West Ham United Women v Leicester City
Barclays Women’s Super League, Chigwell Construction Stadium, Sunday 20 November 2022
West Ham United Women return from the international break hoping to pick up their third home win of the 2022/23 season. The Hammers welcome Leicester City to the Chigwell Construction Stadium on Sunday 20 November.
The Foxes arrive in east London hoping to get their first points on the board, having lost all seven of their Barclays Women’s Super League matches so far.
Willie Kirk replaced Lydia Bedford as manager, making the step up from his position of Director of Football on the 3rd November.
He will be hoping that he can turn the fortunes of his side around, whilst Hammers boss Paul Konchesky will be hoping that his team can get back to winning ways.
Here’s everything you need to know ahead of the game…
Tickets
You can purchase your tickets for the game against Leicester City online until 2pm on Sunday.
After that time, tickets will be available from the Ticket Office at Chigwell Construction Stadium, which will be open from 1:30pm on Sunday, priced from as little as £13 for Adults and £5 for Juniors!
How To Follow
Sunday’s match will be broadcast live on the FA Player, with coverage beginning just before the scheduled 3pm kick-off.
You can also follow the action across our social media channels. We will also have highlights and exclusive reactions for you after the final whistle.
Travel…
Fans attending Sunday’s fixture at the Chigwell Construction Stadium should note that parking not available at the ground, and supporters are advised to make use of public transport.
If driving to the ground from the north, leave the M25 at Junction 27 and take the M11 towards London. At the end of the M11 continue onto the A406 towards Docklands (A13) and London City Airport. At the intersection with the A13, turn onto this road in the direction of the Dartford Crossing.
At the junction with the A1306, leave the A13 and join the A1306 towards Dagenham. At the third set of traffic lights turn left just before the McDonalds into Ballards Road. At the end of this road you will come to a large roundabout.
Turn left and proceed up Rainham Road passing Dagenham East tube station on the left and Victoria Road is a quarter of a mile further on, on the same side of the road.
If driving to the ground from the south, leave the M25 at Junction 31 and take the A13 towards Central London. Exit the A13 onto the slip road, signposted Dagenham/Dagenham East. At the end of the slip road at the double roundabout turn right, then going under the A13. At the T-junction turn left onto the A1306. At the second set of lights turn right onto the B178.
At the end of this road you will come to a large roundabout. Turn left and proceed up Rainham Road passing Dagenham East tube station on the left and Victoria Road is a quarter of a mile further on, on the same side of the road.
If travelling by London Underground, take the District Line to Dagenham East. Turn left as you come out of the station and the ground is clearly sign posted and only five minute walk away.
Supporters are advised to use National Rail and TFL to plan their journeys to Chigwell Construction Stadium if they are planning on traveling by train to the ground.
Team News
Konchesky currently has four players that are on the treatment table. Jess Ziu, Lucy Parker and Emma Snerle are all recovering from longer-term injuries and are all confirmed as unavailable for the fixture against the Seagulls.
Mackenzie Arnold missed the Irons’ 3-1 away defeat against Arsenal last weekend, and it is not yet known if the Australian international will be fit enough to feature.
The Opposition
With seven defeats from seven matches, it has been far from an ideal start to the 2022/23 Barclay's Women’s Super League for Leicester City. And so, something had to change. As the only side without a point in the WSL, the club parted company with Lydia Bedford before their fixture with leaders Arsenal. A reorganisation of the technical and coaching team at the Midlands-based side saw former Everton coach Willie Kirk – previously Director of Football at Leicester – transition to the dugout, while former assistant manager Nicola Williams also left the club.
Sunday’s fixture will be the second match in the dugout for new Leicester City manager Willie Kirk, who replaced Lydia Bedford ahead of the Foxes’ 4-0 defeat to WSL leaders Arsenal on November 6. That was, of course, a tough debut for the 46-year-old, who is seeking his club’s first point of the season in east London.
Kirk had previously been brought to the Midlands-based side as a Director of Women's and Girls' Football in July but transitioned to the dugout in early November. Of note is that Kirk has a wealth of experience as a manager. A career that started as an academy coach at Livingston FC and later Hibernian has also taken the 44-year-old to Bristol City and seen him work as an assistant manager at Manchester United.
The Edinburgh-born coach saw his most recent WSL managerial experience come on Merseyside, where he was the manager of Everton until 16 October 2021. He will seek a change of fortunes for his Leicester City side in the WSL on Sunday.
The Foxes would have set their sights far higher than just survival in their second top-flight season, although right now last year’s 11th-placed finish will be the aim for a side that already finds themselves three points adrift of Reading at the foot of the WSL table.
Kirk’s outfit will take confidence from a 3-0 win against the Hammers last season as they head to east London. Of note is that it will be nearly two years since Leicester City achieved promotion to the WSL for the first time in 2020/21. And so, the Foxes will look to kickstart their bid to secure a third successive top-flight campaign against Paul Konchesky’s Irons when the teams meet on Sunday.
West Ham United Women face off against Leicester City this weekend, with tickets for the game at Chigwell Construction Stadium now on sale!
