MY ACCOUNT
Chelsea bowed out of the Champions League at the hands of Barcelona last Thursday but they are still in the hunt to secure another domestic double under Emma Hayes.
The Blues won both the Women’s Super League and FA Cup last season and are on track to repeat the feat this term.
They will return to the top of the table if they win their games in hand on Manchester United, who also lie in wait at Wembley in the Cup final on May 14.
Ahead of tonight’s WSL clash with Liverpool, we take a closer look at Chelsea’s path to glory in the coming weeks.
Playing catch up
The WSL has been fiercely competitive this term with United, Manchester City, Chelsea and Arsenal all separated by less than 10 points.
Though they currently trail United by seven points, the Blues can regain top spot by winning their three games in hand.
It would be a fitting reward for Hayes, who watched her side run a dominant Barcelona outfit painfully close in the Women’s Champions League semi-finals last week.
But with a tricky clash against Arsenal still to come, it will not be a straightforward task for the five-time WSL winners to retain their crown.
Tried and tested
Blues legend Eni Aluko has laid her cards on the table and backed her former side to deliver silverware, despite the intense competition they face this term.
The former forward, 36, said: “I think Chelsea will go on and win it. The league is obviously the priority for them and I think the consistency of winning breeds a winning mentality.
“Winning became quite addictive when I was at Chelsea and it’s all anyone cared about.
“I think the difference between Chelsea and the likes of Arsenal and United is that they’re so used to being on top and they’ve built that momentum.”
Doubling down
Chelsea could trump United on two fronts with success in the FA Cup final — and previous clashes between the pair have almost always seen the Blues emerge triumphant.
Hayes has overcome Marc Skinner twice already this term, winning 3-1 back in November and 1-0 in March.
In both clashes, the West Londoners have had less possession than the Red Devils and have relied on clinical finishing from the likes of Sam Kerr to secure the points.
If Chelsea were to emerge victorious in the final, it would be their ninth win over United — with the Red Devils yet to record a victory over the WSL and FA Cup holders since their inception in 2018.
World-class management
Hayes has often been tipped for a job in men’s football but has so far stayed loyal to her Chelsea roots.
Part of the 46-year-old’s success has come from an ability to utilise her entire squad throughout a gruelling campaign — something she has hinted at doing for tonight’s clash with Liverpool.
She said: “Rotation is something we have to look at, purely because of how many important games we have coming up.
“We haven’t flogged the same 11 players all year, we’ve rotated often and I suspect that will be the same for this final block given the run of games we have.”
Overcoming Liverpool this evening could be the first game of a trophy-laden month for Hayes’ troops.
