Hectic schedules, goal difference and injury woes - where the WSL title race will be won and lost

WSL
Hectic schedules, goal difference and injury woes - where the WSL title race will be won and lost
Chelsea and Manchester City appear to be going head-to-head to win title
The Blues looking to send off departing manager Emma Hayes in style
City looking for first title success since 2016 to end Chelsea's four-year winning streak

By Hannah Pinnock
Apr 17, 2024
Emma Hayes and Gareth Taylor are vying for the WSL title
Emma Hayes and Gareth Taylor are vying for the WSL title / Marc Atkins/Jess Hornby/Getty Images
Much like the last four seasons, Chelsea find themselves once again battling it out at the top of the Women’s Super League table.

Although, this time their direct rivals are Manchester City, who have won just one league title in the WSL era. The Manchester club have been runners-up six times, but this year they’ll be hoping to spoil Emma Hayes’ leaving party and prevent them making it five in a row.

City are currently top of the table and stand three points clear, but Chelsea do have a game in hand, which is against Aston Villa on Wednesday night. The last four title races have gone right to the wire, with the London club often clinching the prize on the last day of the season, and this year is expected to be no different.

Here’s where the title could be won and lost.

Chelsea face hectic schedule
Mayra Ramirez, Emma Hayes
Chelsea came up short against Manchester United in last weekend's FA Cup semi-final / Nathan Stirk/GettyImages
The cost of being a successful team is, more often than not, you’ll be playing the most amount of games. Hayes’ side lost the Conti Cup final in extra time against Arsenal last month and were edged by Manchester United in their FA Cup semi-final over the weekend, but they remain in contention for at least two other trophies - including the league title.

But at a time when fixture congestion is becoming a problem for teams across the game, Chelsea will need to make sure their packed schedule in the final months of the campaign doesn’t ultimately cost them when it matters most.

The current WSL champions will play a minimum of seven games between now and the end of the season, including a two-legged tie in the Champions League against Barcelona. That could rise to eight games if they’re to progress in Europe.

City, on the other hand, have a far kinder schedule with just four remaining league games. Their full focus is beating Chelsea to the WSL title.

Chelsea do have seasons of experience to lean on, of course. They’ve done it before and they can easily do it again. But, their failure to progress to the FA Cup final for a fourth consecutive year hints they may not be at their unstoppable best this season.

Goal difference could be decisive
Manchester City's players celebrate beating Chelsea in the WSL
City lead Chelsea by one on goal difference - the margin they beat the Blues by in February / Crystal Pix/MB Media/GettyImages
We’ve had some extremely tight and fiercely contested title races over the years and this year’s battle seemingly will not disappoint. City are three points clear at this stage, but if Chelsea win their game in hand against Aston Villa on Wednesday, the two will be level on points.

In the very likely scenario both sides win their four remaining league games, goal difference may be required to decide this year’s champion.

City are once again superior in that department, but only just. They have a goal difference of 37, compared to Chelsea’s 36. Winning is most important, but both teams may be looking at their goal difference in the final weeks and will hope to win a couple of their games by significant margins in order to create some form of a cushion.

City have the easier games on paper
Lauren Hemp
Lauren Hemp has been in terrific form for Manchester City / Jess Hornby/GettyImages
The direct comparison of fixtures is interesting. On paper, you could certainly argue that Gareth Taylor’s side have a far easier run-in compared to their title rivals.

City’s toughest fixture is without a doubt Arsenal at home on May 5. Their other match-ups against West Ham United, Bristol City and Aston Villa on the final day are games they’d be expected to win quite comfortably.

Chelsea, on the other hand, have to go away to Liverpool and Tottenham before they face Manchester United away on the final day. Spurs and Liverpool are both having impressive campaigns and reside in the top half of the table, making them tougher tests than in previous years.

Current injuries and squad depth
Mayra Ramirez
Mayra Ramirez became the world's most expensive player in January / Copa/GettyImages
With a greater number of games to contend, Hayes will need to be much more meticulous with her squad management. Chelsea arguably boast the strongest squad with the most depth in the league, but even they have been tested significantly this year.

