CHELSEA boss Emma Hayes vowed to embrace her final week in the job after Manchester City’s late defeat to Arsenal last weekend put the Women’s Super League title race back in the Blues’ hands.
Hayes all but conceded the title was gone after Chelsea’s 4-3 defeat to Liverpool at the start of the month left them six points behind City who had two games left to the Blues’ three.
But City conceded twice to the Gunners in the last two minutes before Chelsea thumped Bristol City 8-0. Chelsea are in action away to Tottenham Hotspur on Wednesday evening when a win will put them top. But whatever happens in that match, the results from last weekend ensured the title race would go to the final day.
Hayes leaves this summer to take over the United States women’s side, hoping it will be after guiding Chelsea to a fifth successive title.
“I’m going to enjoy being in this position,” Hayes said in her pre-match press conference ahead of the Spurs game. “You don’t often get into a position where you are competing for a title going into the last two games of a season. For those of us who have won titles, we know how hard it is.
“I’m happy to be in the position we’re in. I know we have two tough games but I’m looking forward to them.”
“You can’t win everything all of the time. But to be in a position to compete for our fifth title in five years, I’d like to see another team do that over the next five years. The reason I say that is nobody really understands how hard that is to keep winning.
“If you ask Man City, they know they were in a commanding position. They just had to get a result at home and they didn’t. A week is a long time in football.”
Spurs were beaten 4-0 by Manchester United in the FA Cup final on Sunday.
Tottenham manager Robert Vilahamn said: “I like that this game comes now. I like that we can bounce back, hopefully play some really good football and make sure we finish in a good way.
“In one way it’s good that we get this game so close to the other game. Sometimes you want to play and see if you can get back on the tracks. It’s Chelsea and it’s a big game for us.”
Chelsea are away to United on Saturday at the same time as Arsenal host Brighton & Hove Albion.
