Sky Sports columnist Laura Hunter breaks down the major talking points emerging from the latest Women’s Super League fixtures, offering readers a deeper look at the narratives shaping the women’s game. Manchester City entered the weekend on the brink of securing the championship, with the possibility of clinching the title as early as Wednesday if Arsenal were to falter against Leicester – an outcome that, while improbable, would have left City’s lead mathematically untouchable with only a handful of matches left.
That scenario has now evaporated, and City’s celebration is on hold. The shock loss to Brighton over the weekend has reopened the race.
Both Chelsea and Arsenal now have a mathematical route to match City’s current points total of 49, although Chelsea, under Sonia Bompastor, are effectively out of contention because their goal‑difference deficit is too large to overcome. Arsenal, however, remain very much in the mix. What was once described as a one‑per‑cent chance for a title upset has swollen to roughly five per cent, and that increase has occurred without Arsenal even stepping onto the pitch. Regular followers of this column will recall the symbolic hand‑over of the trophy I suggested back in February – perhaps that early prediction was premature.
Even so, it would still require a monumental collapse for Manchester City to see the crown slip away at this stage. As Fran Kirby remarked after Saturday’s game, "We’re happy to keep the title race going a little longer." Kirby’s brilliance in a free‑role position proved decisive in a stunning 3‑2 defeat. Andree Jeglertz’s side now need at least five points from their remaining fixtures to force the title decision to the final day, and that can only happen if Arsenal win their games in hand. Jeglertz appears unfazed by the pressure, reminding readers that his side have suffered just a single defeat this season – that loss came at the hands of City.
Any further slip‑ups could prove costly. City’s upcoming schedule includes a home clash with Liverpool followed by an away game at West Ham, with an FA Cup semi‑final against Chelsea sandwiched between the two league fixtures. None of these matches are easy, especially after a defeat that came after City had been in control for much of the first half.
It marks the first occasion this season that City have surrendered points after leading. Captain Alex Greenwood spoke candidly after the Brighton game, stressing how her teammates have consistently bounced back from setbacks throughout the campaign. She noted that the loss “hurts because we were in control,” highlighting the fact that City created seven clear‑cut chances yet failed to convert any of them.
The lack of cohesion was evident, likely a side‑effect of the 19‑day break following the international window. The fixture calendar has been both a blessing and a curse for City. On one hand, the absence of mid‑week European commitments has reduced fatigue and allowed the squad to focus on domestic duties.
On the other hand, the irregular spacing of matches has sometimes disrupted rhythm, especially when games are clustered together. City’s roster was assembled with depth to endure three‑game weeks, but there have been periods where the gaps between fixtures stretched to an extreme, testing the squad’s ability to maintain sharpness.
Despite the recent stumble, there is no need for panic. City have been dominant for the bulk of the 2025/26 season and merit the title on the basis of consistency that no other side has matched. Yet they cannot take the trophy for granted; the fear of stumbling at the final hurdle looms large for players such as Greenwood, Bunny Shaw and Lauren Hemp, who still remember the agony of losing out to Chelsea on goal difference in 2023/24.
Could history repeat itself? The prospect is unsettling, but the team’s experience may help them avoid a repeat.
Turning to Manchester United, the other major casualty of matchweek 20, the damage was not a loss but a loss of momentum. United were held to a goalless draw by Tottenham, a result that has effectively erased the initiative they once possessed. A side that seemed poised to finish second behind their city rivals now faces an uphill battle to even secure a top‑three finish.
Marc Skinner’s United 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: is this slump a symptom of the limited size of Skinner’s squad compared with the league’s elite, 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 which are averaging around 1.5 points per game.
This suggests a quality gap that United have yet to bridge. Even the return of Ella Toone from injury could not spark the needed revival. Spurs displayed worrying trends of their own.
Their attacking metrics were dominated by Martin Ho’s side, with an expected‑goals (xG) differential of 2.58 to 0.47 – essentially a whitewash. United took 56 minutes to register a shot on target, while Spurs logged more than double the number of touches inside the opposition box (42 versus 20). Goalkeeper Phallon Tullis‑Joyce emerged as United’s saviour in that match.
What does this mean for Skinner? As the longest‑serving manager in the WSL, he is constantly under the microscope, especially given the expectations attached to the United badge. A single poor result can ignite talk of pressure and potential dismissal.
Nevertheless, some of the criticism directed at Skinner is self‑inflicted. He openly admits that results since the FA Cup loss to Chelsea, followed by a League Cup final defeat, have not met the club’s standards. The squad appears to have run out of steam after attempting to juggle a maiden Champions League campaign with domestic obligations.
"We have to make some changes in the summer," Skinner said on Sunday, noting that he has one year left on his current contract. Whether those changes involve personnel, tactics, or perhaps his own role remains to be seen. In summary, both Manchester clubs find themselves at a crossroads. City must rediscover the clinical edge that saw them dominate most of the season, while United need to reignite their attacking spark and tighten up defensively if they hope to climb back into the top tier of the league.
The next few weeks will be decisive, and the outcomes will shape the narrative of the Women’s Super League for the remainder of the campaign.