45+1 min: We’re into three minutes of added time…

43 min: City break forward and Hemp plays the ball over to Kerolin on the right, who looks for a first-time cross to the edge of the six-yard box. Hasegawa attempts to get a foot to it but narrowly misses out and Chelsea can clear the danger.

42 min: Chelsea have a corner. Baltimore sends it in but City head it clear with ease.

Chelsea had played very well since the first goal. With that spell of pressure, they were by far the stronger of the two sides, but they didn’t manage to score while they were on top. Now they’re furious at what they feel was a foul on Girma by Shaw. But the officials are having none of it and it’s 2-0...

37 min: Miedema snatches the ball from Kaptein in midfield before playing a pass through to Shaw, who shrugs off a challenge from Girma before slotting the ball past Hampton.

City are in control – of this game and the title race. They are on their way to being 12 points clear.

34 min: Baltimore plays a pass inside to Cuthbert, who goes for goal from distance and forces a brilliant fingertip save from Yamashita.

33 min: James picks up possession in midfield before playing a pass out to Carpenter on the right, but Greenwood gets there just in time to intercept.

30 min: Poor defending from Manchester City as Cuthbert plays a corner straight to Walsh, who is unmarked and in acres of space on the edge of the box. The midfielder goes for goal again but drags her effort just wide.

28 min: Walsh attempts an audacious strike from distance, forcing a strong save from Yamashita. Chelsea are starting to gain momentum now.

25 min: Chelsea break forward now as Carpenter receives possession out on the right before crossing into the box, but the ball flies over the head of Kaptein and out to the other side.

22 min: City make their way into the box but can’t seem to get a shot away. Hemp, Shaw and Blindkilde Brown play it amongst themselves before Kerolin attempts the final cross, but Chelsea can clear it.

20 min: That was a positive response from Chelsea – even though the goal didn’t count. They should be able to take some confidence from that.

17 min: Just as I say that, Chelsea put the ball in the net… but it won’t count!

James sends a cross to Kaptein, who heads it low and into the goal. The midfielder is barely given a second to celebrate before the lineswoman holds her flag up.

Replays show it was the right call – Kaptein was fractionally offside.

Better from Chelsea.

16 min: It felt like that goal was coming. Chelsea have been very passive in the early stages of this game. They’ve barely had a shot at goal.

Lift off! All the home fans are on their feet. That was a good strike from Kerolin, although there was a deflection, she showed good technique. Chelsea’s defending from that set-piece, though, was awful. Sonia Bompastor’s face says it all.

14 min: Casparij takes a corner and Chelsea fail to clear it properly. The ball drops to Kerolin in the box, who has plenty of time and space to go for goal. She shoots and her effort deflects off Carpenter before flying into the net.

12 min: Greenwood goes for goal from the free kick but James gets in the way to block the attempt before it even makes it to the wall.

10 min: Shaw is given too much time on the ball by the Chelsea defence and Cuthbert comes charging in from behind to make the tackle. She gives away a foul and Manchester City have a free kick in a very dangerous position.

9 min: Kerolin comes inside and plays the ball over to Hemp on the left. The winger hesitates before sending a cross into the box, but it’s not the best and Chelsea have a goal kick.

6 min: Miedema drops deep and plays the ball to Shaw on the halfway line. The striker’s positioning drags Bright away from Chelsea’s backline and she waits before playing a pass through to Kerolin, who pulls Girma back and gives away a foul.

3 min: City go on the attack as Hemp attempts a cross into the box, which is headed away by Girma. The winger receives the ball once again and this time looks for Casparij at the back post, who can’t get quite enough contact on it.

2 min: Chelsea are looking to keep possession in these early stages but the ball flies out of play when Bright attempts to switch over to Thompson.

The teams are out! Kick-off is just a few moments away!

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After six consecutive years as champions, Chelsea find their once firm grip on the Women’s Super League crown has been reduced to a little finger clinging to the side of the trophy. They head to the Etihad Stadium on Sunday nine points behind their opponents and surely sensing that only a win could prevent the title from transferring to Manchester City’s outstretched arms.

The big surprise here is the absence of Lucy Bronze for Chelsea. She has a ‘minor injury’, we are told. That’s a massive blow for the visitors. Manchester City, meanwhile, are overjoyed to welcome back Mary Fowler after her lengthy injury absence.

A big guest booking for a big game; The Wanted 2.0 are currently performing pitchside here at the Etihad, providing a little treat for the supporters who got to their seats early. They’ll be - ahem - glad they came. On the pitch, you could say it’ll be an All Time Low for Chelsea if they slip 12 points behind the leaders today. This would be uncharted territory for the defending champions. They have to get a result today.

Manchester City head coach Andrée Jeglertz urged his players to have a “revenge feeling” approach to their WSL clash with Chelsea.

The club’s 2-1 loss to the Blues on the opening day remains the only time City have dropped points in the league this season. They also suffered a defeat to Chelsea in the League Cup semi-final last week. Jeglertz is determined to fight back this time around.

He said: “What I expect, they expect from each other. First of all, being fortunate to play these kind of games for these players. Also being in the situation which we have created being top of the league, nine points ahead it has to be enjoyment from the players to step out on the field on Sunday. It definitely has to be the first thing. We’ll do everything we can to win the game. We lost to Chelsea one a half weeks ago and the first game in the league so there has to be a part of a revenge feeling that now it’s time to get those three points. Those are the key things for us.”

Sonia Bompastor backtracked on her suggestion that the WSL title race was “probably gone” ahead of today’s match and urged Chelsea to “fight” until the end.

The head coach all-but conceded the title race last week following her team’s 2-0 loss to Arsenal at Stamford Bridge.

However, she backed Chelsea to bounce back against City this weekend.

Bompastor said: “Our mentality is to fight until the end, no matter what happens. We will never give up. There are nine games left in the WSL. The only thing is that we are not in control of it. Manchester City are leading the table and are in control. We just need to make sure we focus on how we want to perform and to give ourselves a better chance to win. Every game is a must-win game for Chelsea. We will never give up.”

Elsewhere in the WSL today

• West Ham 1-2 Tottenham

• Everton 2-1 Aston Villa

• Brighton 1-2 London City Lionesses

• Manchester United 3-1 Liverpool

Arsenal’s match against Leicester City, which was due to take place yesterday, was postponed due to the London club’s involvement in the Champions Cup.

It’s an interesting choice from Sonia Bompastor to start without a striker. Both Sam Kerr and Aggie Beever-Jones are on the bench, with Lauren James and Alyssa Thompson the most attacking players for the Blues.

Mary Fowler is back in the Manchester City squad for the first time in 294 days. The forward ruptured her ACL during the club’s FA Cup semi-final against Manchester United last April, which ruled her out for the remainder of 2025.

However, she is back on the bench today – and what a match to return for!