Fara Williams predicts WSL title race ahead of tense run-in
WSL legend and two-time former champion Fara Williams has backed Chelsea to come out on top in this season’s tantalising four-way title race, ahead of Arsenal and Manchester United.
That would be a fourth successive WSL triumph for a dominant Chelsea side that has mastered the art of winning in recent years. Only the top three will qualify for next season’s Champions League, with Williams suggesting that Manchester City will be the team that misses out.
As is stands, Manchester United lead the table a point ahead of Chelsea but have played a game more than the Blues. Arsenal are third, three points back from United and also with a game in hand, with City fourth, three points off the top and no games in hand.
Williams, who earned a reputation for accurate predictions during England’s Euro 2022 triumph last summer, has also stayed loyal to the order of the top four prediction she previously gave to 90min only a month into the season in October.
Aside from an extra game and therefore having their destiny in their own hands, Chelsea also have the added advantage of the most favourable fixtures in Williams’ eyes.
“They have a more winnable run of fixtures than the other three teams, so I think that plays in their favour,” she told the latest episode of 90min Talks.
In amongst their WSL run-in, Emma Hayes’ side also have to contend with a two-legged Champions League semi-final against Barcelona.
“Obviously the Barcelona fixtures are going to be tough for them and that could swing momentum – if they get heavily beaten, how would that affect them mentally coming back into the league? But I think Emma breeds her teams differently to any other,” Williams explained.
“We’ve seen that growth and development, and mentality within that Chelsea squad.”
One of the biggest remaining fixtures in the WSL this season is the hugely significant clash between Manchester United and Arsenal at Leigh Sports Village on Wednesday night. Yet while the Gunners have experience that United may not, being without several important players like Beth Mead, Vivianne Miedema and now Kim Little as well, could hamstring them.
“The United one will be a test, and Chelsea and Everton away are difficult – all the way up to Liverpool [from London], it’s so far…and Everton have a point to prove with how much they have invested,” was Williams’ take on Arsenal’s more challenging games to come.
“The conditions [at Walton Hall Park] are really windy. It’s probably not the best stadium within the women’s game, but I know Everton have always been fond of it, making it difficult for teams.
“Experience plays a massive part within teams and they’ve got that over Man United, for sure. But they have got big key players missing.”
United currently lead the pack right now, but Williams has suggested their chance of going all the way and winning the title went in last month’s narrow defeat to Chelsea
“If it was in their hands and they had Chelsea [to play] again, they could potentially go on to win the league. But it’s out of their hands because they lost to Chelsea. I know they’re top at the minute, but I think that’s where their league was lost,” she said.
“Arsenal…competitive game. Manchester City is a derby. Liverpool-United is always seen as a derby and Liverpool players will not want to lose against United. The form that Aston Villa are in, that’s another big game. I still think United will beat Villa comfortably, but they’ve got the most difficult run-in.”
Chelsea, Arsenal and Manchester City, not always in that order, have exclusively finished in the WSL top three in each of the last seven seasons – plus the 2017 Spring Series.
But while Williams wouldn’t rule out City putting together another run after their 14-game unbeaten streak was recently ended by Arsenal just prior to the April international break, she has concerns about their lack of a Plan B if a game isn’t going in their favour.
“They could come back [from the international break], go unbeaten until the end of the season and win all their games,” England’s most capped player of all time offered.
“They’ve gone about their business really quiet. I remember watching them against Villa [in the opening game] and thinking they’re in trouble this year. They looked clueless and had lost the spine of the team. To only lose the first two and then go 14 unbeaten…unbelievable.
“The thing with City is they play one way and one way only. If it’s not working, they only know that way and they won’t change it for the opposition. If they’re stuck in a game, they’re stuck, that’s it.”