Chelsea stadium announcer gets it right as Arsenal stumble after sock issue

If desire is the hallmark of champions, then Chelsea might already have one hand on the Women's Super League (WSL) trophy.

The Blues have won the title in each of the last four seasons but their rampant first-half display against London rivals Arsenal on Friday night proved their appetite to win has certainly not been diminished by their previous success. If anything, the sight of captain Niamh Charles calling her teammates together for an impassioned pep talk after Lauren James opened the scoring at Stamford Bridge showed Emma Hayes' crop of perennial winners are determined to give their totemic manager the send off she deserves before she takes up a new position as head coach of the US Women's national team at the end of the season.

The magnitude of Friday's clash was neatly summarised by the stadium announcer at Stamford Bridge before kick-off: «The two biggest teams in the league under one roof,» was the booming cry as the players emerged from the tunnel for their pre-match warm-ups.

Of course, Manchester City — who started the day level on points with Hayes' side and three points clear of the Gunners — might have something to say about that. But the stakes always feel at their highest when the top flight's most-played fixture rolls into town and this, the 25th WSL meeting between the two sides, was certainly no exception.

Friday's showdown in west London was Chelsea's fourth game of the month, with an other four to come before March is out. And that unrelenting fixture list has come at a cost in recent weeks, with the league leaders missing a host of first-team players — including injured talisman Sam Kerr and record signing Mayra Ramirez — for their clash with Jonas Eidevall's side.

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