That’s all from me! If you’re after some more football action then head over to Taha Hashim’s minute-by-minute coverage of Ipswich Town’s Premier League clash with Manchester United.
Thanks for joining me! Have a great day!
Here’s Suzanne Wrack’s match report from Kingsmeadow.
Manchester United captain Maya Le Tissier tells Sky Sports: “I think if you ask any footballer, the wind is the worst to play in but it’s the same for both sides. Chelsea just had the edge today. I’m proud of the team, proud of the staff. We tried to stick to our game plan as well as possible and just didn’t come out on top. I think we had two fantastic chances that on another day would probably go in. I thought in the second half we actually played better against the wind. I think we can be proud of how we played in the second half.”
Women’s League Cup results
Durham 1-1 Sheffield United (4-3 penalties) (FT)
Brighton 0-0 Leicester (HT)
Crystal Palace 2-0 Charlton (HT)
London City Lionesses 1-1 West Ham (HT)
Newcastle 0-4 Liverpool (HT)
Portsmouth 0-3 Southampton (HT)
Sunderland 0-1 Blackburn (HT)
Bristol City vs Birmingham (3pm KO)
Chelsea captain Millie Bright tells Sky Sports: “It was intense, I think we knew that everything we faced we would face. Today was about mentality, the grit we have as a club and a team. To be honest I think we’re disappointed it was only 1-0, I think we had some really good chances to punish them in the first half and especially the second. It’s always difficult when you leave a team hanging in there.”
Sonia Bompastor adds: “I think in terms of performance especially in possession I was hoping for us to be able to play a little more under pressure. But I think the weather and especially wind didn’t help today. I think we created a lot of chances, we could have scored more and left the door a little open for Manchester United to come back. I think sometimes if you’re not really pleased with the performance, you just have to take what is positive. Three points and now we’re leading with five points ahead which is a very good thing.”
Chelsea manager Sonia Bompastor tells Sky Sports: “I’m very very happy, today five points [clear], I’m very happy.”
Discussing Sandy Baltimore’s impact, she continued: “I love her to get on the ball and when she’s able to get on the ball she’s able to take the one-v-one, dribbling and she has so much power. She runs all over the outside corridor, this is what I ask from her and this is what she does.”
Chelsea have won their last 11 games in the WSL - their longest winning streak in the league since the 2011/12 campaign.
Manchester United manager Marc Skinner tells Sky Sports: “Chelsea are the best team in the country, they’re the champions for a reason. We said we would give everything from the off and the players have given everything. Both teams had to play the conditions but the pride I feel for the team and their commitment to what we’re doing and know we can do, I’m proud of their performance.”
He continued: “We’ve had a couple of games that are this close. I think you need to have that commitment in every game you play against them and if you do you have a chance of beating them. We’ll get closer, I’ve no doubt about that.”
That result moves Chelsea five points clear at the top of the WSL table. Meanwhile, Manchester United remain fifth.
That was an improved performance from Manchester United in the second half. They started well after the break but dropped off and invited some pressure from the hosts. Maya Le Tissier kept them in the game before a late charge where they came agonisingly close to an equaliser. It wasn’t quite meant to be, however. Marc Skinner will take the positives from that display.
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Full-time: Chelsea 1-0 Manchester United
Manchester United’s unbeaten run comes to an end, while Chelsea’s formidable winning streak continues!
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90+7 min: Chelsea clear the danger and that should be time…
90+7 min: Manchester United corner. Tullis-Joyce is up for it…
90+6 min: The ball is sent into the box from the free kick but Chelsea can clear. It eventually runs back out to the left and Cuthbert gives away another foul for a challenge on Galton. Now THIS could be the final roll…
90+5 min: Manchester United have a free kick in the centre of the pitch. This could be one final roll of the dice…
90+3 min: We’re into six minutes of added time. Manchester United have made one final change with Anna Sandberg replacing George in defence.
90+1 min: Malard rattles the crossbar! Geyse crosses the ball into the box and finds the striker, who does well to turn past Bright. She then unleashes a powerful strike which smashes the bar by the top-right corner!
89 min: Another substitution for Manchester United. Awujo is replaced by Hayley Ladd as we enter the final few minutes.
