Emma Hayes faces trophyless Chelsea last season after devastating defeat to Liverpool

Emma Hayes has admitted she is set to end her final season at Chelsea without a trophy after her side suffered a devastating Women’s Super League defeat to Liverpool.

Providing the biggest turnaround in this season’s title race so far, Liverpool took the lead after a chaotic second half thanks to central defender Gemma Bonner’s 92nd-minute header from a corner, which could be the moment that shatters dreams. from Chelsea. to win the fifth consecutive title.

This means that Gareth Taylor’s Manchester City would now be guaranteed to be champions for the first time since 2016 if they collect a minimum of four points from their remaining two games – at home against Arsenal on Sunday 5 May and away against Aston Villa, on Saturday. , May 18th.

Chelsea, who were on course for a potential quadruple when they arrived the League Cup finalthe FA Cup semi-finals and the semi-finals in Europe now need Man City to drop points or Hayes’ farewell season will end trophyless.

“We will never give up, we will keep fighting until the end, but I don’t think the title will come to us,” admitted Hayes. “Of course, mathematically it is not, but I think the title is done. Our job until the end of the season is to keep pushing until the end, but I think it will be very difficult.”

Playing just four days after Defeat in the semi-finals of the Women’s Champions League against Barcelona, ​​Chelsea started the night six points behind City but with two games in hand, and after Aggie Beever-Jones headed the opening goal from a corner in the ninth minute, they took the ball back to the center circle with the mindset of improving their goal difference.

But Matt Beard’s Liverpool rallied in the second half, enjoying great success from set pieces, and led 2-1 after Sophie Roman Haug and Bonner headed in a corner that Chelsea were unable to overcome.

The reigning champions salvaged a 2-2 draw through Beever-Jones’s clinical finish, but almost immediately Liverpool substitute Leanne Kiernan slotted past Hannah Hampton after a quick counter-attack.

Another Chelsea equalizer, this time an own goal from Teagan Micah after the rebound of Catarina Macario’s initial shot had found her, sent the Chelsea fans wild, but their celebrations were surpassed by the Liverpool fans in stoppage time when Bonner headed home after another corner.

The victory was only Liverpool’s second in their last 14 WSL meetings with Chelsea, but the second successive season in which they have beaten them at Prenton Park.

For Chelsea fans, a titleless season would be a sad end to Hayes’ hugely successful tenure following 12 trophy-laden years in charge of the club before his summer move to the United States to become women’s national team head coach.

The victory moved Liverpool level on points with fourth-placed Manchester United, while the Merseysiders continue to enjoy their best WSL season since they last won the title in 2014, a decade ago. And Beard’s in-form side host Manchester United on Sunday with the chance to move into the top four.

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