Chelsea unbeatable no more - is WSL now Man City's to lose?

Five hundred and eighty five days. 34 Women's Super League games. Finally, Chelsea's unbeaten domestic league run is at an end.

On a day when Manchester City toiled before finding a way to win, Chelsea were unable to do the same.

The upshot is that City are now six points clear at the top of the WSL, and suddenly a first league title since 2016 seems like it is theirs to lose.

Of course, it would be foolish to make any final calls now. City fans will wince remembering the end of 2023-24, when a late loss at home to Arsenal saw the title slip form their grasp into Chelsea's hands.

That defeat came after the Blues appeared to have lost their grip on the trophy with a dramatic 4-3 defeat by Liverpool. It was the last time they had lost in the WSL, until Sunday.

That was when Everton, the other Merseyside team, completed a smash and grab at Kingsmeadow which lacked the goals of the game on May 1, 2024, but was no less lacking in drama.

Sonia Bompastor's first WSL defeat came in a game during which Chelsea had 30 shots on goal, 18 corners and 61 touches in the Everton box.

"You could see that frustration and maybe that little bit of self-doubt and with that, they started to snatch at chances and we saw that a little bit in the second half and later in the game," former England international Fara Williams told BBC Sport. "You could see the confidence deteriorating with this Chelsea team in the second half.

"We created opportunities to win the game, so it's really disappointing result," Bompastor told the BBC. "That happens sometimes in football, it was not a bad performance, but today we couldn't score and win the game.

"If you look at the stats in terms of possession, chances created and other stats, we had complete control of the game. The only thing was we couldn't score."

It seemed in the final stages that they would play until Chelsea scored, with play continuing beyond the allotted additional time as Toffees boss Brian Sorensen waved and roared in frustration on the sidelines.

But, with the crossbar still shaking from Sandy Baltimore's 98th-minute free-kick, referee Rebecca Welch blew her whistle and the run was over.

'They got a little bit desperate'

Of course, Chelsea's title dreams are not over. But this defeat was coming.

They have now failed to win in their last three league games – drawing at Arsenal and bottom club Liverpool before the international break - and only twice in their last six.

Chelsea's squad is packed with talent, but it has weaknesses. Baltimore, more comfortable as a forward, was exposed at left back for the goal as she was beaten all ends up by Toni Payne.

Payne cut the ball across for Honoka Hayashi to tap into a net left empty by Livia Peng, who had been unable to gather as she came off her line. The Swiss keeper is deputising for injured Hannah Hampton – and while capable, is no replacement for the best number one in the world.

In midfield, Chelsea missed the bite of Erin Cuthbert. Keira Walsh was deployed as the sole holding player, and does not have the mobility or physicality of the Scot.

"The bigger picture is the league, the unbeaten run was nice but we want to win the league, and dropping points isn't going to help that," Walsh told the BBC.

"Man City are a great team, we've got to play them again. We've got to focus, keep our heads down. We've got some tough games, we need to keep working hard."

On 55 minutes, Lauren James was subbed off for Sam Kerr. These are names which usually would strike terror into opposition hearts, but both are still finding full fitness after injuries, and neither were top of their game on Sunday.

When Chelsea have struggled previously in their unbeaten run, they have turned to individual brilliance. In this fixture last season, Everton seemed set for a creditable 1-1 draw before James pulled out a stunning 93th minute winner. Not this time.

By the end, Chelsea were operating on a wing and a prayer. A total of 53 crosses attests to that.

"This is where they got a little bit desperate as time was ticking down," said Williams. "They were putting the ball in areas.

"They can create chances, they did it against Arsenal, Liverpool. They just can't convert."

Man City have the momentum

Let's compare to Manchester City. Earlier, City had struggled for 70 minutes against Leicester before finding the breakthrough, and ultimately running out 3-0 winners.

Like Chelsea, the manager Andree Jeglertz turned to his bench for inspiration, and a forward returning from injury.

But while Kerr was unable to change the game for Chelsea, Kerolin made all the difference at King Power Stadium.

The Brazilian has blown hot and cold in the WSL, but here added essential pace and urgency to a City attack which had grown one-note and low on ideas.

Khadija Shaw, who had spurned several earlier chances, found herself with more space as Kerolin drew defenders and scored twice late on. She even provided a stoppage time assist for the Brazilian to deservedly get on the scoresheet.

"We had a lot of chances in the first half but at half-time we spoke about that it's going to come and be patient and when we get the chance put it in the back of the net," Shaw told Sky Sports.

While the WSL is still a league with a divide between haves and have-nots, those that have still need guile and adaptability to beat sides lower in the division.

City proved they had that at Leicester. That's why they have lost just one of their past 26 Women's Super League games against teams that finished the previous season in the bottom half or were newly promoted - a 2-1 loss away to Everton in December last year.

That is now nine wins in a row for City. In such a short season – 22 games, for the final time – momentum makes a lot of difference, and currently the Citizens have it all.

Whether they can carry that on until February 1, when Chelsea come to down, could be decisive in where the title goes.

Or maybe not? With Chelsea's unbeatable spell now utterly broken, they must react immediately and ensure they are still in the race by then.

Ben Haines, Ellen White and Jen Beattie are back for another season of the Women's Football Weekly podcast. New episodes drop every Tuesday on BBC Sounds, plus find interviews and extra content from the Women's Super League and beyond on the Women's Football Weekly feed