“Who needs Messi, when you have Lessi.” It’s one of the many signs Manchester United fans have held aloft in the hope of convincing Alessia Russo to stay. A first WSL trophy might be even more persuasive.
United’s fate is out of their hands going into the final day, with Chelsea likely needing just a point against Reading to seal a fourth consecutive title courtesy of their two-point lead and superior goal difference.
Emma Hayes has always maintained that the side with no European football – in this case United – are the favourites at the start of the season, but despite Chelsea’s run to the Champions League semi-finals they are on the verge of a league and cup double. It is easy to get excited by dynasties, just as with Manchester City men’s potential treble, if you don’t dwell for too long on what it means for the state of competition.
Marc Skinner’s side, by contrast, head to Liverpool knowing they are set to end the season trophyless – but just five years after being reformed, they have already beaten their best ever finish and will be at Europe’s top table next season.
That alone could be the key to holding onto Russo, whose current deal ends this summer, though full-back Ona Batlle is also winding down her contract and looks poised to join Barcelona. The trip to Prenton Park could therefore be as much of a goodbye to two of United’s key players as a farewell to a historic season in which clubs at all levels of the women’s game have benefitted from a post-Euros boost.
Remarkably, WSL attendances have increased by over 173 per cent since the Lionesses’ triumph at Wembley last July, with an average of 5,272, compared to 1,931 in the 2021-22 season. Every club, with the exception of Leicester, has also broken a club or stadium attendance record this season.
All positive signs, but it does not make for a perfect system, as Reading boss Kelly Chambers points out. With Reading needing “a miracle” to stay up, Chambers insisted clubs that are not bankrolled by men’s Premier League teams will never be able to compete in the WSL as it stands.
Reading have the unenviable task of needing to beat Chelsea or see their eight-year stay in the top flight come to an end. If they do survive Chambers conceded, it would only be to endure “another season like we’re having now”.
They are only still alive because Leicester lost to West Ham last weekend, with the Foxes facing Brighton on the last day. Realistically, the final pin in Reading’s hopes was the 4-1 defeat to fellow strugglers Tottenham, who guaranteed their own safety – in part thanks to another brace from Beth England.
Only Rachel Daly and Khadija Shaw have scored more than the Spurs forward this season despite her spending the first half of it on the bench at Chelsea, and against West Ham she has one more chance to force her way into Sarina Wiegman’s World Cup squad, which is announced on 31 May.
WSL final day fixtures
All fixtures kick off at 2.30pm on Saturday 27 May
- West Ham vs Tottenham (FA Player)
- Reading vs Chelsea (Sky Sports Main Event/Sky Sports Premier League)
- Man City vs Everton (FA Player)
- Liverpool vs Man Utd (BBC One/BBC Sport website/BBC iPlayer)
- Brighton vs Leicester (FA Player)
- Arsenal vs Aston Villa (FA Player)
That may offer some consolation to Spurs, who have suffered a disastrous season after being tipped as the side who could shake up the big four. Instead, Rehanne Skinner was sacked as they flirted with the drop and her exit did little to improve them. Vicky Jepson was left to pick up the pieces with no permanent successor appointed.
As they go to West Ham, Spurs have not won a league game on the road since October, conceding 16 goals in seven games and losing their last six away London derbies.
Arsenal will host Aston Villa, against whom they have never lost, on the final day. Daly, on 21 goals this season, will be looking to equal the record tally for a single WSL campaign, set by Vivianne Miedema (22) in 2018-2019.
It means little to the Gunners, whose hopes of pushing Chelsea all the way – as they did last term – ended long ago, with ACL tears for Beth Mead, Miedema, Leah Williamson and Laura Wienroither – as well as injuries to Kim Little and Caitlin Foord – decimating their season.
The only real positive is that they have at least made the top three, whereas Manchester City face a year in the wilderness having failed to consolidate after last summer’s player exodus.
That felt inevitable and it has been a season of few real surprises – and so it likely ends with Chelsea winning it all, again.
from Football - inews.co.uk https://ift.tt/fCuatOQ
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