Chelsea Women have won their sixth consecutive Women's Super League title with two games to spare courtesy of a smash-and-grab 1-0 win over Manchester United Women at Leigh Sports Village.
Thanks to Arsenal's shock 5-2 loss at Aston Villa earlier on Wednesday evening, Sonia Bompastor's side needed just a point away to the Red Devils to reaffirm their status as England's top dogs.
The Blues did not produce a vintage display by any stretch of the imagination, but they absorbed copious amounts of Man United pressure and clinched yet another title thanks to Lucy Bronze's second-half header.
Faced with an incredibly hostile atmosphere at Leigh Sports Village, Chelsea enjoyed the bulk of first-half possession, but it was Marc Skinner's side who spurned two big chances to take the lead in the opening 45.
More opportunities came and went for the hosts in the second half, and they were punished in the 74th minute, as Bronze flicked a header into the far side of the net from a Sandy Baltimore corner after Man United goalkeeper Phallon Tullis-Joyce came to punch the cross away and missed.
The visitors comfortably survived seven minutes of added time to make sure of their sixth straight top-flight title, helping Chelsea fans and players take their minds off their recent Champions League semi-final thumping at the hands of Barcelona.
As well as wrapping up yet another first-placed finish, Chelsea set a new all-time record for the longest unbeaten streak in a single WSL season, having avoided defeat in all 20 matches so far this term; Manchester City held the previous best with a 19-game undefeated run in the 2018-19 campaign.
Ben Knapton
