Man City ‘got job done’ – so is WSL title race over?

If winning without playing particularly well is a sign of champions elect, it might be game over for Manchester City’s title challengers.

“Job done”, was how City’s match-winner Khadija Shaw described Sunday’s 2-1 defeat of London City Lionesses, a result that increased City’s lead at the top of the Women’s Super League to nine points.

Chelsea’s defeat by Arsenal on Saturday opened the door for City, with Sonia Bompastor saying the title race was “probably over”.

Those comments – possibly mind games from the Chelsea manager – looked premature as City suffered for long periods against London City, but Shaw’s late strike secured what could be a priceless win.

“It’s about getting the job done, no matter how it looks,” Shaw told Sky Sports.

“It was a difficult game today but we’ve shown throughout the season that we never give up and today was an example of that.

“We came out here knowing what we had to do and we got the job done.”

The next of City’s nine remaining games is at home to Chelsea on Sunday (14:30 GMT) but even if they lose, they will still hold a six-point lead and a far superior goal difference.

So – is the title race over?

City hold a nine-point lead over Chelsea with 27 left to play for. Having won 12 games in a row since an opening day defeat by Bompastor’s side, it seems unlikely they will lose three of their final nine outings.

Opponents are struggling to stop City from scoring, never mind take points off them.

City have scored in their past 27 WSL games, their longest scoring run in the competition, while this season they have scored an average of 2.7 goals per game (netting 36 in total).

Shaw has played a significant role on that front – with 13 league goals this term, the Jamaican looks a shoo-in to win the Golden Boot for a third straight season.

One criticism sometimes levelled at City is their reliance on Shaw. While there is no denying her importance in Jeglertz’s system, her team-mates are more than pulling their own weight.

Vivianne Miedema is the WSL’s all-time leading goalscorer, but this season is thriving in a withdrawn role at the tip of Shaw’s supporting cast.

It was her perfectly weighted pass that set up Kerolin to score the opener on Sunday; the Brazil winger has contributed three goals and three assists in her past five league appearances.

Now that their early-season injury spike is clearing up, City’s strength and quality in depth cannot be overstated.

Forwards Aoba Fujino and Mary Fowler are nearing returns from injury, while the bench on Sunday boasted Sydney Lohmann, Iman Beney, Grace Clinton and Sam Coffey.

The latter, a club record £600,000 signing, made her debut from the bench and took the corner that led to Shaw’s winner.

City did not play well in south-east London, but like all great champions they found a way to win.

“There’s something in their eyes, a determination that we will find ways [to win],” said Jeglertz.

“There is something in this group that even though it is not a beautiful game, we still find ways to win, to keep on going.

“I am very happy and proud of this winning mentality in the group.”

There is still hope for Chelsea, though.

This was only Eder Maestre’s second match in charge of London City, but his side identified City’s weaknesses and were deserving of at least a point.

City’s midfield pivot of Yui Hasegawa and Laura Blindkilde Brown has been superb all season, but London City played on their lack of physicality and vulnerability to transitions.

City’s high defensive line was tested to its limits – Isobel Goodwin ran in behind Rebecca Knaak and Jade Rose on several occasions, but a combination of poor finishing and goalkeeper Ayaka Yamashita denied her a goal.

This was a blueprint of how to hurt a Jeglertz side, but, apart from Freya Godfrey’s brilliant strike, the hosts did not convert the chances that might have broken City’s spirit.

City are three wins from breaking their club record 14-game WSL winning streak set in 2023-24.

However, they will be painfully aware that was the season they surrendered a six-point lead at the top with only two games remaining. Chelsea pipped them to the title on goal difference.

Lose to Chelsea next weekend – as they did in the League Cup semi-finals on Wednesday – then City may begin to feel the heat.

“There are a lot of games left, but there are no easy wins,” said Jeglertz.

“We play Arsenal, Chelsea, Manchester United, Tottenham. All teams will find different ways to challenge us. It’s a lot of games.

“We have some disappointment after we lost to them [Chelsea] in the week, so we are focused on finding another way of winning that game.”

“We have done a great season so far. We just need to keep on going and be humble in this situation.”

Ben Haines, Ellen White and Jen Beattie are back for another season of the Women’s Football Weekly podcast. New episodes drop every Tuesday on BBC Sounds, plus find interviews and extra content from the Women’s Super League and beyond on the Women’s Football Weekly feed