No Continental League Cup, no FA Cup, no Champions League and, whispers, no trophies. Emma Hayes believes so, with the Chelsea manager saying “the name is over” after the Blues suffered a 4-3 defeat. Liverpool to give Manchester City the lead in the race for the name.
“I think the name is already finished,” he said. Of course, mathematically it’s not like that, but I think the name is decided. Our task from now until the end of the season is to keep fighting until the end, but I think it will be very difficult.
From start to finish at Prenton Park, with four goals scored in the 80th minute. Chelsea desperately needed a win to stay in contention, having suffered the blues of a Conti Cup final defeat to Arsenal, an FA Cup semi-final defeat to Manchester United and a Champions League semi-final all out for Barcelona.
“We knew they were a bit vulnerable after what happened to them last month,” Liverpool manager Matt Beard said. “When you take the lead and find yourself in opposition to a team like Chelsea, to keep going and keep scoring is a wonderful testament. to the group. “
No team has lost 3 times in the WSL and won the championship. It’s Chelsea’s third defeat of the season, with six issues now separating them from City, with the Londoners with a game in hand. City have to face Arsenal and Aston Villa, but Chelsea have games ahead of them against Bristol, Tottenham and Manchester United.
Hayes had made three changes to the side that suffered a frustrating 2-0 home defeat to Barcelona, following a 1-0 away win, to end the dream of a second Champions League final in the coach’s final season at the club. Notably, Millie Bright returned to the starting XI for the first time since an injury sidelined her in November, while Lauren James was left out of Team of the Day due to injury.
The travelling Blues would arguably be battling with City to retain their league title, but Liverpool also have ambitions and are firmly aiming for an imaginable fourth position: they have 35 points up for grabs with Manchester United, who they face on Sunday.
Beard made three changes to the side that cruised to a 1–0 win over relegated Bristol City on April 20, adding the return of Gemma Bonner to the starting XI to make her 150th appearance for Liverpool.
It took less than 10 minutes for Chelsea to take the lead: Aggie Beever-Jones nodded from a corner with static, underwhelming red bodies around her.
The first goal had given the impression that it would be a chance for Chelsea to close the goal difference between them and City, but Liverpool’s struggle to be clinical in the first half firmly dissipated in the second. They discovered the equaliser six minutes after the goal. restart, with Sophie Roman Haug also unmarked on a corner and able to give up.
The momentum morphed and Beard’s team took the lead in the 66th minute, with Erin Cuthbert deflecting Bonner’s header.
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After the Promotion
No matter how exhausted Chelsea looked, they are struggling, and a mistake by Teagan Micah helped them equalise with 10 minutes remaining, coming out to block replacement Guro Reiten’s cross and missing, with Beever-Jones in place to lash fiercely on his second.
Just a minute later, Liverpool were back in front, substitute Leanne Kiernan rolling the ball past Hannah Hampton after a very good pass from Ceri Holland from inside the Chelsea half.
Two minutes later, Chelsea had the point again, with Catarina Macario sweeping away Cuthbert, who blocked but returned to Micah and scored an own goal.
In stoppage time, Bonner scored for the winner, blasting the ball past Hampton from the corner to give the home side all three problems and deal a blow to Chelsea’s name hopes.
“We looked exhausted, but I can’t make excuses,” Hayes said. “I need to remind our enthusiasts how much good fortune we have brought over the years. That may not be the case this year, but I’m sure Chelsea will still be at the top.