Match Preview: Tottenham Hotspur Women v. Leicester City FC Women

Tottenham Hotspur Women take on Leicester City at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Sunday, May 8^th at 12:00 pm UK/7:00 am ET. The game caps off a season that started strong for Spurs, but has so far tailed off with a whimper, not a bang. Spurs have one last chance to right the ship against a struggling Leicester side. You can watch the game for free on the FA Player.

Spurs’ poor form in recent weeks isn’t without explanation. We’ve had one of the toughest schedules possible, facing Manchester City, Arsenal, Chelsea twice, as well as tricky Reading and Aston Villa sides. Rehanne Skinner has had to plan around injuries and suspensions to key players, and on top of that our last five matches have come in the space of two weeks. Despite Spurs’ thin squad and obvious exhaustion on the pitch, they’ve shown creativity in ball progression, the mentality to score from a losing position, and (most of the time) a solid, organized defense.

Photo by Marc Atkins/Getty Images

Leicester city have the worst defense in the league, conceding 38 goals out of an expected 46. They’ve only won one game in the league in 2021, and their recent performances have included a 9-0 loss against Chelsea and a 5-0 loss to Arsenal. That said, Leicester are hardly pushovers. They beat us 3-1 in extra time in the FA Cup (though to be fair, Spurs only had three field players on the bench, which is not very many for 120 minutes of football). Keep an eye out for striker Natasha Flint, fullback Jemma Purfield, Nigerian international defender Ashleigh Plumtre, and familiar face Abbie McManus who played for Tottenham on loan in 2021.

On paper, we should win this. It’s our last game, at home in one of the best stadiums on earth, and we’ll be seeking to avenge a cup defeat against a team known for shipping goals. But here’s a fun little fact: Spurs Women haven’t won a game since I started writing for Cartilage Free Captain. This is their final chance of the season to prove that I’m not cursed. I hope they make the most of it.