Chelsea edged past Manchester City in the Women’s League Cup final to win their first trophy under Sonia Bompastor and keep their bid for a historic quadruple alive.
Bompastor has exceeded expectations since succeeding Emma Hayes as head coach last May, winning 26 of her 28 games.
Mayra Ramirez netted an early opener for Chelsea, bundling in a rebound that bounced off City skipper Laia Aleixandri at Derby County’s Pride Park.
Aoba Fujino levelled after the break with a stunning strike, but an own goal by Yui Hasegawa restored Chelsea’s lead and ended their three-year losing streak in League Cup finals.
City, who were playing their first game under interim boss Nick Cushing following Gareth Taylor’s sacking five days ago, dominated play after Chelsea’s opener.
But they were unable to find a way through during the first half as Chelsea’s solid centre-back paring of Millie Bright and Nathalie Bjorn stood firm, limiting City’s chances to ambitious efforts from the edge of the box.
Chelsea appeared to regain control after the interval, but Fujino’s powerful strike flew past Hannah Hampton and into the roof of the net before Hasegawa’s own goal handed momentum back to Bompastor’s side.
They remain in the hunt for the Champions League and FA Cup, while they have all but secured a sixth successive Women’s Super League (WSL) title, sitting eight points clear at the top of the table with six games remaining.
This final marked the start of an intense 12-day battle, with Chelsea and City playing each other four times in a row.
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Erling Haaland took advantage of a major blunder from Chelsea goalkeeper Robert Sanchez to score the decisive goal as Manchester City won to return to the Premier League’s top four.
Sanchez was caught badly out of position as he came out, then tried to scurry back as Haaland tussled with Chelsea defender Trevoh Chalobah to reach Ederson’s long punt forward.
When Haaland won the physical duel, he deliberately moved the ball on to his left foot before chipping Sanchez for his 18th league goal of the season and his sixth in his last six games in all competitions.
Phil Foden wrapped up victory three minutes from time when he ran on to Haaland’s lay-off to score his fifth goal in four games.
The win extended City’s unbeaten league run to six, gave Ederson the notable achievement of becoming the first goalkeeper to claim two assists in a single season in 16 years and, more importantly, spared the blushes of £33.6m debutant Abdukodir Khusanov, who had been at fault for Chelsea’s third-minute opener – when he headed the ball into Nicolas Jackson’s path deep into the City half. Jackson’s square pass to Noni Madueke gave the forward a tap-in.
Foden struck a post and City’s other new signing Omar Marmoush had a goal disallowed before Josko Gvardiol equalised as he reacted quickest to finish the rebound after Sanchez had denied Matheus Nunes.
After a bright start, during which they failed to take a golden chance to double their lead when Cole Palmer squared a pass too far in front of Jackson, who would have had an open goal to aim at, Chelsea faded and are now without a win in 11 meetings with City.
Despite rotating his stellar roster of international attacking players, Enzo Maresca’s side did not really threaten to force their way back into the contest once Haaland had struck.
Premier League defending champions Manchester City will host Chelsea today in the marquee match of Matchday 23 of the 2024/25 season.
Dubbed the ‘Battle of the Money Bags’, this encounter features former Manchester City assistant manager Enzo Maresca squaring off against his former mentor, Pep Guardiola, for the second time this season. The reverse fixture earlier in the campaign ended in a 2-0 victory for the Citizens.
Fresh off a dominant 6-0 win over Ipswich last weekend, Guardiola’s team, currently fifth in the league standings, will aim to leapfrog Chelsea with a win. Fans can stream the highly anticipated showdown live with a Showmax Premier League mobile plan at 6:30 PM on Saturday.
The Citizens are bolstered by the return of key players John Stones, Nathan Aké, Kevin De Bruyne, and Mateo Kovačić, as they look to close the gap at the top of the table. Meanwhile, Chelsea, who held City to a 1-1 draw at the Etihad last season, will be determined to maintain their position in the top four.
Also today, league leaders Liverpool will host Ipswich at Anfield in one of the 4:00 PM kickoffs. Arne Slot’s men remain six points clear of second-placed Arsenal, who will simultaneously face Wolverhampton Wanderers. Brighton takes on Everton at the Amex, while third-placed Nottingham Forest welcomes Bournemouth.
The weekend wraps up with a thrilling line-up of Super Sunday fixtures. Manchester United, sitting 13th , will visit Craven Cottage to face Fulham at 8:00 PM, streaming live on Showmax. With just one win in their last six league matches, the Red Devils risk being dragged into a relegation scrap if their struggles persist.
Other matches tomorrow include Tottenham hosting Leicester City, Crystal Palace taking on Brentford, and Aston Villa welcoming West Ham United.
