Clash of the titans: Chelsea meet Manchester City with WSL title on line

There are few weekends in a Women’s Super League campaign that feel as pivotal as the one ahead. The course of this season’s title race could be decided as the top two go head-to-head. Under the lights at Kingsmeadow, Chelsea will host Manchester City knowing victory will give them a six-point lead at the summit and one hand on the trophy with eight games remaining. Conversely, a win for the visitors would pull them level on points with the reigning champions, setting up a mouthwatering race to the finish line.

Form: Both sides are in a strong vein of form. Chelsea are unbeaten in all competitions since their 4-1 defeat away to Arsenal in early December. They have turned Kingsmeadow and Stamford Bridge into fortresses, winning their past 22 league matches at home – a WSL record. City are on an equally eye-catching run and are undefeated since a surprise home loss to Brighton in November. While Chelsea have a slightly higher goals per game average (3.15 to 2.69), City boast the tightest defence in the league, having conceded only eight. Part of this is down to the stability of their starting XI with Alex Greenwood and Laia Aleixandri almost ever-present in the backline while Lauren Hemp, Chloe Kelly and Khadija Shaw are invariably the front three.

By contrast, Emma Hayes has had to rotate her side this season with injuries occurring across the squad. Chelsea remain without Millie Bright, who has been out since November, and Sam Kerr, who suffered an ACL injury at the start of the year.

The midfield battle: The battle for midfield dominance will prove crucial. In Yui Hasegawa, City have a player who is now widely considered one of the best central midfielders in the world. Having arrived in the north-west as an attacking midfielder, she is now utilised in a deeper role, excelling in winning possession and breaking lines with her progressive passing. She, and City, will have to deal with Chelsea’s two deeper midfielders, most likely Erin Cuthbert and Melanie Leupolz, who both excel at winning turnovers and linking up with the array of attacking players in front of them.

Wide areas will also be crucial. Arsenal proved last weekend that being able to stifle Kelly and Hemp’s ability to find Shaw is key to limiting City’s creativity. For Chelsea, the partnership of Niamh Charles and Guro Reiten on the left has been a particular source of joy, with the latter registering 26 goal involvements in her past 25 league starts.

The two in charge: Hayes is on the hunt for a seventh WSL title to round off a trophy-laden 12-year tenure as manager of Chelsea. The 47-year-old has won it all domestically. She and her team are experienced in chasing down trophies and finding ways to win, earning themselves the label of “mentality monsters”.

City have been on a different journey since Gareth Taylor took charge in 2020. He has been proactively building a squad that have won an FA Cup and League Cup under his tenure and are now serious challengers in the league. With Taylor’s contract up at the end of the season, his future is uncertain and halting Chelsea’s dominance would be a strong addition to his CV.

The two No 9s: Shaw has been setting records again for City. She has 13 league goals – a league high – and recently scored three hat-tricks in four games. The Jamaica international has a natural goalscoring ability, with her head or feet, and is at times unplayable. Her aerial ability and pace to beat defensive lines is coupled with her movement, hold-up play and strong relationship with those around her. There is, however, a slight doubt over Shaw’s fitness after she was withdrawn with a calf problem last weekend.

At the other end all eyes will be on Chelsea’s new acquisition, Mayra Ramírez, who made a high-profile move to the club in January. At 5ft 10in, the Colombian adds a strong presence while also possessing speed and plenty of flair. In the little time she has had with her new club, Ramírez has demonstrated the abilities needed to lead the line and opened her account with a beautifully flicked backheel strike at the weekend. Having the support of creative wide forwards and the undeniable talent of Lauren James in the pocket should be a recipe for success, but she will need time to settle and develop those relationships.