Updates from 1.30pm (GMT) kick-off at Stamford Bridge
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Essential pre-match reading: here’s Suzanne Wrack’s preview of Chelsea v Manchester City:
There was a time when the games between the top three – traditionally Chelsea, Manchester City and Arsenal – were title-deciders. Where every point taken off a title rival was key. Such was the gap in investment and quality between those teams and the rest of the Women’s Super League, it was extremely rare that points would be dropped to teams outside that elite clique.
But when Chelsea welcome the title holders and current league leaders to Stamford Bridge on Saturday lunchtime the three points isn’t the most important takeaway. Instead, based on the state of play, it’s the momentum, confidence, belief and bragging rights that are critical.
Meanwhile, Manchester United’s home game against Crystal Palace is about to start. Victory would take United to within sniffing distance of London City Lionesses, currently third, while three points for Palace would propel them into the top half of the table.
Team news has landed, and here are the lineups:
Chelsea Women: Hampton, Bronze, Buchanan, McCabe, Carpenter, Walsh, Potter, Thompson, Kaptein, Malard, Baltimore. Subs: Peng, Buurman, Nusken, Cuthbert, Bjorn, Las, Hamano, Brown, Beever-Jones. Man City Women: Yamashita, Beney, Rose, Knaak, Wamser, Coffey, Hasegawa, Fowler, Fujino, Hemp, Shaw. Subs: Cumings, Shimizu, Clinton, Mead, Miedema, Casparij, Blindkilde, Lohmann, Prior. Referee: Phoebe Cross.
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Hello world! So, it’s time. First against second, the club that won the league last season against the club that won the previous six in a row, and a game with the potential to define – and even decide – this season’s title race. Manchester City took over at the top of the table last week, when Lucy Bronze’s own-goal saw Chelsea drop two points – Everton managing to end a game in which they had 35% of possession, two touches in the opposition box (to Chelsea’s 55) and not even one single shot on target with a 1-1 draw – but there are only those two points between them, Chelsea have the better goal difference, and with the nearest challenger four points further back it seems likely, if not quite inevitable, that this season’s champions are playing in this game. There’s a long way to go, of course, but if City were to win, and stretch their lead to five points, it would take some overhauling.
The really good news if this match does live up to expectations is that we won’t have to wait long for a second helping – there are only three rounds of WSL fixtures between this game and the return fixture at the Joie Stadium in January.
Here’s the Press Association’s preview of this game, and the WSL weekend:
Sonia Bompastor knows Chelsea will need to be “clinical” in their Women’s Super League clash with Manchester City.
Saturday’s meeting between the top two takes place at Stamford Bridge and City enter the game as leaders having beaten West Ham 5-0 last weekend.
Three points allowed City to move top after Chelsea were held to a 1-1 draw by Everton and the Blues endured further frustration this week with a goalless draw against Hacken in the Champions League.
Chelsea dominated in Gothenburg but could not find the net and Bompastor admitted their last two games have been “frustrating”.
She said: “It’s a good balance to have, to be able not to concede but also to be able to score.
“I think the two last results have been frustrating for us so it’s good to see from the players’ reaction but also the staff reaction.
“We have hunger going into the game tomorrow because I think at the end probably the Everton game was a game where we didn’t produce much on the pitch in terms of the attacking aspects.
“Against Hacken, I think we were dominant in the game. So we need to keep working, I’m convinced tomorrow we’ll create opportunities and we will have to be clinical for sure. It’s an important game.”
Only two points separate the teams and City boss Andree Jeglertz is looking forward to the occasion.
He said: “I think these games are very special for everybody involved. We are really looking forward to an exciting day.”
Jeglertz is hopeful that Niamh Charles, Beth Mead and Vivianne Miedema will be available.
“All three of them actually were in the session (on Thursday) and I hope they will be available for Saturday,” Jeglertz added.
“It looks good. We had a day off (on Wednesday) and (on Thursday) everybody is back, a good session, full of energy. I feel we are in a good place.”
Saturday also sees Manchester United face Crystal Palace and Brighton host Liverpool, while fourth-placed Tottenham are aiming to build on back-to-back league wins when they come up against Everton.
On Sunday, Aston Villa take on local rivals Birmingham and West Ham meet Charlton, who are yet to win a point this term.
Third-placed London City Lionesses are also in action against Arsenal, with six points separating the two teams.