86 min: Huge chance for Chelsea to make it two! The ball is sent through to Kaneryd on the right, who is in plenty of space with George way out of position. The winger squares it to Ramírez in the centre of the box, but the striker fires her shot straight down the middle, making it easy for Tullis-Joyce to make the save! An uncharacteristic miss from the Colombia international.
83 min: Manchester United have a free kick on the left following a foul on Galton from Bronze. Clinton delivers the ball into the box, but it is cleared by Beever-Jones.
80 min: Ramírez goes to ground in the box after being caught in the face by Le Tissier. The referee immediately dismisses any claims of a penalty. Replays show it was purely accidental, not enough in it to warrant a foul.
78 min: Goalkeeper time-out as Tullis-Joyce goes to ground. Marc Skinner has gathered his team ahead of the final 10 minutes.
75 min: Macario drills the free kick into the box and Bronze goes for goal, but her shot takes a double deflection before falling back out to the edge of the box. Ramírez takes possession and tries to find a bit of space before shooting. However, her effort is easily saved by Tullis-Joyce.
74 min: Janssen is booked for a lazy challenge on Cuthbert and Chelsea have a free kick in a very dangerous position.
72 min: Chelsea look like they are in cruise control now. Surely it’s only a matter of time before they score another.
69 min: Following their strong start to the second half, Manchester United have dropped off in the last 15 minutes and are now inviting more pressure from Chelsea. They are at risk of conceding a second here…
66 min: Huge chance for Chelsea! Kaneryd receives the ball in acres of space just outside the box. She goes two-on-one against Le Tissier with Ramírez but decides to go solo. The Manchester United defender is quickly able to get across to block the shot.
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63 min: Janssen gives away a free kick for a clumsy challenge on Ramírez. Macario steps up to take it and kicks-off a set-piece routine straight from the training ground. She passes the ball through to Baltimore, who is completely unmarked on the right. The full-back then crosses it in to Björn and the defender goes for goal but her effort is deflected behind. Nothing comes from the subsequent corner.
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60 min: Marc Skinner is next to make a double change. Melvine Malard replaces Williams, who was on a booking, up front. Leah Galton is also on for Bizet.
57 min: Chance for Chelsea now as Ramírez makes her way into the box. The striker goes for goal from a tight angle and forces a save from Tullis-Joyce.
56 min: Sonia Bompastor is first to make some substitutions. Catarina Macario is on to replace Hamano, while goalscorer Reiten makes way for Aggie Beever-Jones.
54 min: Manchester United go on the attack again as Geyse carries the ball forward. She lays it off to Bizet on the edge of the box, but the winger’s first touch gets away from her. As she tries to win the ball back she catches Bronze and Chelsea are given a free kick.
51 min: Huge chance for United! Geyse wins the ball from Bronze on the left before cutting inside and shooting from distance. Her effort takes a huge deflection off Nüsken and heads straight for the top-right corner, but Hampton gets across to make a fantastic save!
49 min: Manchester United have a free kick in midfield and Le Tissier sends the ball straight into the box. It is deflected off the head of Björn before running behind, but the referee awards Chelsea a goal kick! Turner is furious!
47 min: Geyse does well to win the ball from Björn in midfield before driving towards goal. She has Bizet to her right but decides to go solo and is eventually blocked by Bright.
Kick-off: Chelsea 1-0 Manchester United
Manchester United get us back under way at Kingsmeadow!
Manchester United failed to manage a single shot during that first half…
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Half-time: Chelsea 1-0 Manchester United
And there’s the whistle! Reiten’s inch-perfect penalty is all that separates the two teams at the break.
45+3 min: Kaneryd receives the ball on the right and sends a cross into the box, but Manchester United do well to clear the danger. Just one minute to go in this half.
45+1 min: Four minutes have been added on. Manchester United have gradually been applying more pressure late in this half, but Chelsea are quick on the transition.
43 min: Clinton gets on the end of a looped pass and deflects the ball into Geyse’s path. The striker goes for goal but Bright makes a sliding challenge before she can shoot. Manchester United have a corner, but they can’t make the most of it.
41 min: Nüsken wins a free kick in midfield following a challenge from Williams, but Clinton receives a yellow card for unnecessarily kicking the ball away.
39 min: Baltimore and Reiten combine on the left before the full-back puts the ball into the box. Turner heads it off the line to clear the danger.
