5 talking points as the 2024-25 Women’s Super League season concludes

With the 2024-25 Women’s Super League season drawing to a close on Saturday, the PA news agency looks at some talking points from the competition’s 14th campaign.

New-era Chelsea champions again

Going into the season Chelsea fans may have had some apprehension about what lay ahead with Emma Hayes, the manager who made the team the dominant force in the English women’s game, having departed to take charge of the United States.

But what has followed under former Lyon boss Sonia Bompastor has been not only in keeping with what went before but possibly a new level.

The Blues, 12 points clear at the top, wrapped up their sixth-consecutive title with two games to spare and if they avoid defeat against Liverpool at Stamford Bridge this weekend they will be the first side to complete a 22-match WSL campaign unbeaten. They also have the chance to make it a domestic treble when they play Manchester United in the FA Cup final on May 18.

Arsenal turnaround

Arsenal only registered one victory in their first four league games of the season and – after losing 5-2 at Bayern Munich in the Champions League, then 2-1 at home to Chelsea three days later – boss Jonas Eidevall resigned.

Renee Slegers – initially interim head coach before being given the job permanently in January – has subsequently overseen an impressive upturn, with the Gunners winning 13 out of 15 league games after that and also reaching the Champions League final. Having then lost their last two, they will look to cement second place when they take on United at the Emirates Stadium on Saturday.

United back in the top three

Although they claimed their first major trophy in 2023-24, winning the FA Cup, United were looking for a considerable improvement this season in terms of the league, having finished fifth.

England goalkeeper Mary Earps was a big-name departure last summer, but replacement Phallon Tullis-Joyce has excelled, keeping 13 clean sheets as part of the division’s most effective defence (12 goals conceded) that also features new skipper Maya Le Tissier, and Marc Skinner’s side have sealed a Champions League berth, lying a point behind Arsenal in third ahead of Saturday’s match, as well as reaching another FA Cup final.

City woes

It has been a contrasting tale for United’s derby rivals Manchester City, who were runners-up on goal difference behind Chelsea last term.

A year on they are finishing outside the European places in fourth at the end of a troubled, injury-hit 2024-25 that has seen them record only six wins in their last 14 league outings, and sack manager Gareth Taylor in March, bringing Nick Cushing back as interim boss. They host relegated Crystal Palace on Saturday.

Short stay for Palace

Palace have made an immediate return to the Championship, changing manager from Laura Kaminski to Leif Smerud in February not enough to save them from a fate that was confirmed with a 7-1 thrashing at the hands of West Ham last month.

Winning only twice and conceding 60 goals, they are the second-successive team to finish bottom after coming up – it will be interesting to see how things go for next term for promoted London City Lionesses, whose owner Michele Kang has spoken of ambitions to win the WSL.