Happily, the most gripping title race of the WSL’s professional era will be its most viewed, most documented and most discussed. Maybe this is the new normal, what with booming attendance and TV deals. But, even so, every inch of the ending is primed for drama.
Enough factors have coalesced for a finish that cannot be ignored.
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Chelsea are level on points with second-placed Manchester City, but two goals ahead. City will go to Aston Villa on the final day looking for a favour from Manchester United, who host Chelsea at Old Trafford. Two weeks ago, Arsenal inadvertently dragged Chelsea back into the title race by inflicting City’s first WSL defeat since mid-November.
All this is backdropped by the unravelling of Emma Hayes’ final season as Chelsea manager.
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Rivalries in the women’s game are more venomous than they were several seasons ago. Arsenal and Chelsea’s is richer still, given the relationship between Hayes and Jonas Eidevall, Arsenal’s Swedish manager.
In its earlier years, the Premier League sold itself globally on the force of its personalities — and the dysfunction between them — as much as the on-field product. Managerial relationships in the WSL have generally proved far more collegiate: coaches and players, knowing the challenges of the women’s game, often join forces to aim their criticism at federations and governing bodies. Most WSL teams did not hold regular press conferences until 2019.
Then Eidevall arrived at Arsenal. Hayes found a nemesis and the WSL its first managerial rivalry.
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For those who have just joined us, a brief Previously, in the WSL…
When Arsenal defeated Chelsea 3-2 in their first game of the 2021-22 season, Eidevall fell to his knees in a celebration ‘liked’ more than 4,000 times on the Sky Sports WSL account on X. Ahead of the FA Cup final in December, Eidevall revealed he is superstitious. “I don’t let any black cats cross my way, ever,” he said. “If Emma sees this, she will probably buy a thousand black cats with the money Chelsea have and send them all over our training pitch. I’m going to be invaded by black cats.”
After the game, Hayes, basking in a 3-0 win, smirked that Chelsea “purred from start to finish” and meowed at the cameras.
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After winning the title that season, Chelsea’s Millie Bright and Erin Cuthbert emulated Eidevall’s pose either side of a trophy that had changed hands between them and Arsenal five times that afternoon. Weeks earlier, Eidevall had accused Chelsea of manipulating the fixture list to cope with Sam Kerr’s absence.
So it has continued. March brought the most high-profile incident yet when Hayes shoved Eidevall after defeat in the Continental Cup final and told the press that she had been responding to the “male aggression” Eidevall had demonstrated on the touchline. When asked, months later, if she would thank him for his role in dragging Chelsea back into the title race, Hayes joked that she had best remain silent but chose to remind the press that she had “always loved Swedish players”.
No love is lost between the fanbases, either.
Jeremy, a writer for the Chelsea fanzine Kingsmeadow Chronicle, says Eidevall’s actions “make you dislike him and want him to fail. And I will laugh along the way”. Arsenal fan Louise “recognises Hayes’ contributions” to growing the WSL, but adds: “I don’t really think she is someone I would like to see manage my club.
“I don’t think the rivalry would be as intense if it weren’t for her because she, or the character she portrays, adds a lot of personality to what is first and foremost a club rivalry. It’s made it more entertaining to watch.”
“Under (previous manager) Joe Montemurro, we had one of the nicest guys around who would politely and respectfully downplay so much of the rivalry,” continues Joe, an Arsenal Women fan who attends every game. “Combined with our increasingly poor record against Chelsea, it felt like that kept things very civil.
“Jonas coming in has helped a huge change. His personality and passion had more confrontation, fire and challenge to bring a different energy completely to the rivalry.
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“Emma has definitely ‘grinded’ on me over the years with her comments and frustrating amounts of success. Jonas challenging her in recent seasons has been really energising. People are so interested in what each might say about the other in ways that recall Fergie (Sir Alex Ferguson), Jose (Mourinho) and (Arsene) Wenger. Arsenal men’s fans would talk about him like someone sticking up for the club.
“We’ve used that newfound fire to build amazing support in those games against Chelsea. Proving the best fanbase is a big factor in the rivalry.”
All this is played out on social media, where the WSL has carved out its own online space replete with memes and in-jokes. Managers and players routinely trend after matches. Opposition fans have gleefully mocked the trajectory of Hayes’ farewell tour.
