Laura Hunter, the Sky Sports columnist, breaks down the headline‑grabbing moments from the latest round of Women's Super League fixtures, drawing readers into the pivotal narratives shaping the women's game today. Manchester City appeared poised to seal the championship by mid‑week, potentially needing no further matches.
If Arsenal had stumbled against Leicester—a remote possibility—City’s cushion at the summit could have become insurmountable with only a handful of games left. That scenario has now vanished, and the celebratory mood surrounding City’s title party has been put on hold. The shock loss to Brighton over the weekend reopened the race. Both Chelsea and Arsenal now possess the mathematical ability to match City’s current points tally of 49, although Sonia Bompastor’s Blues are effectively out of contention because of an inferior goal‑difference.
Arsenal, on the other hand, remain very much in the mix. What was once a one‑per‑cent chance of a title upset before the weekend has swelled to roughly five per cent, and this is happening without Arsenal even taking the field. Regular followers of this column will recall my early‑season prediction that the trophy could be handed over symbolically as far back as February.
Perhaps that forecast was premature. Even so, it would still be a tall order for the dominant City side to see the crown slip away at this stage. As Fran Kirby quipped after Saturday’s game, "We’re happy to keep the title race going a little longer." Kirby’s brilliance in a free‑role was the decisive factor in a stunning 3‑2 defeat for City.
Andree Jeglertz’s squad now needs at least five more points to clinch the title, and as long as Arsenal win their games in hand, the championship cannot be decided until the final matchday. Jeglertz appears unfazed by the pressure, but the reminder that his side have suffered only one defeat this term – that loss coming at the hands of City – underscores how unforgiving any further slip‑ups could be. City’s upcoming schedule includes a home clash with Liverpool followed by an away trip to West Ham, with an FA Cup semi‑final against Chelsea sandwiched between the two league fixtures. None of those matches are easy, especially after a defeat that saw City surrender a lead they could have turned into three points within the first half.
It marks the first occasion this season that City have dropped points after being ahead. Captain Alex Greenwood reflected on the Brighton loss, noting how her teammates responded positively to setbacks throughout the campaign. She admitted the defeat "hurts because we were in control," highlighting that City created seven clear‑cut chances in a 90‑minute spell yet failed to convert any.
The lack of cohesion was evident after a 19‑day break for international duty. The calendar has been both a friend and a foe for City. On the one hand, the absence of European fixtures has reduced fatigue and allowed the squad to focus on domestic duties. On the other, the irregular spacing of matches has sometimes disrupted the team’s rhythm.
City’s roster was deliberately assembled to endure three‑game weeks, but there have been periods this season where the gaps between fixtures have been unusually long. Despite the recent stumble, panic is premature.
City have been exceptional for the bulk of the 2025/26 season and merit the title on the basis of a consistency that no other side has matched. Yet they cannot treat the remaining fixtures as a formality. Players such as Greenwood, Bunny Shaw and Lauren Hemp will be acutely aware that a single lapse could see their championship hopes evaporate.
The memory of missing out on the 2023/24 title on goal‑difference to Chelsea still lingers, and the prospect of a repeat is unsettling. Manchester United, meanwhile, emerged as the other major disappointment of matchweek 20. Their problem was not a loss—United held Tottenham to a goalless draw—but a loss of momentum.
Once considered the favourite to finish second behind their city rivals, United now face an uphill battle to secure even a top‑three finish. Marc Skinner’s side have managed just one win in their last eight outings across all competitions. Scoring has dried up, and overall performance has plummeted. The question arises: is this decline a symptom of the limited depth of Skinner’s squad compared with rivals, or are there additional 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 which are averaging around 1.5 points per game. This suggests a quality gap that United struggle to bridge. Even the return of Ella Toone from injury could not spark the needed revival.
Spurs displayed worrying trends of their own. Their offensive metrics were dominated by Martin Ho’s side, with an expected‑goals (xG) differential of 2.58 to 0.47. United took 56 minutes to register a shot on target, while Spurs logged more than twice the number of touches inside the box (42 versus 20).
Goalkeeper Phallon Tullis‑Joyce proved to be United’s only saving grace. Where does this leave Skinner? In the WSL, the longest‑serving manager is never far from scrutiny, given the high expectations attached to a club of United’s stature. One poor result can ignite talk of pressure and possible dismissal.
Nonetheless, some of the criticism is self‑inflicted. Skinner acknowledges that the results since the FA Cup loss to Chelsea, followed by the League Cup final defeat, have been insufficient. The squad appears to have run out of steam after trying to juggle a maiden Champions League campaign with domestic commitments. "We have to make some changes in the summer," Skinner, who has another year left on his contract, admitted on Sunday.
Whether those changes involve personnel, tactics, or perhaps even his own role remains to be seen. In summary, both Manchester clubs face crucial crossroads.
City must rediscover the clinical edge that has defined their season, while United need to reignite their attacking spark and tighten up defensively if they hope to salvage a respectable finish. The final weeks of the WSL will determine whether City can still claim the crown and whether United can halt their slide before the season draws to a close.