Yes, I had some frustration, as you saw, said Sonia Bompastor after Chelseas 1-1 draw with Manchester United in the Womens Super League (WSL) on Friday night. I got a yellow card for no reason.
The Chelsea managers assertion of innocence was accompanied by a beaming smile and, for all we know, Bompastors assertion might be genuine.
Albeit you could hazard a guess it had something to do with the eviscerated eardrum of the fourth official around the hour mark after Chelsea forward Catarina Macario was penalised, even though it was United midfielder Julia Zigiotti Olme hanging on tight to the USWNT forwards shirt in the penalty area.
But really, the question isnt about cards or fouls, but about at what point does the hot breath of the title race creep up on you when youre Chelsea?
Is it constant radio static all season long? Or does it arise in moments like these: When Uniteds Progress With Unity Stadium (formerly known as Leigh Sport Village) heaves and bays on a stormy October night? Or does it come the next day, as Manchester Citys Iman Beney drives an 88th-minute winner into the bottom corner of Arsenals Daphne van Domselaars goal, lifting City within a point of Chelsea at the top and sending Arsenal into crisis mode?
A 24-hour period in Manchester that pitched the leagues four title contenders in a frenzied cage fight would always produce bold lines for us to draw back to come May.
While it is just barely October, and dangerously premature to dive headfirst into prophecies, it was telling that as the full-time whistle blew on Friday night, both Chelsea and United players folded forward in equal parts exhaustion and agony, a breathlessly entertaining exchange ultimately ending with opportunities missed for both sides.
So, too, was the ecstasy at which City celebrated their equally exhilarating 3-2 victory over Arsenal, their joy at odds with the dejection of the Arsenal players who had twice clawed their way back to parity but failed to hold on.
Arsenal are now winless in three matches, seven dropped points in total, more than Chelsea lost all last season, and are fifth in the table behind Tottenham Hotspur. Chelsea remain top, City just a point behind and United two.
The reigning champions Chelsea are undefeated now in 27 league matches, a loosely mystical streak of 522 days (and counting) stretching back to May 2024. That streak will end. Because monkeys bang on typewriters and kingdoms fall.
For passing moments against United, it looked as if it would be on Friday, because Jess Park and Ella Toone continued to discover telepathy, while left-back Anna Sandberg, who provided Uniteds equaliser with a stunning volley, stepped into some golden light.
But as was the case against Arsenal two weeks prior, Uniteds lack of depth showed. Bompastor summoned first her million-dollar USWNT winger in Alyssa Thompson from the bench, then two-time WSL Golden Boot winner Sam Kerr. United replied with 37-year-old striker Rachel Williams.
When you are the Chelsea manager, you have the luxury to have depth in your squad, Bompastor said.
Depth is key to the second part of the season, Uniteds head coach Marc Skinner said afterwards. We drew those games with Arsenal and Chelsea. Thats a statement of where we want to head. Well look to add in January.
City also made a statement. Still without forwards Lauren Hemp, Mary Fowler and Kerolin through injury, City looked dynamic and fierce, capable of wreaking havoc via fresh angles.
This was a statement to ourselves, City manager Andree Jeglertz told the media after the win. I can stand in front of the team and say, I believe we can win the league and we can beat all the teams. But if we dont do it, it can become empty words.
We lost against Chelsea, so we needed this (victory over Arsenal) to make sure that when we play these teams again, we believe we can win. Confidence as a team is the most important thing.
City deserve as many plaudits for the victory as Arsenal deserve criticism for the defeat. The reigning European champions were scattered in defence, prosaic and shallow in attack, despite the options at Renee Slegers disposal. Arsenals flanks were regularly targeted despite Jeglertz admitting the initial game plan was to sear through Arsenals middle. It is a script becoming increasingly familiar.
We are very disappointed with the result, said Slegers post-match. The league is small, anything that is within our control we want to try to control, but of course were disappointed.
Slegers stopped short of admitting Arsenal are in the land of asking for favours elsewhere to remain in the title race. Arsenal host Chelsea in the coming weeks, a two-pronged opportunity for both spoiling and redemption.
Thats if Arsenal get things right. Theyve done so before, as recently as last season, recovering from a lethargic start under former manager Jonas Eidevall to claim triumph in Europe under Slegers.
At which point Chelsea might point to their treble win, or, more simply, their opening goal against United. A work of art, all slick feet and fast cunning, Macario audaciously back heeling Wieke Kaptein into the penalty area because she can. It is this vein of Chelsea that looks capable of romping to a seventh successive league title, vulnerable in the central pockets and in transition, sure, but good enough in other areas to not be punished yet.
This weekends matches exposed the vulnerabilities in each side: Chelseas midfield, Citys still growing familiarity with each other, Uniteds lack of depth, and Arsenals static predictability.
The WSL title race remains, for now, joyously open, for those awake to it.
This article originally appeared in The Athletic.
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