The Women’s Super League has eight games left to play and the frontrunners – Arsenal, Chelsea and Manchester City – are in a three-horse title race.
Prior to the international break, City’s triumph against reigning champions Chelsea placed both teams on equal footing in terms of points (34) and goal difference (+28), with only the number of goals scored giving the reigning champions the slight advantage.
Meanwhile, Arsenal’s commanding performance against Manchester United widened the gap between the two teams to seven points. This left Arsenal just three points adrift of the top two, while United now find themselves in bleak waters, 10 points behind the league leaders and likely ruling them out of contention for even a European spot.
All three teams have been severely impacted by significant injuries. Chelsea are missing key strikers Sam Kerr and Mia Fishel, with both sidelined with ACL injuries sustained since the winter break. City’s star summer acquisition, Jill Roord, suffered a similar fate in January while, Arsenal’s defensive line has been plagued by short-term injuries alongside the delayed return of pivotal forward Vivianne Miedema, who is struggling to return to full fitness after tearing her ACL suffered last year.
With everything left to play for, this is the most exciting season the WSL has seen for a while. The top three sides have almost determined their European spots with a third of games still left to play and are now in a straight fight for the title.
Each side has their fare share of weapons in their armoury to pip their rivals to silverware, but it will take a strategic and controlled approach as any slip up could slip the trophy out from under either side.
Frankly, it is hard to see any side other than Chelsea lift the WSL trophy given that they have done so for the past four years. The added want to bid farewell to manager Emma Hayes with yet another trophy makes it an even tougher ask of their opponents.
Leading the pack, if only narrowly by goals scored, Chelsea are still within grasping reach of another piece of silverware. Yet the recent injuries to Kerr and Fishel leave Hayes with a less defined attack than she would have wanted at this pivotal junction of the league.
Still to host Arsenal in a few weeks before travelling to United on the final day of the season, Chelsea’s string of games is slightly easier than that of their opponents. Interspersed with…
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