Now prioritising a top-four finish in the Premier League after seeing their title aspirations quashed earlier in the campaign, Manchester City and Chelsea do battle at the Etihad Stadium this evening.
The two teams lock horns for the first time since the opening day of the season in August last year when the Citizens secured a 2-0 win at Stamford Bridge.
Just when it looked like Man City were beginning to turn a corner, scoring 23 goals and conceding only four during a six-game unbeaten run, Pep Guardiola’s side came crashing back down to earth with a disappointing 4-2 defeat at Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League on Wednesday night.
Despite boasting a two-goal lead early in the second half, the Citizens capitulated – not for the first time this season – and conceded three goals in 22 minutes before Goncalo Ramos added a fourth for PSG in added time, leaving Man City deflated and now in serious danger of failing to qualify for the knockout rounds.
Sitting 25th in the Champions League standings and needing a win from their final match with Club Brugge next week to secure a last-16 playoff spot, Man City have now failed to win nine games across all competitions in which they were ahead – the most of any Premier League club this season.
Guardiola and co must dust themselves down quickly as they prepare for a challenging run of Premier League fixtures against Chelsea, Arsenal, Newcastle United, Liverpool, Tottenham Hotspur and Nottingham Forest – a run that may define their season as they pursue a top-four finish.
Man City have lost each of their last three Premier League games played immediately after a European midweek match, but they are unbeaten in their last seven top-flight encounters with today’s opponents Chelsea (W5 D2).
After enduring a blip in form either side of the New Year (D2 L2), Chelsea have since won two and drawn one of their last three fixtures in all competitions, picking up four points across their last two Premier League home games against Bournemouth and Wolverhampton Wanderers.
The West Londoners salvaged a point at the death in a 2-2 draw with Bournemouth, before beating Wolves 3-1 on Monday. Goals from Tosin Adarabioyo, Marc Cucurella and Noni Madueke helped Chelsea end a five-match winless run in the Premier League and seal their 11th top-flight success of the campaign.
Although he felt that Chelsea “could have scored more” against Wolves, head coach Enzo Maresca is pleased to have seen his side climb back into the top four, two points ahead of Saturday’s opponents Man City in fifth whom they have struggled against in recent years.
Indeed, Chelsea have failed to win any of their last 10 meetings with the Citizens across all competitions (D2 L8) since beating Guardiola’s side 1-0 in the 2021 Champions League final, three weeks after they claimed their last Premier League win over Man City (2-1) at the Etihad.
Chelsea have actually collected more points away from home (21) than at Stamford Bridge (19) so far this season, but they head to the Etihad this weekend without a win in their last three games on the road (D2 L1), while they have kept just one clean sheet in their last 16 PL away matches against Man City and have failed to score on seven occasions during this run.
Defender Tosin Adarabioyo scored twice from outside the box as Chelsea cruised into the fourth round of the FA Cup with a win over League Two strugglers Morecambe at Stamford Bridge.
Morecambe keeper Harry Burgoyne impressed in the first half and saved Christopher Nkunku’s early penalty after visiting captain Yann Songo’o was penalised for a handball.
But Chelsea eventually broke the deadlock in fortunate circumstances as Adarabioyo’s shot from the edge of the box deflected wickedly off midfielder Callum Jones into the net after 39 minutes.
Straight after the restart Nkunku netted the Blues’ second on the rebound after Burgoyne had denied Renato Veiga.
Adarabioyo, who had only scored once for Chelsea before Saturday, netted his second and the hosts’ third in the 70th minute with a wonderful curling effort into the top corner from 25 yards out.
And, as Morecambe faded, Joao Felix added two further late goals, the first a side-footed finish from the edge of the area and the second a fine curling strike from a tight angle, to give Chelsea a resounding win.”
Chelsea’s winless Premier League run has been extended to four games after Jean-Philippe Mateta struck late to salvage a draw for Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park.
The Blues ended 2024 in disappointing fashion – losing successive matches and failing to win in three – and that problematic form has been carried over into 2025.
Cole Palmer got Chelsea off to the perfect start after 14 minutes, scoring his 13th goal in the league after some fine work from Jadon Sancho.
Chelsea pressed for further goals but Nicolas Jackson spurned three chances while Sancho, Moises Caicedo and Josh Acheampong shot wide.
Palace did not muster an effort on target until the 35th minute with Jefferson Lerma’s shot comfortably collected by goalkeeper Robert Sanchez.
Despite dominating throughout the first half, Chelsea were almost made to pay for their inability to grab a second when Eberechi Eze shot narrowly wide shortly after the restart.