37 min: Geyse wins the ball on the left before letting Williams take over possession. The striker sends a cross into Bizet, but the winger can’t get a touch on it.
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34 min: Chelsea have a free kick on the left following a foul on Ramírez. Reiten sends it straight into the box, but the ball runs straight behind for a goal kick.
31 min: Sonia Bompastor is furious following that challenge on Hampton and appears to have words with some staff members on the Manchester United bench. Meanwhile, Williams receives a booking, potentially for dissent.
30 min: And just like that, the Chelsea goalkeeper is finally called into action! Riviere sends a cross into the box and Hampton jumps to claim it, but she is clattered into by Williams. The 24-year-old is down and appears to be in quite a lot of pain.
28 min: You could probably count on one hand the amount of touches Hampton has had on the ball. The Chelsea goalkeeper has enjoyed a quiet afternoon so far.
25 min: Geyse goes down following a challenge from Hamano but touches the ball with her hand as she tries to get back up and the referee awards Chelsea a free kick. The Manchester United fans are furious. “Same old Chelsea, always cheating” is being sung by the travelling supporters.
22 min: Bright attempts to find Bronze with a lofted pass over to the right. Probably not the best decision given the strong winds as the ball flies out of play and into the press box.
19 min: It’s been coming. Chelsea have completely dominated this match and it was only a matter of time before they broke the deadlock. Manchester United are yet to challenge at all.
GOAL! Chelsea 1-0 Manchester United (Guro Reiten, 16)
Reiten calmly slots the spot-kick into the bottom-left corner! Chelsea lead!
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PENALTY! Chelsea
Ramírez is brought down in the box by Tullis-Joyce and Chelsea have a penalty! The Manchester United goalkeeper is also booked for the foul.
15 min: Bright picks up the ball in defence and makes a run out from the back before sending it through to Baltimore. The full-back sends a cross in to Kaneryd, but the forward’s strike is off-target.
12 min: Huge chance for Chelsea! A corner is sent into the box and it falls to Nüsken at the back post. The midfielder lets it bounce before unleashing a powerful strike, but it runs across the face of goal and behind for a goal kick.
10 min: Geyse appears to have picked up a knock and play stops so she can receive treatment. Replays show she landed awkwardly on her hand. She is able to play on for now.
8 min: Chelsea have certainly been dominant so far. Manchester United are struggling to contain Reiten, Kaneryd and Ramírez especially.
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5 min: Nüsken picks out Baltimore on the left with a great pass. The full-back brings it down with a perfect touch before setting the ball to Reiten, who plays inside. Kaneryd goes for goal but Ramírez accidentally gets in the way.
3 min: Reiten receives the ball on the left and looks to play a low-driven cross inside, but Riviere deflects it behind. Bizarrely, a goal kick is given despite the obvious contact.
2 min: Bronze gives the ball away cheaply to Janssen in midfield, who plays it to Williams. The striker eventually passes back to George, who puts a cross in, but Hampton is there to claim.
Kick-off
We’re under way at Kingsmeadow!
Tom has been in touch to give his take on this huge fixture…
“I was at the semi vs Chelsea last season which was one of the best matches and atmospheres I’ve ever been to in men’s or women’s football. I was also at the absolute hammering that Chelsea gave Utd at Old Trafford in the last game of the season which was one of the worst matches I’ve ever been too!
“Utd seem to really struggle to physically cope against Chelsea and I’m honest in expecting more of the same today. Perhaps Grace Clinton can provide a bit of bite and physicality and I guess that’s why Williams is starting too. Anyway, fingers crossed and enjoy the match!”
With just a few minutes to go until kick-off, Chelsea manager Sonia Bompastor tells Sky Sports: “It’ll be a big test again. We are going to face a team unbeaten in the league. They didn’t concede a lot of goals, strong defensively, a lot of talent as well. There is an element, the wind will maybe cause issues to both teams. We are ready, confident and if we play the way we want to play we will probably have chances to win the game today.”
Chelsea striker Mayra Ramirez spoke to Suzanne Wrack last week about adjusting to life in England, the differences between the WSL and Liga F and playing under the management of Sonia Bompastor.
