Each side enters the fixture having recorded 2-1 away victories last weekend, having also progressed on their travels in the Vitality Women’s FA Cup Fourth Round a week prior.
Before the top-flight encounter gets underway at Pirelli Stadium, take a look at how the two teams match up…
The Foxes camp
Spirits will be high following a second successive victory for the Foxes, defeating Birmingham City 2-1 to seal an important three points that moves Leicester five points clear of the relegation zone.
Jess Sigsworth and Jemma Purfield struck at St. Andrew’s Stadium and it was Purfield who also provided City’s only goal during their last fixture in Burton – a last-gasp 2-1 reverse at the hands of Aston Villa last month. Sigsworth, meanwhile, is now Leicester's top scorer in the WSL.
After three wins from her opening six league matches in charge, Lydia Bedford will now be hoping to steer the team to their first success at Pirelli Stadium. Elysia Boddy could make her debut after being involved in the matchday squad at Birmingham, with Esmee De Graaf in line to face her former club.
The opposition
West Ham have enjoyed an excellent 2021/22 campaign to date, sitting seventh in the WSL standings after 13 matches, level on 20 points with Manchester City, and well placed to target a top-half finish.
A shock 2-0 away win over the Citizens in early October really kick-started their season, also defeating fellow high-flyers Tottenham Hotspur a month later. They have lost just twice – both to Chelsea - in 11 games across all competitions, winning five of those.
Abbey-Leigh Stringer and Katerina Svitkova were on the scoresheet last time out as West Ham overcame Aston Villa 2-1 and they will now aim to record consecutive WSL away victories for the first time since December 2018.
The east London outfit reached the Continental Tyres League Cup Quarter-Final before losing 4-2 to finalists Chelsea, while they also booked a place in the FA Cup Fifth Round – where they will face Reading – by defeating FA Women’s Championship side Sheffield United 4-1.
In the dugout
Olli Harder became West Ham manager in December 2020, following Matt Beard’s departure, signing a two-and-a-half-year contract with the east London club. Harder has previously coached around the world in USA, China, Norway and his native New Zealand.
As first team coach at Klepp IL in 2017, he helped the Toppserien outfit to achieve a top-four placing in the top tier of Norwegian women’s football for the first time in over 20 years, followed by second and third place finishes in the following two seasons.
After serving as assistant coach for Norway’s Under-23s in 2018, Harder became assistant manager at Sandnes Ulf in Norway, who finished seventh in OBOS-Ligaen in 2020, the second-highest level of men’s football in the country.
Ones to watch
Summer signing Claudia Walker went on a run of scoring five times in six games for Birmingham City last term and although the goals have been shared around the West Ham side in 2021/22, one of the 25-year-old forward’s three strikes helped earn a draw against her former side. She also netted in the reverse fixture against the Foxes.
Like Walker, lifelong Hammers supporter Kate Longhurst has featured in all 13 of their WSL fixtures to date, with her most memorable coming against London rivals Tottenham Hotspur last month as the midfielder’s injury-time equaliser earned a point on the road. She registered an assist when facing Leicester earlier this season.
An experienced figure who previously won the WSL twice with Chelsea, captain Gilly Flaherty played in all but one of her side’s WSL fixtures last season, repeating the feat so far this campaign. The 30-year-old centre-back’s influence on fellow defenders Grace Fisk and Hawa Cissoko is clear to see.
Talking points
Lydia Bedford told the media in Thursday's pre-match press conference: "We need to make sure that we play our games like we’re sat with zero points at the bottom of the table. If we let any of that desire and commitment that we’ve shown disappear then we’ll get caught out very quickly. It’s just about keeping their feet firmly on the ground."
Freya Gregory on Sunday's challenge: "They are a well organised side. They have probably exceeded some expectations this season. They are good defensively and have got some good threats going forward. The feeling around the squad is really good. We all know what we are capable of. We can see from the recent performances and just trusting ourselves."
Last time out
West Ham ran out 4-0 winners when the sides last met in the WSL at Chigwell Construction Stadium back in September 2021. Strikes from Tameka Yallop and Claudia Walker put the hosts in a commanding position before the break, with two own goals also contributing to the scoreline in east London.
Leicester last hosted the Hammers in the FA Women’s National League Cup in January 2011, coming out on top in a 2-1 scoreline. Rebecca Merritt gave West Ham the lead at Oadby Town FC, but Natalie Reay equalised before Courtney Sweetman-Kirk's winner.
Ticket and travel news
Supporters can purchase match tickets for the encounter online, HERE, priced at £7 for over-18s, £3.50 for seniors (65+), £3 for under-18s and free to all under-8s.
Tickets can be collected from 12:30pm on matchday and will also be available to buy from the Pirelli Stadium ticket office.
Limited pay-on-the-night car parking is available, priced £5 per space. More ticketing information can be found HERE.