Two stunning volleys from Sam Kerr helped Chelsea to secure a third consecutive Women’s Super League title as they twice came from behind to earn a thrilling 4-2 win against Manchester United.
With Arsenal one point behind the title holders, the destination of the WSL trophy swung between north and south-west London as United pushed Chelsea hard at a packed and sun-drenched Kingsmeadow.
The title was Chelsea’s to lose but they were playing a United team who had a chance of reaching the Champions League for the first time. After a shaky, injury-hit start to the season Manchester City had clawed their way back into third, with a two‑point lead over United in fourth. United needed a win here and for Reading to take points from City.
The United forward Martha Thomas gave her team the lead that would send the away fans 25 miles to the north-east, where West Ham faced second-placed Arsenal, and the away fans in the corner at Kingsmeadow, wild with hope.
Chelsea hit back through Erin Cuthbert’s fierce strike five minutes later but the visitors reclaimed the lead before the break thanks to Ella Toone’s low effort.
Marc Skinner, United’s manager, said before the game: “Not only do we have nothing to lose and everything to gain; it is a wonderful opportunity for us to go and show how energetic we can be at the end of the season.”
His side began exactly as he hoped, with an intensity fitting for a team ready to push on and upset things at the top of the table next season.
So stunned were the home team – they were almost spectators as United threatened to rip away their title – that the manager, Emma Hayes, contemplated making changes within half an hour but held out until half‑time. “I could have taken off a lot of players at half-time, being brutally honest,” she said.
“I felt we thought too much about the loss in the first half – it makes you look tired, you look drained. All of a sudden we come out in the second half, I say to the team in a huddle: ‘Listen get the first press right, get your first shot right, do it together, don’t fall apart,’ and it’s not bloody rocket science, is it, that we done enough together and delivered it.”
No season can top the 2014 finale but this went close. Then Chelsea crumbled, relinquishing a two-point advantage over Birmingham and three-point lead over Liverpool, who came from third to be champions on the final day.
Here, Chelsea dug themselves out of trouble, as they have so often during this title charge. Once they had usurped Arsenal at the top of the table there was no way they were stepping down.