El, an Arsenal Women fan with 1,000 X followers who turned her profile picture black to mourn Vivianne Miedema’s departure, finds X central to her football experience. “There’s this real battle between the fans online,” she says. “Victory over Chelsea is victory over this institution in the women’s game.
“In press conferences, Hayes has said some really important, meaningful things. We also know how many odd things she’s said. That’s just an easy thing to take the mick out of. (The Manchester United manager) Marc Skinner’s also said some weird things, whereas Gareth Taylor hasn’t. He doesn’t seem to make himself a target in that way. I’d be lying if I said I didn’t enjoy that stuff, from a banter perspective.
“It’s so hard to isolate the two things in my mind: in my head, Emma Hayes is Chelsea. I follow quite a few City fans on Twitter, but I don’t follow any Chelsea fans because of that rivalry. If Gareth Taylor was that kind of character and said similar types of things, that would fuel the City rivalry much more.”
Chelsea’s unparalleled success and the force of Hayes’ personality have made her a symbol for the WSL. Her relationship with Arsenal is more complicated still because she was the club’s assistant manager when they won the Champions League in 2007. Arsenal are still the only English team to do so.
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“With my non-biased Arsenal hat on, I am so grateful for what she’s done for women’s football in driving change,” says Adam, one-third of the Arsenal Women-themed Vik Akers Wonderland podcast. “But with my Arsenal hat on, there is a strong dislike of Emma Hayes because of how well Chelsea have done. They knocked Arsenal off our perch when we were the dominant side for so long.
“Arsenal and Chelsea is our most heated rivalry because of the history and trophies. That’s one of the reasons Arsenal fans are so grateful Barcelona beat Chelsea: of all the things that Chelsea have taken from us, the one thing that Emma Hayes is yet to win at Chelsea is the Champions League.”
Emelia, a Manchester United fan, describes herself as “fiercely United”, but wants City to win the league ahead of Chelsea. A City title would be good for the city of Manchester, she says. “I think that’s something quite specific to the women’s game: there’s a lot of want from fans for other teams to have a chance,” she explains. “I know Arsenal fans who wanted Tottenham to win the FA Cup over United because they really wanted to see someone else at the top.”
That the women’s game is still in its infancy has made for rivalries not bound by geography or the customs of men’s football. It means WSL teams are now forging their own histories.
Emelia says that United fans are resentful of how Chelsea “steamrollered” their own title hopes at the end of last season. Still, she respects Hayes — “I don’t think the WSL realises how much we’re going to miss her next season” — particularly as someone challenging the stereotypes of what a female football manager should do and say.
She has told her friends that there is “no bad outcome” for her from United and Chelsea’s match on Sunday.
“If we win and Chelsea lose the league — after they came in so strong at the start of the season — it is very football,” she says. “But if they do win the league, we can all sit there and go: ‘What a nice way to close out Emma Hayes’ tenure as Chelsea manager.'”
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For United fan Femi, coming second to Chelsea last season has made a City title preferable. “To have Chelsea come to Old Trafford on the final match day to lift the WSL (again) will be a punch to the gut. I’d rather City win it than (Chelsea claim) a fifth consecutive title at Old Trafford.”
That reasoning might be unthinkable for WSL fans who feel the traditional rivalries far more keenly.
“If United take points off Chelsea, I won’t thank them,” says Charlotte, a Manchester City fan. “You never want your rivals to do well, and you want to win things on your own terms. It’s not rooting for United, but I’d laugh a lot if they took points off Chelsea.”
Chelsea and Arsenal supporters grappled with the same kind of emotions as Arsenal came from behind to beat City 2-1 earlier this month, those dropped points pushing Chelsea back into the title race after their 4-3 defeat by Liverpool earlier that week. Rob, a Chelsea fan manning the CFCW social account, tweeted: “You were permitted to say one nice thing about Arsenal for that day.”
Shane, an Arsenal fan, had more complicated feelings.
“I’m never unhappy when Arsenal win, although there was a part of me — not a part I’m proud of — that would have preferred a draw so City had things in their own hands,” he says. Chelsea fan Jeremy says he saw Arsenal fans posting on social media that they were “hoping their team would lose so they didn’t have to see Hayes lift another trophy. Her success has made people root against their own team”.
“It felt strange wanting Arsenal to win last week but, by full time, it felt a lot less like an Arsenal win and more like a Chelsea win in the long run,” adds Kyal. “You have to support your team no matter who it helps.”
(Top photos: Getty Images)