Chelsea close gap at top of WSL after Guro Reiten sees off Manchester City

Chelsea moved to within two points of league leaders Arsenal, having played a game less, with Guro Reiten’s glancing header the difference in a stifling 1-0 win over Manchester City.

Emma Hayes’s squad continued to show the strength in its depth, with Jess Carter providing the assist for Reiten’s winning header, after the manager had praised the performance of players who have stepped up when called upon after Wednesday’s 3-1 defeat of Manchester United.

“I’m so proud of these performances,” said Hayes, midweek. “Because I didn’t know how we’d fair with all these back-to-back games … they’ve shown something when the team really needed them to.”

Although five points separated the two teams prior to this meeting, with Chelsea also having played a game less, momentum in the title race has very much been with the two Manchester teams in recent weeks.

City were on a nine-game unbeaten run in all competitions before the trip south, with the team’s only dropped points coming in a 1-1 draw with league leaders Arsenal.

Hayes had arrested Chelsea’s struggles at the end of the year, which saw them knocked out of the Champions League, but a scoreless draw with Brighton put Arsenal in the driving seat.

No WSL season has provided quite as many twists, turns and upsets at the top though and, with Arsenal having dropped two points in a 1-1 draw with a swaggering United on Saturday, suddenly the prize on offer on Sunday was all the sweeter.

Chelsea welcome the Gunners to Kingsmeadow on Friday night for a likely title decider under the lights, and the chance to avenge the 3-2 defeat they suffered at the Emirates Stadium on the opening day of the season.

After an impressive midweek cameo late on against Manchester United, a day after