The Etihad Stadium is set to host a pivotal Women's Super League (WSL) clash on Sunday as Manchester City Women face Chelsea Women. This match holds significant weight in the title race, with Man City currently leading the table and Chelsea striving to defend their title.
Manchester City is on the verge of clinching their second WSL title, having won 12 of their 13 league matches this season, with only one loss. Last Sunday, they secured a late 2-1 victory against London City Lionesses, courtesy of an 86th-minute goal from Khadija Shaw. This win extended their lead to nine points with nine games remaining. City's upcoming matches against Chelsea and Arsenal will be crucial in their quest for their first league title since 2016. They are aiming to avenge their 1-0 defeat to Chelsea in the Women's League Cup semi-finals on January 21. Man City boasts a perfect home record in the WSL this season, winning all seven home games. They also lead the league in scoring, with 36 goals in 13 matches, including 21 goals at home.
Chelsea's hopes of securing a seventh consecutive WSL title are dwindling after dropping points in five of their 13 league matches. They have lost two of their last four top-flight games, including a 2-0 defeat to Arsenal. Chelsea is also under pressure to maintain their Women's Champions League qualification spot, with only two points separating them from Manchester United in fourth place. However, Chelsea has an unbeaten away record in the WSL, with three wins and three draws in six away games. They are also the only team to have defeated Man City this season, with a 2-1 victory in September and a recent League Cup semi-final win. Chelsea last won an away league game against Man City in March 2025, with a 2-1 comeback victory.
Team news for Manchester City includes Naomi Layzell and Mary Fowler being unavailable due to injuries. Aoba Fujino is doubtful after missing the last five matches. Sam Coffey is expected to play more minutes after debuting as a substitute in the previous match. Chelsea is likely to be without Kadiesha Buchanan, Nathalie Bjorn, Niamh Charles, Catarina Macario, and Mayra Ramirez. Keira Walsh may start after returning from injury, and Lauren James is also an option.
Recent form for Manchester City Women in the Women's Super League is W-W-W-W-W-W. Chelsea Women's recent form in the Women's Super League is D-D-L-W-W-L.
The Opta supercomputer predicts a close match, with Man City having a 37.7% chance of winning and Chelsea a 36% chance, with a 26.4% chance of a draw.