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Leicester to face Bristol City in Women's League Cup semi-finals

Leicester booked their place in the last two with victory over Crystal Palace on Thursday night - PA
Leicester booked their place in the last two with victory over Crystal Palace on Thursday night - PA

In-form Women's Championship leaders Leicester City will travel to the Women's Super League's winless, bottom club Bristol City as the two sides bid for a place in the League Cup final, after Sunday's draw for the semi-finals saw them avoid potentially tougher ties.

Manchester City and holders Chelsea will meet in their delayed quarter-final at the Academy Stadium on Wednesday and they have fallen in the other half of the draw. The winner of that time will host either West Ham United or second-tier Durham - who play on Thursday - in the other semi-final.

Only Chelsea, Manchester City and five-time winners Arsenal have ever lifted this cup. Arsenal were knocked out in this season's group stage.

Leicester, who are in the semi-finals for the first time, were 1-0 winners at Crystal Palace in the last eight on Thursday.

They then claimed a priceless 2-1 away win at managerless Liverpool on Sunday, to stay three points clear at the top of the second tier and boost their hopes of promotion to the WSL.

That result left Liverpool, who were relegated last season and aiming for an immediate return to the top tier, a sizeable 11 points adrift of the Foxes in fourth and in serious danger of seeing their own promotion chances fade away.

Bristol City are without a win the WSL this term but have found good form in the cup so far, beating Aston Villa 2-1 on Wednesday after topping their group with three wins from win. They will host the semi-final at Twerton Park, with one-legged ties used with home grounds rather than neutral venues at this stage of the competition.

The last-four ties will be played on February 3-4, while a venue for the final has not yet been revealed. Nottingham Forest's City Ground staged last year's final, when Chelsea best Arsenal 2-1 thanks to Beth England's last-gasp winner.