Laura Hunter, the Sky Sports columnist, breaks down the headline moments from the most recent Women’s Super League fixtures, giving readers a deeper look at the pivotal narratives shaping the women’s game today. Manchester City seemed poised to clinch the championship as early as Wednesday, potentially sealing the title without needing another match.
If Arsenal had stumbled against Leicester—a scenario that, while improbable, was still on the cards—City’s lead could have become mathematically unassailable with only a handful of games left. That hypothetical, however, has now been erased from the equation, leaving the City title celebration on hold.
The shock loss to Brighton over the weekend dramatically reshaped the title picture. Both Chelsea and Arsenal now have the theoretical ability to match City’s current points total of 49.
In practice, Sonia Bompastor’s Chelsea are unlikely to overtake the league leaders because of an inferior goal‑difference, but the Gunners remain very much in the mix. What was once described as a one‑percent chance for a title upset has swelled to roughly five percent, and that increase has occurred without Arsenal even stepping onto the pitch.
Regular followers of Hunter’s column will recall her February prediction that the trophy would be passed on early in the season; the recent turn of events suggests that forecast may have been premature. While it would still be a tall order for City to lose the crown at this stage, the team’s own captain, Fran Kirby, admitted on Saturday that she was pleased to keep the race alive a little longer: “We’re happy to keep the title race going for a bit longer.” Kirby’s creativity in a free‑role was the decisive factor in a stunning 3‑2 defeat that saw City’s opponents snatch three points. Manager Andree Jeglertz’s side now need at least five points from their remaining fixtures to guarantee the championship, and as long as Arsenal win the games they have in hand, the title cannot be secured until the final matchday. Jeglertz seems unfazed by the pressure; he reminded readers that his side have only been beaten once this season – by City – and that any further slip‑ups could prove costly.
Looking ahead, City will host Liverpool before traveling to West Ham for their last two league outings, with an FA Cup semi‑final against Chelsea sandwiched in between. None of those matches are easy wins, especially after a defeat that came after City had the chance to close the game in the first half.
It was the first time this campaign that City dropped points from a winning position, a stark reminder that momentum can shift quickly. Captain Alex Greenwood reflected on the Brighton loss, noting how her teammates responded positively to adversity despite the disappointment of conceding a goal they felt they should have prevented. “It hurts because we were in control,” she said, highlighting the frustration of creating seven clear‑cut chances and failing to convert any of them. The break in cohesion can be partly attributed to the 19‑day gap after the international window, which left the squad lacking match sharpness.
The season’s schedule has been both a blessing and a curse for City. The absence of European fixtures has reduced travel fatigue and allowed the squad to focus on domestic competition, but the irregular spacing of matches has sometimes disrupted rhythm. City’s roster was deliberately built to endure three‑game weeks, yet there have been periods where the gaps between fixtures stretched to an extreme, testing the team’s ability to maintain intensity.
Despite the recent setback, there is no cause for panic. City have been extraordinarily consistent throughout the 2025/26 campaign and deserve the championship on the basis of a level of performance that no other side has matched. However, they cannot treat the title as a foregone conclusion.
Players such as Greenwood, Bunny Shaw and Lauren Hemp will be keenly aware that a single slip could see their dream evaporate, especially after the painful experience of missing out on the 2023/24 title to Chelsea on goal‑difference. The fear of a repeat scenario looms large. Meanwhile, Manchester United endured an equally disappointing weekend, not because they lost their match— a goalless draw with Tottenham— but because the result exposed a deeper loss of initiative. Once considered strong contenders for second place behind city rivals, United now face an uphill battle to even finish in the top three.
Marc Skinner’s side have managed just one victory in their last eight games across all competitions, with goals becoming scarce and overall performance dropping sharply. The question arises whether this decline reflects the limited depth of Skinner’s squad compared with the league’s elite, or whether other factors such as fixture congestion and injuries are to blame. United have yet 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 statistic suggests a quality gap that United have struggled to bridge. Even the return of Ella Toone from a long injury layoff on Sunday failed to ignite the attack. Tottenham’s offensive metrics were starkly superior, with an expected‑goals (xG) advantage of 2.58 to United’s 0.47.
United did not register a shot on target until the 56th minute, while Spurs enjoyed more than double the number of touches inside the box (42 versus 20). Goalkeeper Phallon Tullis‑Joyce proved to be United’s lone saviour. Skinner, the longest‑serving manager in the WSL, now finds himself under intense scrutiny.
The pressure of managing a club with United’s stature means that a single poor result can trigger a wave of criticism. Yet some of the recent negativity is self‑inflicted; Skinner himself has acknowledged that the team’s performances since the FA Cup loss to Chelsea and the subsequent League Cup final defeat have not met expectations.
Balancing a maiden Champions League campaign with domestic obligations appears to have stretched the squad beyond its limits. Looking to the future, Skinner admitted on Sunday that changes will be necessary over the summer: “We have to do some changes in the summer.” With one year remaining on his contract, the upcoming transfer window could bring significant turnover, and it remains to be seen whether any of those adjustments will involve the manager himself. In summary, both Manchester clubs face pivotal moments.
City must regroup quickly to preserve their title hopes, while United must rediscover the spark that once made them genuine title challengers. The next few weeks will be decisive in determining whether either side can turn the tide and finish the season on a high note.