Key events
That half went by so quickly, a cracking game so far. Kaneryd and Hamano impressive so far, as is Greenwood.
Half-time: Chelsea 0-0 Manchester City
There have been chances for both teams but they have not been clinical enough to break the deadlock yet. The top two cannot be separated.
45 + 1 min: Bjorn gets a yellow card for pulling Shaw’s shirt, so City will play out the final parts of this half.
45 + 1 min: Chelsea are next to have a chance with Kaneryd in a good spot, she tries to switch feet and Kennedy sees it out for a corner. Hamano takes it but the resulting shots are blocked. There will be two minutes added.
45 min: Fowler takes the corner and Shaw meets it but it’s wide, she puts her head in her hands afterwards knowing what a chance that was.
44 min: City have a really long build-up and Roord plays a delightful ball to Casparji who shoots and Hampton’s save pushes it out for a corner.
42 min: Greenwood puts in a long ball and tries to find Shaw but Hampton reads it and she collects.
40 min: Ramirez is okay to continue, much to the delight to the crowd who cheer when she gets back to her feet.
39 min: Greenwood is the taker and the delivery is good but it’s cleared and Ramirez is down after being hit in the face. She’ll need some treatment and so there’s a break in play.
38 min: Shaw picks up the ball from outside the box and turns and shoots but it is deflected out for City’s first corner of the game.
37 min: The football on display outside of both areas has been beautiful but as soon as there is a chance the mistakes creep in. Chelsea have the upperhand on the balance of things but no one really close to scoring yet. Fowler crosses in but Cuthbert is there to block before it finds Shaw.
35 min: Baltimore plays a ball to Reiten but she is judged offside.
33 min: Hamano makes a great recovery run to pick up a ball but Park does sensationally well to win it. Every opportunity every player has there is just a touch too much or a heavy pass, it will take one moment to break this deadlock.
31 min: City are really coming to life with their long ball plays, they have not come off yet but it’s seen their most exciting moments in this match. They are being outmuscled in the midfield at the moment so the long ball tactic makes sense.
29 min: Yamashita plays a peach of a ball to unlock City’s attack, it comes to Park but she takes a touch too many and Hampton is able to collect. Hamano then plays an awful ball and Shaw pounces again but some superb defence in the box clears the chance.
27 min: Reiten does really well in a duel with Casparji, who steals the ball but the Chelsea player wins it back. The Norway international squares it but Nusken absolutely skies the chance.
25 min: I was just about to write about how Chelsea’s execution isn’t quite there at the moment and then Baltimore played that pass. A few things have gone awry for the hosts but they are on the front foot now with Ramirez who takes a long range effort but the keeper saves.
23 min: Oh my word Baltimore’s blushes were saved there. The Chelsea player plays an awful pass and it rolls in the path of Shaw, she makes a great run but her shot it wide. Wow.
21 min: Kaneryd is away here, she makes a great run into the box and she lays it off to Hamano whose shot is just over the bar. That is the closest chance of the game so far.
20 min: City lose out high up the pitch as Chelsea hike up the pressure but the hosts’ passing accuracy lets them down in the resulting attack with Bright coughing up the ball.
18 min: The midfield battles have been so interesting. If someone loses the ball it looks exactly like a pinball machine.
16 min: For all of their possession so far, City are yet to trouble Hampton at all. Yamashita is the goalkeeper who has been the busier.
14 min: Here come Chelsea, Kaneryd has a good run but she seems to scuff her shot and it is an easy save. Maybe she should have squared that to a teammate, two were waiting.
12 min: Bright chuckles to herself as she thinks she has fairly won the ball but Shaw wins a free kick. City build from deep and they struggle to get the ball forward. Eventually Nusken wins it and clear the danger.
11 min: How good is Greenwood? A perfectly weighted ball was about to find Kaneryd but she came sprinting across and did enough to disrupt the play. She’s so, so valuable.
9 min: Kennedy loses possession and Cuthbert tries to cross it but it’s well blocked. Then moments later up the other end Shaw almost pounces on a loose ball from Bright. Both sides level at the moment.
8 min: Chelsea players are not letting City any space whatsoever, it’s making them force passes. There has not been any errors yet from City because of it but if they keep it up it could cause issues.
6 min: Chelsea have their first sustained possession and it was a lovely cross from Kaneryd but Casaparji puts it behind for a corner. The delivery is good and Bright has a header but Yamashita collects.
4 min: Shaw wins a free kick with Ramirez fouling her. They take the set piece short and the chance is snuffed out with Chelsea’s defence disturbing the play.
3 min: City have had the lionshare of early possession but they are being put under huge pressure from Chelsea’s high press. They are being pinned in their final third at the moment.
2 min: This is going to be such a tasty match-up. If City play as they did against Barcelona then Chelsea may be in for a long evening. But the Blues have won ever single game across all competitions so far. Two titans.
Kick-off! Chelsea 0-0 Manchester City
Here we go.
This is your five minute warning to grab snacks and a drink because once this game gets underway you won’t want to miss a second.
The players will be out on the Stamford Bridge pitch soon in front of what is expected to be a good crowd. Can City get one over on Chelsea? Or will the defending champions keep marching? All to come.
Do you have any predictions for this one? I don’t know why but I have a feeling Manchester City will come away with the win, I’m thinking 1-0 and Bunny Shaw will score. Get in touch and let me know your thoughts.
The North London derby has already taken place today with Arsenal winning 3-0, you can catch up with the report below. Brighton have also already played today and they beat West Ham 3-2.
Manchester City boss Gareth Taylor said: “It is more than just another game, of course. We have proven so far that we can play good stuff and have got good results along the way. We have been difficult to play against. There is no denying, these games are really important. For us, it is a good game and the fact it is Stamford Bridge gives us something different. We are looking forward to the challenge.”
Chelsea boss Sonia Bompastor said: “I think this league is so competitive and all the games are really difficult. Of course, it will be an important game, but, as I said, not decisive. We are heading into this game with a lot of confidence even if we know Man City are a good squad and have good players, individually and collectively.”
Those with eagle eyes will note there is no Lauren Hemp in the squad for Man City at all. Gareth Taylor had said in the week he was positive she would be a part of the game after a knee knock but it seems the game has come too soon.
The team news is in. Chelsea have made seven changes from the side who beat Celtic midweek. Musovic, Perisset, Mpome, Lawrence, Keptein, Jena-Francios and Beever-Jones all drop out of the starting team.
Chelsea: Hampton, Bronze, Bright, Bjorn, Baltimore, Nusken, Cuthbert, Reiten, Hamano, Kaneryd, Ramirez
Manchester City, meanwhile, only make one change from their win over Hammarby in the week. Blindkilde Brown drops out for Roord.
Man City: Yamashita, Greenwood (C), Fowler, Roord, Kennedy, Ouahabi, Park, Casparij, Fujino, Shaw, Hasegawa
Preamble
Hello and welcome to the top of the WSL table clash between Chelsea and Manchester City. The Blues are hosting their rivals at Stamford Bridge in what is set to be one of the games of the season.
City are currently unbeaten in the league with six wins and a draw, only dropping points to Arsenal in their 2-2 draw. Chelsea, meanwhile, have won every game they have played in the league this season. They aren’t top though as they have a game in hand against Manchester United.
It’s a huge fixture which will have a bearing on how the title race shakes out come the end of the campaign. Chelsea’s new boss is the first in the WSL to win her first six league games in charge and she will be looking to extend the record tonight.
We will have a look at what has been said in the build-up shortly but first let’s take a look at some team news.
