Sky Sports columnist Laura Hunter breaks down the headline‑making moments from the most recent Women’s Super League fixtures, drawing readers closer to the pivotal narratives shaping the women’s game. Manchester City appeared to have the championship secured as early as Wednesday, even without needing a further match. If Arsenal had stumbled against Leicester – an unlikely but conceivable scenario – City’s lead at the summit could have become unassailable with only a handful of games left. That hypothetical has now vanished, and the celebration that seemed inevitable has been put on hold.
The shock loss to Brighton over the weekend has reopened the title race. Both Chelsea and Arsenal now have the mathematical ability to equal City’s current points tally of 49.
In practice, Chelsea, under Sonia Bompastor, are realistically out of contention because of an inferior goal‑difference, but Arsenal remain very much in the mix. What was once described as a one‑percent chance of a title upset before the weekend has now risen to roughly five percent, and Arsenal have not even taken the field yet. Regular followers of this column will recall the symbolic hand‑over of the trophy that I predicted as early as February.
Was that premature? Even with the setback, it would still be a tall order for the dominant City side to see the trophy slip away, but as Fran Kirby quipped on Saturday: “We’re happy to keep the title race going for a little bit longer.” Kirby’s brilliance in a free‑role was the decisive factor in a stunning 3‑2 defeat. Andree Jeglertz’s side now need at least five points from their remaining fixtures to clinch the crown, and as long as Arsenal win the games they have in hand, the title cannot be decided until the final matchday.
Jeglertz seems unfazed by the pressure, but he is reminded that Renee Slegers’ United have suffered only a single defeat this season – that loss came at the hands of City. Any further slip‑ups are likely to be costly. City’s upcoming schedule features a home game against Liverpool followed by an away clash with West Ham, with an FA Cup semi‑final against Chelsea sandwiched in between.
None of those fixtures are easy, especially after a defeat that came after they had the chance to settle the match in the first half. It marks the first occasion this season that City have surrendered points after leading.
Captain Alex Greenwood offered a measured post‑match interview. She highlighted the squad’s resilience, noting that despite conceding a goal that “hurts because we were in control,” the team responded positively to the setback. In a remarkable 90‑minute display at Brighton, City generated seven clear‑cut chances but failed to convert any, a shortfall that may be linked to the 19‑day break they endured after the international window. The fixture calendar has been both a blessing and a curse for City throughout the campaign.
On one hand, the absence of European commitments has allowed them to avoid the fatigue that often accompanies mid‑week continental travel. On the other hand, the irregular spacing of league games has sometimes disrupted their rhythm, especially during periods with back‑to‑back matches.
City’s squad was assembled with depth to endure three‑game weeks, yet there have been stretches where the gaps between matches have been unusually long, testing the players’ match sharpness. Despite the recent stumble, there is no cause for panic. City have been exceptionally consistent for the bulk of the 2025/26 season and deserve the title on the basis of a level of steadiness that no other side has matched. Nevertheless, they cannot take the trophy for granted.
The prospect of falling short at the final hurdle looms large for key figures such as Greenwood, Bunny Shaw and Lauren Hemp, who still remember the anguish of missing out on the championship to Chelsea on goal‑difference in the 2023/24 season. Could history repeat itself?
Manchester United, meanwhile, emerged as the other major disappointment of matchweek 20. Their woes were not the result of a loss – they settled for a goalless draw with Tottenham – but rather the loss of momentum and initiative. Once seen as strong contenders for a second‑place finish behind cross‑city rivals City, United now appear unlikely to secure even a top‑three spot. Marc Skinner’s side have managed only one victory in their last eight matches across all competitions.
Scoring has dried up, and overall performances have plummeted. The question arises: does this slump expose the limitations of Skinner’s relatively small squad compared with the league’s heavyweights, or are there other factors at play?
United have failed to beat any of the current top‑five teams, a group that includes Spurs, City, Arsenal and Chelsea, all of whom are averaging around 1.5 points per game. This suggests a quality gap may exist. Even the return of Ella Toone from a long injury layoff on Sunday was insufficient to reignite the attack.
Spurs displayed some worrying trends of their own. All offensive metrics were dominated by Martin Ho’s side, with an expected‑goals (xG) differential that resembled a whitewash: 2.58 for Spurs versus 0.47 for United. United did not register a shot on target until the 56th minute, while Spurs recorded more than double the number of touches inside the box (42 compared with United’s 20).
Goalkeeper Phallon Tullis‑Joyce proved to be United’s saviour on the day. What does this mean for Skinner? As the longest‑serving manager in the WSL, he is constantly under scrutiny, given the high expectations attached to the Manchester United badge.
In the WSL, a single poor result can ignite talk of pressure and tension surrounding a manager’s future. Skinner must also recognise that much of the criticism aimed at him is self‑inflicted. He has openly admitted that the results since the FA Cup loss to Chelsea, followed by a League Cup final defeat the next month, have been below the standards expected of United. The squad appears to have run out of steam after trying to juggle a maiden Champions League campaign with domestic obligations.
“We have to make some changes in the summer,” Skinner, who has one year left on his current contract, declared on Sunday. Whether those changes will involve personnel, tactics, or perhaps even his own role remains to be seen. Only time will reveal if the manager will be part of the solution or become a casualty of the club’s ambitions. In summary, both Manchester clubs face pivotal moments.
City must rediscover the clinical edge that saw them dominate most of the season, while United need to reignite their attacking firepower and regain confidence against top opposition. The coming weeks will be decisive in shaping the final chapters of the 2025/26 Women’s Super League campaign.