Farley Way Stadium on 20 February, 2020.
Brooke Chaplen’s penalty saw the visitors take the lead, but City roared back with 10 minutes to go when Paige Bailey-Gayle hammered home a stunning long-range strike to force an extra 30 minutes.
The forward completed a stunning turnaround against the WSL side with another spectacular goal, earning a place in the quarter-finals for the then second-tier Foxes.
Ticket news
Match tickets for the fixture are on sale, and must be purchased directly from the home club, HERE. They are priced at £10 for adults, £7 for over-65s and 18s-24s, £5 for under-17s and £3 for under-12s.
For those not able to make it to Berkshire, LCFC Women’s official social media channels and website are set to provide comprehensive coverage of proceedings.
All times GMT.