Preview: Manchester City Women vs Chelsea Women - prediction, team news, lineups

Manchester City Women will look to take a giant step towards the Women's Super League title when they play host to reigning champions Chelsea Women on Sunday.

The home side are sitting in pole position in the Women's Super League table, boasting a seven-point lead over the Blues in second place. 

Match preview

Man City are closing in on their second WSL title after winning 12 of their 13 league matches this season (L1).

The Citizens left it late to claim their 12th win in last Sunday's away clash with London City Lionesses, which saw Khadija Shaw net an 86th-minute winner in a 2-1 victory, moving the leaders nine points clear at the top of the table with nine games left to play.

Their title credentials will be put to the test in their next two outings against Chelsea and Arsenal, knowing that they have a great chance to close in on their first league title since 2016.

Andree Jeglertz's side will also be looking for revenge on Sunday after losing 1-0 to Chelsea in the Women's League Cup semi-finals on January 21.

While they may have lost at home on that occasion, Man City will still fancy their chances of claiming maximum points, given the fact that they boast a perfect home record in the WSL this term (W7).

They are also the top-flight's highest scorers with 36 goals from their 13 outings, including 21 goals across their seven home encounters.

© Imago / IMAGO / Sportimage

Meanwhile, Chelsea's hopes of claiming a seventh consecutive WSL title are quickly fading after dropping points in five of their 13 league matches.

In fact, Sonia Bompastor's charges have lost two of their previous four top-flight games, including a 2-0 defeat in last Saturday's meeting with London rivals Arsenal at Stamford Bridge.

As a result, Chelsea are nervously looking over their shoulder in the race for Women's Champions League qualification, with just two points separating them from Manchester United in fourth spot.

The Blues will at least head to the Etihad Stadium with the only unbeaten away record in the WSL, having won three and drawn three of their six road trips.

Chelsea can also take confidence from the fact that they are the only team to beat Man City this season, claiming a 2-1 victory in September's reverse fixture, before Wieke Kaptein scored the decisive goal in the recent League Cup semi-final tie.

They are also the last team to win an away league game against the Citizens, after they came from behind to win 2-1 at the Etihad Stadium in March 2025. 

Manchester City Women Women's Super League form:

Manchester City Women form (all competitions):

Chelsea Women Women's Super League form:

Chelsea Women form (all competitions):

Team News

© Imago / IMAGO / Sportimage

The hosts are still unable to call upon defender Naomi Layzell and attacker Mary Fowler due to hip and knee injuries respectively.

Jeglertz is hopeful that Aoba Fujino will be fit to feature in the matchday squad after missing the last five matches through injury.

USA international Sam Coffey is likely to get more minutes off the bench after making her debut as a substitute in the win over London City. 

As for Chelsea, they are likely to be without Kadiesha Buchanan, Nathalie Bjorn, Niamh Charles, Catarina Macario and Mayra Ramirez. 

Keira Walsh is in contention for a starting spot after returning from a four-game injury absence with a substitute appearance against Arsenal.

Lauren James is also an option to start at the Etihad Stadium, having been used off the bench in the last two WSL outings.

Manchester City Women possible starting lineup:

Yamashita; Casparij, Rose, Knaak, Greenwood; Blindkilde, Hasegawa; Kerolin, Miedema, Hemp; Shaw

Chelsea Women possible starting lineup:

Hampton; Bronze, Girma, Bright; Carpenter, Walsh, Cuthbert, Baltimore; James; Kerr, Thompson

We say: Manchester City Women 1-1 Chelsea Women

Man City will be keen to maintain their 100% home record in the WSL, but their primary focus will be to avoid defeat against their closest title rival, and with Chelsea struggling for consistency, we believe the two teams will cancel one another out in a score draw. 

For data analysis of the most likely results, scorelines and more for this match please click here.