Manchester City sink Chelsea to blow WSL title race wide open

There were raised eyebrows in December when Gareth Taylor had insisted that Manchester City could win the league after a 1-1 draw with Manchester United at the Etihad Stadium. “We want to win the league. We’re not just looking at the Champions League,” he said. “We’ve put ourselves in a position to win the league. If we win all of our games in the second half of the season, we win the league, it’s as simple as that.”

Six wins and one draw later, with a 2-0 defeat of the Women’s Super League title holders Chelsea the latest, and suddenly Taylor looks to be either a genius, extremely fortunate, or maybe it is a touch of both.

The defeat on Sunday of Chelsea puts City level on points with the league leaders United, with an inferior goal difference, and the two Manchester sides are now one point clear of Chelsea and three of Arsenal, albeit having played a game more than both London teams.

The title race is wide open and while Chelsea are still in the driving seat should Emma Hayes’ side win their game in hand, the Londoners were rocked on the road on Sunday.

City were good, with Lauren Hemp and Chloe Kelly particularly potent on the wings. They made the most of Chelsea’s upheaval at the back with the England defender Millie Bright ruled out following an injury picked in their 1-0 defeat of Lyon on Wednesday night.

While Hayes’s side were in action against the reigning European champions and eight-time holders in the Champions League, City had the week to prepare for the visit of Chelsea. That is perhaps what gives City the edge in this narrowest of title races. While they would undoubtedly prefer to be in contention in Europe and the FA Cup, they now have one focus whereas Chelsea and next week’s opponents Arsenal are in