Chelsea secured a fifth successive Women’s Super League (WSL) title after thrashing Manchester United 6-0 in Emma Hayes’ final game in charge.
The victory secures a record-extending seventh WSL title for the club and ensures USWNT-bound Hayes’ final season at the helm ends in silverware, as she departs following 12 years as manager.
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Chelsea finished ahead of second-placed Manchester City by virtue of a seven-goal difference after Gareth Taylor’s side also won on the final day, beating Aston Villa 2-1.
The two sides had gone into the final day of the season level on points at the top but Chelsea exploded out of the blocks with four first-half goals to leave City with next to no chance of leapfrogging them.
Mayra Ramirez scored twice while Johanna Rytting Kaneryd, Sjoeke Nusken, Melanie Leupolz and Fran Kirby — in her final game for the club — also found the net in a comprehensive win over the FA Cup winners at Old Trafford.
In their game, City won at Villa Park thanks to goals from Mary Fowler and Lauren Hemp.
Hayes, speaking to Sky Sports, said: “I can’t say it’s my most enjoyable but it’s definitely been the toughest (WSL title) without doubt and for that reason probably the sweetest. I’m just so relieved it’s over.
“What a wonderful performance from the team today. I picked a team of leaders from the beginning and I felt it was absolutely essential we had the emotional maturity and regulation for a stadium as fitting as this. We’ve lost a lot of players today so to have some of them back today, it was just an amazing performance.”
Chelsea led from the front during the first half of the WSL season but were reeled in by City after February’s 1-0 loss to Taylor’s side at Kingsmeadow. City embarked on a 14-game winning run to extend their lead at the league summit.
Chelsea’s 4-3 loss to Liverpool at the beginning of May left them six points behind City but with a game in hand, with Hayes admitting “I don’t think the title will be heading to us this year”. This followed their Continental Cup final loss to Arsenal and Champions League semi-final exit to Barcelona.
City, however, were then beaten by Arsenal four days later thanks to a pair of late Stina Blackstenius goals, and after Chelsea overhauled the goal difference deficit with their 8-0 win over Bristol City, Hayes declared the title race was “not f****** over” on the Kingsmeadow pitch.
Chelsea won their game in hand against Tottenham Hotspur 1-0 on Wednesday to leave the title race in their hands heading into the final day of the season.
CHAMPIONS OF ENGLAND!!#CFCW pic.twitter.com/BWS8XyKCX8
— Chelsea FC Women (@ChelseaFCW) May 18, 2024
Their title triumph has come despite missing injured captain Millie Bright for five months between November and April and the season-ending anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury suffered to two-time WSL Golden Boot winner Sam Kerr in January. This was followed by another ACL injury to fellow striker Mia Fishel.
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Ramirez was brought in for a record fee in January to fill the goalscoring void left by Kerr, but injury problems restricted her to seven WSL appearances.
Injuries forced younger players to step up, with Lauren James enjoying the best goalscoring season of her career. The 22-year-old is the team’s top scorer with 13.
Aggie Beever-Jones has also enjoyed a breakthrough campaign following last season’s loan spell at Everton, providing 11 league goals.
For Hayes, she leaves Chelsea after securing a 14th major trophy, and will now prepare to lead the U.S. at this summer’s Olympic Games.
(Clive Brunskill/Getty Images)
