Manchester United vs Chelsea LIVE: Result and reaction as Emma Hayes’ side win WSL title after thrashing

Manchester City beat Aston Villa but the Blues finished top of the Women’s Super League on goal difference

(REUTERS)

Chelsea travelled to Manchester United in the WSL finale, needing a win and to stay ahead of Manchester City on goal difference - and achieved it in style, thrashing Manchester United 6-0 at Old Trafford in Emma Hayes’ final game in charge.

Mayra Ramirez was the star of the show, scoring twice in an all-action display, but the Blues were best from start to finish and wrapped up the win, a new WSL scoring record and the title itself with a late goal from another departing icon in Fran Kirby.

After a testing couple of months, with defeat to rivals Arsenal in the League Cup final and a crushing loss to Barcelona in the Women’s Champions League semi-finals, Chelsea have shown their resilience and came back to secure a famous title triumph. Follow all the reaction below:

WSL: Man Utd v Chelsea and Aston Villa v Man City updates

• GOAL! 2’ - Ramirez powers in a close-range header with Chelsea’s first attack (0-1)
• GOAL! 7’ - Ryyting Kaneryd gets in behind the defence to finish brilliantly into the corner (0-2)
• GOAL! 44’ - Nusken taps home the third minutes after coming on (0-3)
• GOAL! 45+1’ - Ramirez immediately powers past two defenders to smash in another (0-4)
• GOAL! 47’ - Leupolz stretches to score fifth straight after restart (0-5)
• GOAL! 84’ - Kirby scores off the bench in her final Chelsea appearance (0-6)
• Chelsea win WSL title after thrashing Manchester United

[18 May 2024 13:35 · Karl Matchett]

Is Aston Villa v Man City on TV? Time, channel and how to watch

Manchester City begin the final day of the WSL season level on points at the top of the table, but know that they may need a Chelsea slip-up to take the title.

Emma Hayes’s side are top of the league with a two-goal advantage over their rivals, who take on Aston Villa on the final day.

Manchester City will be champions for certain if they better Chelsea’s result against Manchester United.

The hosts have little to play for — Villa will finish seventh regardless of the outcome of their final fixture — but will be keen to send off the departing Carla Ward with a positive performance.

Here’s everything you need to know.

[18 May 2024 13:29 · Karl Matchett]

Is Manchester United vs Chelsea on TV? How to watch WSL fixture

Chelsea’s win over Tottenham in the Women’s Super League on Wednesday has ensured the race for the title will come down to the final match of the season.

Emma Hayes’ side travel to Manchester United and Manchester City will travel to Aston Villa on Saturday, with both matches kicking off at the same time.

Having at one point been fighting for the coveted quadruple, Chelsea were knocked out of the two domestic cup competitions, and the Champions League, and the WSL remains the last piece of silverware available to Hayes in her final season at the club.

Chelsea will go into the match level on points with Manchester City, but topping the table with a goal difference of 47 compared to Gareth Taylor’s side’s 45.

Here’s everything you need to know about the match.

[18 May 2024 13:24 · Karl Matchett]

What do Chelsea and Man City need to win the WSL title?

Title rivals Chelsea and Manchester City begin the final day of the Women’s Super League season level at the top of the table.

A back-and-forth battle has run all season long between the two clubs, with Manchester City hoping to prevent Chelsea securing a fifth consecutive title.

Gareth Taylor’s side appeared to have put themselves in pole position to win their second WSL when Liverpool shocked Chelsea at the start of May.

But a defeat to Arsenal in their penultimate fixture has left the door open for the London club, who will say farewell to manager Emma Hayes at the end of the season and would love to sign off with a trophy.

[18 May 2024 13:13 · Karl Matchett]

WSL: Man Utd v Chelsea

All eyes might be on Chelsea to get the job done today and lift the trophy - but the person attempting to stop them already has one in the bag. Mary Earps got her hands on the FA Cup after Man United beat Tottenham last weekend.