Sam Kerr has often been their player for the big moments. It was her goals in two 1-0 wins over Aston Villa and Manchester United in last year’s FA Cup semi-finals and final that guided them to silverware.

This season, Chelsea are without their star striker after the Australia international suffered an ACL injury in January. Summer signing Mia Fishel has also been sidelined since February with the same injury.

The London club did break the British record transfer fee to sign Colombia international Mayra Ramirez from Levante for £384,000 in January, but with no WSL experience prior to her arrival, she presents no guarantees.

City are battling with their own injury problems. The club’s only summer signing Jill Roord was ruled out for the remainder of the season in January after also suffering an ACL injury. The Dutch midfielder had become an integral figure for Taylor and it was feared her absence would significantly dent their title hopes.

Prediction
Khadija Shaw, Steph Houghton
Manchester City's moment may finally have arrived / Jess Hornby/GettyImages
As ever, the WSL title race is incredibly difficult to predict. Chelsea are, more often than not, a safe bet. They tend to get the job done regardless of circumstances.

However, this season feels slightly different and it is primed for City to end Chelsea’s dominance. After Hayes announced she would be leaving the London outfit this summer and moving to the United States to coach their national team, she has one final shot at winning the Champions League.

In recent years, Barcelona have been the team to stand in their way. Which makes this month's semi-final clash even more interesting.

It’s the one trophy that has always evaded the highly decorated coach, meaning it would be the perfect way for Hayes to close the Chelsea chapter. They just have to hope their pursuit of European glory doesn’t hinder their title charge over the coming weeks.

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Transfers
Bayer Leverkusen confirm Florian Wirtz price tag
Bayer Leverkusen are prepared to sell Florian Wirtz - but only for huge fee
Youngster has shone in 2023/24 Bundesliga title-winning campaign
All of Europe's biggest clubs have been credited with transfer interest

By Jamie Spencer
Apr 17, 2024
Bayer Leverkusen want a huge fee for Florian Wirtz
Bayer Leverkusen want a huge fee for Florian Wirtz / Rene Nijhuis/MB Media/GettyImages
Bayer Leverkusen have vowed not to sell Florian Wirtz for less than a monstrous figure that would make him the fourth most expensive player of all-time.

Racking up 35 goals and assists across 41 appearances in all competitions, Wirtz has been central to Leverkusen's success this season, including sealing a first-ever Bundesliga title over the weekend.

Plenty of the stars of the team are attracting interest from across Europe, with Wirtz very much the jewel in the crown. Manchester City have long held interest in the 20-year-old attacker but face competition from Liverpool and Bayern Munich. Real Madrid have been linked in recent days, while there has been ongoing speculation about Barcelona, Arsenal, Chelsea and Manchester United.

But Leverkusen have drawn a firm line in the sand over valuation.

"No one is unsellable, but Wirtz will not leave for less than €150m," chief executive Fernando Carro told Radio Marca this week.

That amount, the equivalent of £128m at the current exchange rate, would mean only Neymar, Kylian Mbappe and Philippe Coutinho have ever cost more.

Florian Wirtz
Wirtz is a Bundesliga title winner this season / Christof Koepsel/GettyImages
Speaking in December, Wirtz's father and agent suggested the immediate plan for the player is to remain with Leverkusen, where he is under contract until 2027, for at least another year.

"Currently, everything is geared towards Florian continuing to play in Leverkusen next season," he told Sky Sport Germany at the time, although emphasis on the word currently might suggest that stance was open to change depending how the rest of the campaign has panned out.

The longstanding preference for Wirtz's camp has been to stay in Germany at this stage of his career, which makes Bayern an obvious destination. However, given that Leverkusen have embarrassed the Bavarian giants this season, that could be considered a step down from a footballing perspective.

Leverkusen can offer Champions League football to Wirtz in 2024/25 and would even be a contender to go to the latter stages of the competition if they can keep together a title-winning team on the cusp of laying down an unbeaten Bundesliga season and setting a new all-time points record. He has never played at European club football's highest level, having missed Leverkusen's appearance in the 2022/23 group stage while in the final stages of recovery from an ACL injury.

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