Super Eagles and Fulham defender Calvin Bassey has been included in BBC’s Premier League Team of the Week for gameweek 18 following his outstanding performance during Fulham’s 2-1 win against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge.
Chelsea opened the scoring through Cole Palmer, but goals from super subs Harry Wilson and Rodrigo Muniz secured a historic victory for the Cottagers, defeating their West London rivals at Stamford Bridge for the first time in the Premier League era.
Bassey came close to scoring a spectacular goal 26 minutes into the first half but Chelsea’s Robert Sánchez thwarted his effort.
The Nigeria international had dribbled from his own half before unleashing a low shot that the Spanish goalkeeper saved.
Premier League leaders Liverpool have contributed two players to Troy Deeney’s Team of the Week, in the shape of Curtis Jones and Cody Gakpo.
Newcastle United have three representatives, namely Joelinton, Anthony Gordon and Alexander Isak.
Aaron Wan-Bissaka (West Ham), Pervis Estupinan (Brighton), Murillo (Nottingham Forest), Matheus Cunha (Wolves) and Matz Sels (Nottingham Forest) complete the Best XI.
Against Chelsea, Bassey amassed 103 touches, more than any other player on the pitch, and registered one shot on target.
Chelsea came from 2-0 down to beat Tottenham 4-3 to go second in the Premier League thanks to two Cole Palmer penalties.
Dominic Solanke and Dejan Kulusevski gave under-fire Spurs boss Ange Postecoglou a dream starts.
But his cavalier attacking approach will come under more scrutiny as Chelsea roared back to extend their unbeaten Premier League run to seven games.
Jadon Sancho gave the visitors a foothold before they dominated the second half with Palmer twice cool from the spot, either side of Enzo Fernandez’s strike.
Chelsea close to within four points of leaders Liverpool, who have a game in hand after their visit to Everton on Saturday was postponed due to high winds.
Son Heung-min’s 96th-minute goal was little consolation for Spurs who have won just once in seven games and remain 11th in the table.
Postecoglou was involved in an angry confrontation with his own supporters after a dismal display in a 1-0 defeat to Bournemouth on Thursday.
Spurs have often saved their best for the biggest games this season, beating Manchester City twice and cruising to a 3-0 win at Manchester United early in the campaign.
Postecoglou’s men flew out of the traps to leave an in-form Chelsea chasing shadows in the early stages.
Kulusevski then meandered along the edge of the Blues’ box before firing low past Robert Sanchez to make it 2-0 inside 11 minutes.
Sancho scored his first Chelsea goal in a 5-1 romp at bottom-of-the-table Southampton in midweek to earn himself a start.
The Manchester United loanee quickly got the visitors back in the game with a brilliant long-range strike past Fraser Forster.
Somehow that was the end of the scoring in a frantic, fast-paced first 45 minutes that had chances aplenty at both ends.
Pape Sarr headed off the crossbar and Solanke should have converted Son’s cross to extend Tottenham’s lead.
At the other end, Forster stretched his long limbs to deny Palmer and Pedro Neto an equalizer.
Both sides were also fortunate to get to the break with 11 men still on the field.
Moises Caicedo’s studs-up challenge on Sarr was deemed not to have excessive force by the VAR official.
Likewise, Kulusevski escaped further punishment for a stray elbow on Romeo Lavia.
Led by Palmer, Chelsea took control after the break to rub more salt in Spurs wounds and leave Postecoglou’s future up for debate.
The former Australia boss bemoaned this week how his side often “shoot themselves in the foot” and so it proved for the vital fourth goal.
Yves Bissouma unnecessarily dived in on Caicedo to concede a penalty, which Palmer coolly dispatched to level.
Palmer had a major role in Chelsea’s third as well as his shot was blocked after a weaving run into the Spurs box, but the ball fell for Fernandez to blast home from the edge of the area.
To compound Tottenham’s woes, both their preferred centre-back pairing of Cristian Romero and Micky van de Ven both had to be replaced after being rushed back from injury to start.
Another moment of madness secured the points when Sarr barged Palmer over inside the area.
The England international this time impudently dinked the spot-kick Panenka-style down the middle of Forster’s goal.
Son turned in James Maddison’s cross to set up a nervy finale.
But Enzo Maresca’s men held on to close in on Liverpool and further their case as unexpected contenders for the title.
Chelsea staged an incredible comeback on Sunday against Tottenham at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium beating the home team 4-3.
Tottenham who took the early lead scored 2goals in 11minutes to set the pace however Sancho scored his second in Chelsea shirt to half the deficit going into half time.
The second half saw Chelsea roared back as Cole Palmer converted from the spot twice in the 61st and 84th minute, keeping an 100% record from the penalty spot.
