Chelsea have returned to the top of the Barclays Women’s Super League table with a 1-0 victory over Manchester United at Kingsmeadow this afternoon.
Sam Kerr netted the only goal of the game for The Blues as they leapfrogged The Red Devils into pole position.
Going into one of the biggest games of the season, both sides were vying for the all-important three points to solidify top spot in the title race. Visitors Manchester United put out a stellar side, while Emma Hayes’ Chelsea team was missing several key figures including the likes of Pernille Harder, Fran Kirby, Erin Cuthbert and Guro Reiten.
From the very early stages, it was obvious that Lauren James would be a thorn in Marc Skinner’s side with Manchester United giving her far too much space to run just a few minutes in.
With Chelsea battling for possession, Kerr forced some important saves from Manchester United goalkeeper Mary Earps, proving that despite having a depleted midfield, Chelsea were not going to be giving anything away to the travelling side easy.
The deadlock was broken midway through the first half when James played a glorious long ball for Kerr. The Australian international lifted the ball over Earps and into the net. It was a wonderfully-timed link-up to grab Chelsea the lead.
As both teams vied for possession, fireworks flew between the two sides. In a turn of questionable refereeing, Nikita Parris was brought down by Kadeisha Buchanan in the box. Many may believe that a penalty should have been given, but the referee declined to award it.
In what could be expected from a top of the table clash, the second half started sprightly with shots from both sides but neither could find the back of the net.
As Chelsea’s dominance wavered, a sloppy error from Ève Périsset resulted in a free-kick being awarded to Manchester United in a dangerous area. Unfortunately, The Red Devils failed to capitalise on the error which was a somewhat recurring issue throughout the afternoon.
As the full-time whistle drew closer, Manchester United’s fight seemed to dwindle with Chelsea seeking to double their lead whilst bolstering their defence to prevent a late equaliser in the process. In the end, Kerr’s goal was enough to separate the two sides, allowing Chelsea to overtake Manchester United at the top of the table. The Blues are now in a great position, holding a game-in-hand over today’s opponents.
Both sides now have a break from Barclays Women’s Super League action with the Vitality Women’s FA Cup making a return next weekend.
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