Manchester United are yet to lose a WSL match this season, but many fans are still unhappy with manager Marc Skinner. Despite being unbeaten the reigning FA Cup champions currently sit fifth in the table having dropped points on three occasions so far this campaign. A goalless draw at home to Aston Villa earlier this month left supporters furious - and Skinner’s post-match comments certainly didn’t help the matter. The manager’s suggestion that United are still a “new team” baffled fans and pundits alike, especially considering he is in his fourth season with the club. The discontent with Skinner peaked last season before Manchester United won the FA Cup. If they continue dropping points, the pressure could be on. A win today could be crucial.
This is the only WSL match taking place this weekend. Manchester City and Arsenal both have the weekend off while the remaining top-flight clubs compete in the Continental Cup group stage…
Durham vs Sheffield United
Brighton vs Leicester
Crystal Palace vs Charlton
London City Lionesses vs West Ham
Newcastle vs Liverpool
Portsmouth vs Southampton
Sunderland vs Blackburn
Bristol City vs Birmingham
Tottenham faced Aston Villa in Group E yesterday. Eveliina Summanen scored the decisive goal as Spurs clinched a 1-0 win.
I want to hear from you! Feel free to email me with any predictions, thoughts, feelings, plans for the day and all that jazz. Are you braving Storm Bert to head to a match this afternoon? Or will you be watching/reading from the sofa? Let me know!
Manchester United are looking to avenge the 6-0 defeat they suffered to Chelsea at Old Trafford last season. Marc Skinner expects his team to use May’s chastening loss as extra motivation this afternoon. In his pre-match press conference, he said: “The reality is, when we walked off that field, nobody felt good. You can have a choice, can’t you? You can [have] fear from it, or you can do something about it. I think these players have now learnt from that. It’s not about blame, it’s about growth. We have to learn and grow from that game.
“We’ve got to be concentrated, be physically present, mentally present for every one of these minutes. And if we can do that to the best of our ability then we can win the game.”
Elisabeth Terland is also unavailable this afternoon due to a muscular issue. The striker experienced groin tightness against Leicester City last week, Marc Skinner confirmed on Friday. She missed Wednesday’s League Cup match against Everton and is now expected to return after the international break.
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Ella Toone is absent from the Manchester United squad today due to a calf injury. The midfielder missed last week’s clash with Leicester and could now remain unavailable until 2025. Marc Skinner said: “We have three games [after the international break and before Christmas]. There’s always the hope, but I think you balance and you go, ‘right, if we can get her back, we get her back’. But we’re just not going to rush her in this moment because it’s a calf injury, it’s your running mechanism. If we injure the running mechanism, it takes longer. So ideally we’d like her back for those games afterwards. The projection is she misses this game [Chelsea], she misses the international window, probably misses the first game after that and then we’ll see from there. But because it is such a short block of only three games, we’ll assess whether it’s worth that or actually resetting to come back after Christmas.”
Team news
Chelsea starting XI: Hannah Hampton, Lucy Bronze, Nathalie Björn, Millie Bright (C), Sandy Baltimore; Sjoeke Nüsken, Erin Cuthbert, Guro Reiten; Maika Hamano, Johanna Rytting Kaneryd, Mayra Ramírez. Substitutes: Zećira Mušović, Ève Périsset, Alejandra Bernabé, Ashley Lawrence, Maelys Mpome, Oriane Jean-François, Wieke Kaptein, Aggie Beever-Jones, Catarina Macario.
Manchester United starting XI: Phallon Tullis-Joyce; Gabby George, Maya Le Tissier (C), Millie Turner, Jayde Riviere; Dominique Janssen, Simi Awujo, Grace Clinton; Geyse, Rachel Williams, Celin Bizet. Substitutes: Safia Middleton-Patel, Anna Sandberg, Jess Simpson, Leah Galton, Hayley Ladd, Hinata Miyazawa, Emma Watson, Melvine Malard.
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Preamble
Hello and welcome to coverage of today’s WSL clash between Chelsea and Manchester United. This match was originally scheduled to take place at the start of October but it was postponed with just a week’s notice due to conflict with Chelsea’s Champions League fixture list.
We’re now eight games into the domestic season and both sides remain undefeated. One team could see that run come to an end this afternoon.
Kick-off is at 12pm GMT – join me!
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