Man City lead WSL by two points before Chelsea clash as Shaw hits hat-trick
Manchester City moved two points clear of Chelsea at the top of the Women's Super League after Khadija Shaw's hat-trick in a 5-0 win over West Ham, while Chelsea were held 1-1 by Everton.
Manchester City will travel to Chelsea next week on top of the Women's Super League after a decisive Saturday in which the two title rivals kicked off level on points. Sonia Bompastor's Chelsea were edged ahead at the start of play on goal difference, but by full-time the reigning champions had moved two points clear before the sides meet in a potential title decider.
At Stamford Bridge, Chelsea dominated Everton but had to settle for a 1-1 draw. The Toffees did not manage a shot on target, while Chelsea registered 20 shots and an expected goals total of 2.14 without converting their control into three points. An unfortunate Lucy Bronze own goal ultimately cost the Blues, whose cause was not helped by Lauren James being ruled out for at least five games with a hamstring injury sustained in last weekend's 6-0 win over Charlton.
In Manchester, Khadija Shaw's hat-trick inspired City to an emphatic 5-0 victory against West Ham, trimming the goal difference gap. Shaw, who has scored 12 goals in nine league appearances this season and sits two short of Vivianne Miedema's all-time WSL record of 97 goals, told Sky Sports there are plenty of games left and stressed taking it one match at a time, with a Champions League fixture midweek.
Chelsea captain Erin Cuthbert said the side were not on the same page and could not afford too many days when they are not at the races if they want to stay in the title race. Bompastor said the group would move on quickly and be well prepared for the next game, adding that it is important not to get too high when things go well or too low when they do not.
City boss Jeglertz said he does not care much about Chelsea dropping points at the moment, though he does not want them to win, and stressed that winning the league requires battling the whole way. He highlighted City's depth as crucial given five games in two weeks. City have won their past two meetings with Chelsea, but the club know from the 2023-24 campaign, when they lost the title on goal difference on the final day, that complacency is a risk.
Supporters now focus on next Saturday's meeting, with a Chelsea victory enough to put them back on top. City's recent wins over Chelsea give their fans confidence, while Chelsea supporters will point to their side's dominance against Everton as a sign the dropped points were an aberration rather than a deeper problem.
Image: Getty Images / BBC Sport