(The FA via Getty Images)

(Manchester United via Getty Imag)

[18 May 2024 13:00 · Karl Matchett]

Chelsea’s Emma Hayes and the life behind a winning machine

Emma Hayes managed to find a way to reflect on her achievements while seeing the bigger picture. At Wembley last year, as Hayes sat with another winner’s medal around her neck – this time after Chelsea defeated Manchester United to win their third FA Cup in a row – there was a moment where she paused from the relentless of football management and its daily demands to focus on a wider journey. “When I sit at home alone and think about the work we do every day, and the sacrifices we all make, I know I’ve given my life to it,” she reflected.

There can be no arguing with that, not after 12 hugely successful seasons at Chelsea, the years working her way up the coaching ladder in the United States in her mid-twenties, the countless hours before then, trying to find the bottom rung in England, volunteering in community projects in her native Camden, doing anything she could to earn the coaching badges and certificates. At that stage, there was no identifiable end point, no professional game to aspire to reach. There was only a goal, or even a calling, to make an impact in women’s football, perhaps winning a trophy or two.

Jamie Braidwood on Hayes:

[18 May 2024 12:48 · Jack Rathborn]

WSL moments of the 2023/24 season

Hammer blow for Robins

Lauren Smith’s Bristol City found the going tough after promotion, securing only five points from their first 11 games, with a 3-2 victory at West Ham in November the solitary win.

They went into January’s home clash against the Hammers bottom of the table but level on points with them - but were unable to make the most of the opportunity to overtake, losing 2-1 to Rehanne Skinner’s team, and they went on to be relegated with just one further point accrued.

[18 May 2024 12:36 · Jack Rathborn]

Maika Hamano secures vital Chelsea victory over Spurs

(John Walton/PA Wire)

(John Walton/PA Wire)

(John Walton/PA Wire)

[18 May 2024 12:00 · Jack Rathborn]

WSL moments of the 2023/24 season

Hayes to head off

Chelsea are pursuing a fifth successive WSL title to give Hayes a glorious send-off after it was announced in November that she would be leaving the club at the end of the season.

The news came just after the team had won 6-0 at Villa, and was followed 10 days later by confirmation that the 47-year-old - who has been Chelsea boss since 2012 - was to become the next head coach of the United States women’s side.

[18 May 2024 11:48 · Jack Rathborn]

WSL moments of the 2023/24 season

Title twist

Following Chelsea’s dramatic 4-3 loss at Liverpool four days earlier that had left their manager Emma Hayes saying she saw the title race as over, Manchester City were firmly in the driving seat at the top of the table as they hosted Arsenal on May 5.

But having led early on, City ended up being beaten 2-1 courtesy of a late Stina Blackstenius brace - and a few hours later, an 8-0 win for Chelsea at Bristol City, with Guro Reiten scoring four times, put them three points behind Gareth Taylor’s side with a game in hand and a goal difference superior by one.

Chelsea then won that extra game 1-0 at Tottenham on Wednesday night thanks to a Maika Hamano goal to replace City at the top, with a goal difference better by two, ahead of a final day that sees Hayes’ team play Manchester United at Old Trafford and Taylor’s take on Aston Villa at Villa Park.

[18 May 2024 11:36 · Jack Rathborn]

Vivianne Miedema was the personification of Arsenal’s greatest qualities, now they’re ready to move on without her

So long, Vivianne Miedema. Arsenal are losing a lot more than just a striker with her departure, they will have to cope without a club legend, they won’t be able to call upon their trusty goal threat any more.

Yet it is a sign of how times are changing for Arsenal that this doesn’t feel like the blow it once would have been. Without Miedema they will be different, but they have already had to confront life without the Dutchwoman and the trial run has been promising.

That will enthuse boss Jonas Eidevall. Arsenal without Miedema would have forced him to grapple with a rebuild in the past, it would have set back all the hard work which has been done to get them back to their fighting best. Now, the damage is mostly consigned to the emotional front.

The heirs to Miedema’s throne are ample – and they’ve all been successful. Alessia Russo was a star signing last summer, now recruiting her is looking like an even more shrewd piece of business. Frida Maanum has flourished, Stina Blackstenius has had the required touch in the big moments. This Arsenal team are far from one-dimensional.