Gareth Taylor had said his Manchester City players would attack this game, but they would never have been able to predict quite how hard their title-rivals would attack Manchester United.
There was a sense of expectation around Villa Park before kick-off. The WSL title was being decided on the final day and with both City and Chelsea level on points, Chelsea’s two-goal superior goal difference seemed to be the only thing in the standing in Manchester City’s first league title in eight years. That and a defiant Aston Villa looking to give their departing manager Carla Ward a proper send off.
Go out and score as many goals as you can was the directive – whatever Chelsea do, you’ll have to do three better.
But the jubilant mood from the sky-blue contingent occupying the corner of the Holte End soured quicker than expected. Less than 10 minutes into the game the news had spread that Chelsea were two goals up in eight minutes, and the hill had turned into a mountain to climb. City were yet to register a goal on target.
Mary Fowler scored City’s first a few minutes later to lift the mood briefly, but City were still four goals short. By the time the whistle blew for half-time, Chelsea were four up in Manchester and City still just the one, and it looked all but over for Gareth Taylor’s side.
Manchester City missed out on winning the Women’s Super League title despite beating Aston Villa on the final day
Lauren Hemp scored the winning goal but her strike was in vain with Chelsea beating Manchester United
Chelsea’s win meant Emma Hayes won another WSL title in her final game in charge of the club
Things threatened to go from bad to worse when Rachel Daly equalised for Villa in the 69th minute, but City restored their lead through Lauren Hemp ten minutes later, and that’s how the scoreline would remain.
This will feel like a particularly painful pill to swallow for City, as it was felt by many that they had one hand on the trophy a fortnight ago – they were three points ahead in the clear in the title race with only two games to play. Even Emma Hayes waved the white flag.
But maybe her concession was what tipped the scales. Maybe Hayes knew that this would take the pressure off her team, and move it to City’s. She is one of the most shrewd and successful managers in history, after all, and she would have known the impact of her words.
And then City’s 14-game unbeaten run came to an end by a stubborn Arsenal showing, and Chelsea turned the goal difference in their favour with their incredible 8-0 thrashing of Bristol City, taking us to today.
City were unable to parallel let alone better Chelsea’s scoreline, sending shot after shot at Villa keeper Anna Leat. By the time the final whistle blew to end the game, City had 30 shots to Villa’s 6.
The players sunk to the ground when the final whistle blew. The trophy would stay in the capital another year.
