Chelsea slipped up against Man City while Arsenal outclassed Manchester United to stay in touch with the WSL's front-runners last weekend - where does that leave this season's title hunt? We analyse an intriguing three-way race...
Wednesday 21 February 2024 17:21, UK
Chelsea, Manchester City and Arsenal are separated by just three points with eight games remaining of the Women's Super League campaign - so who is most likely to take the crown come May?
We take a look at each side's prospects after a topsy-turvy weekend when Gareth Taylor's City knocked Chelsea off their perch, ending their run of 33 games unbeaten at home, while the Gunners dismantled fourth-placed Manchester United to all but end their opponents' chances of WSL glory this term.
Position: 1st
Points: 34
Goal difference: 28
A case for Chelsea is always strong: their status as champions in each of the past four seasons dictates that. In fact, since 2015, Emma Hayes' side have only been beaten to the trophy twice - once by City (2016) and once by Arsenal (2019).
Familiar foes are also keen to derail this year's bid and make no mistake, the title race is alive and kicking after threatening to meander towards a predictable conclusion a few weeks back.
If the Blues thought rivals were going to roll over and allow Hayes to cruise to glory in her final season as manager, they were mistaken. Chelsea fell to their most damaging loss of a near-perfect season last weekend.
When they were beaten by Arsenal in December, while significant, there was very little talk of title fallout, not least because there was half a season of football still to play.
Now two-thirds have elapsed, Chelsea's latest defeat feels consequential. Now only goal difference separates Chelsea and City at the top. Fine margins.
"The team in the latter stages of the Champions League is in the least advantageous position to win the league," believes Hayes.
She may well be right, and there is a legitimate case for Chelsea focussing attentions on European competition - the only trophy to evade Hayes - over a fifth straight WSL title. Succeeding both domestically and in Europe would be extraordinary considering the spine of Chelsea's team has been depleted by injury this term.
Hayes' perfect farewell tour is on a knife edge.
Position: 2nd
Points: 34
Goal difference: 28
Oh Manchester City. What could have been. It's almost scandalous that Gareth Taylor's side have only one WSL title to their name. Perhaps that's testament to Chelsea's uncontrollable relentlessness rather than City's shortcomings, or maybe it's a bit of both.
City play the most attractive football in the league, have done for years. The way they tore into Chelsea last weekend was indicative of their approach: front-footed, intense, energetic, close to feverish. They stretch opponents brilliantly and have a scoring machine in Bunny Shaw.
Curiously, that doesn't always produce the right results, but this term City have claimed four points against Chelsea, and that may well be pivotal in the race. They've added a scrappiness to their game which has served particularly well in tight games.
It's far from decided: let us not forget that City comprehensively beat Chelsea 2-0 last March before falling to three defeats in their final six games. Inconsistencies have plagued them.
This City team, however, feels far more complete, and further along in their evolution. They only signed one player in the summer - Jill Roord - and she's since been sidelined with a cruel ACL injury. Far from hampering their progress, it's energised and refocused the rest.
Jess Park has stepped into Roord's role admirably, while Shaw has been merciless in front of goal. No need to go into detail about wide pairing Lauren Hemp and Chloe Kelly because they are continually exceptional.
Perhaps not qualifying for Europe last season has actually been advantageous this time around. Taylor often talks about City slipping under the radar and that's certainly been the case of late. Let the mind games begin...
Position: 3rd
Points: 31
Goal difference: 18
Arsenal looked close to infallible against Chelsea in December, winning 4-1, before losing the north London derby to Spurs a week later. At times, performances have been delightful and at others desperate.
The Gunners have already amassed three league defeats this term and no side with the same record has ever gone on to win the title. But records exist to be broken, and Arsenal have got pretty good at shattering them.
They tightened their grip on a return to the Champions League with a 3-1 victory over United in front of an Emirates sell-out last weekend - rising to the big occasion. It's put them back in the hunt.
Jonas Eidevall made six bold changes for that tie, dropping a few big names, and it paid off in spades. The fact he is able to do that is symptomatic of what has improved at Arsenal this season: strength in depth.
Injuries ravaged Eidevall's side last year and it cost big. They simply didn't have the players in reserve to replace the losses of Beth Mead, Vivianne Miedema, Leah Williamson and captain Kim Little all in the same period. That has changed, and expectation has risen as a result.
The only criticism to be levelled at Arsenal now is a lack of goals. They've struggled to be clinical and kill games when they've had the chance - Alessia Russo was dropped to the bench against United as a result of the side's inefficiencies.
All eyes on a big meeting with Chelsea in mid-March, and a trip to Man City in early May - two season-defining fixtures for the trophy-starved Gunners.
Chelsea face the Gunners on Sunday March 17, with a Manchester derby scheduled for the following Sunday.
Man City host Arsenal on Sunday May 5, before Man United welcome Chelsea on Saturday May 18, the final day of the campaign.
March 15: Chelsea vs Arsenal, kick-off 7pm, live on Sky Sports
March 23: Man City vs Man Utd, kick-off 12.30pm
May 5: Man City vs Arsenal, kick-off 1pm
May 18: Man Utd vs Chelsea, kick-off 3pm
