Chelsea 3-1 Leicester: Blues move eight points clear of Manchester United at top of WSL

Chelsea edged past Leicester City in a slightly tense victory at Kingsmeadow, extending their lead at the top of the Women's Super League table to eight points. Previously, only Leicester City and Brighton had managed to snatch points from Chelsea this season, and in this match, Leicester once again caused trouble for Sonia Bompastor's team.

Early in the game, Katerina Macario's free-kick deflected off the wall and looped over Leicester City goalkeeper Janina Leitzig's head and into the net, giving Chelsea the lead. Subsequently, Leicester City organized themselves effectively, limiting Chelsea's attacks. English midfielder Ruby Mace showed impressive tenacity, but she suffered a hyperextended knee injury in a challenge late in the first half and was subsequently stretchered off the field. After the match, the 21-year-old appeared on the field with crutches and a brace on her right knee.

Shortly after the start of the second half, Chelsea capitalized on a Leicester City formation adjustment to extend their lead. English forward Aggie Beever-Jones received a backheel pass from Mayra Ramírez and slotted the ball home from close range. However, just four minutes later, Leicester City's Japanese forward Yuka Momiki cleverly chipped the ball over the onrushing Hannah Hampton, scoring her second WSL goal of the season. Bompastor was very unhappy with the goal conceded, angrily kicking a chair and subsequently making three substitutions, bringing more energy and rhythm to the team.

Scottish midfielder Erin Cuthbert hit the crossbar with a long-range shot, and Chelsea also missed some other opportunities. Leicester City's Janice Cayman had a one-on-one chance, but she was forced wide, and Hampton successfully blocked her shot. Late in the game, Cuthbert curled a shot from outside the box past the defenders and into the far corner of the goal, securing the victory for Chelsea. "This game was significant," Bompastor told Sky Sports. "After dropping points, it's important to win the next game, and my players responded well, which is what I expected."

Chelsea leads Manchester United by eight points, but they have played one more game. If they get 14 points in their last six games, they will secure their sixth consecutive WSL title, which would also be Bompastor's first league title as manager. Leicester City remains in tenth place, six points ahead of Crystal Palace in the relegation zone. This victory continues Chelsea's progress towards their quadruple target but also reminds them of the huge challenges ahead. Bompastor made five changes to the starting lineup, with world-record signing Naomi Girma missing due to injury. For most of the first half, Chelsea's attack seemed disjointed, and Ramírez's shot inside the box that went wide was their only threatening chance from open play. Leicester City's goal seemed to sound an alarm for Chelsea, and their performance improved afterward, with Japanese player Maika Hamano having shooting attempts both inside and outside the box. Cuthbert's late goal to seal the win for Chelsea further highlighted the strength in depth that Chelsea possesses. Bompastor admitted before the game that she made these changes to cope with Chelsea's busy schedule in March, as they will host Crystal Palace in the FA Cup quarter-finals and then face Manchester City four times in a row, including the League Cup final, the Champions League quarter-finals, and the WSL. Although Manchester City's form is currently unstable, if Chelsea wants to remain in contention for all four trophies in three weeks, they must improve. "We've been rotating the squad, so sometimes our fluidity isn't as good as it was at the beginning of the season," Bompastor told Sky Sports. "We sometimes lack some chemistry in the team. I'm not too worried, I know the strength and talent of my team." For Leicester City, it was an encouraging performance, but their problems in attack remain, having only taken two points on the road this season. They have only scored 10 goals in 16 games, the fewest in the league. Although they were well-organized for most of the game, limiting Chelsea's attacks, they struggled to create clear scoring opportunities.