Chelsea Women v Manchester City Women: Prediction, Tips and Odds

Saturday sees the biggest Women's Super League clash of the season, with defending champions Chelsea likely to be involved in a tight game against Manchester City, who they pipped to glory last term on goal difference to win their fifth successive title.

The Citizens have already laid down their marker this season, winning six straight league games after an opening 2-2 draw at Arsenal and have also gained kudos from beating UEFA Women's Champions League holders Barcelona in a group game.

However, Chelsea will not lie down easily and have coped admirably with a change of management, currently holding a perfect record from their six WSL games.

Chelsea Women v Manchester City Women betting tips and predictions

Draw - 5/2

Manchester City came agonisingly close to ending Chelsea's reign as Women's Super League champions last season as Emma Hayes' side claimed their fifth successive title on goal difference, and the early indications are this year's race is going to be just as tight.

Hayes has departed the Blues to take charge of the USA women's team, but the transition has been smooth and they are still going great guns under new boss Sonia Bompastor.

The Blues have won all six of their league matches and would gain a significant psychological edge if they could return to the top of the table while still holding a game in hand over their rivals, but it may not be as simple as that.

The only occasion when Chelsea have been beaten in their last 39 home league games was against City last season when Khadija Shaw's goal was enough to give Gareth Taylor's team a 1-0 win and the Jamaican forward has taken up from where she left off last season.

She has scored seven goals in seven league appearances, including a hat-trick in last week's 4-0 victory over Tottenham.

Both teams rung the changes for their midweek UEFA Women's Champions League assignments - Chelsea beat Celtic 2-1 and City won 2-0 against Hammarby - with this fixture in mind, but there looks a strong chance that the teams cancel themselves out, so backing the draw looks the most sensible betting option.

Under 2.5 goals - 19/20

With a tight game expected to ensue at Stamford Bridge, it seems likely that the two defences could hold the upper hand and goals may be scarce.

The last five meetings have each failed to produce more than two goals and there is a strong chance that this encounter will follow that pattern as Chelsea have conceded just three league goals this season, while two of the four City have shipped have in the WSL came in their opening draw against Arsenal.

Both teams have to cope with the absence of vital creative players, with Lauren James sidelined for the Blues and the Citizens likely to be missing her Lioness team-mate Lauren Hemp, so there looks a strong chance that under 2.5 goals will be a winning bet.

Jill Roord to have a shot on target - 11/10

Shaw has grabbed plenty of headlines with her goalscoring record for Manchester City, but Dutch attacking midfielder Jill Roord is also playing a dominant role and could make her presence felt.

Roord has scored in each of her last three WSL appearances against Aston Villa, Crystal Palace and Tottenham Hotspur, so looks to have her eye in.

The former Arsenal and Bayern Munich star fired in 10 shots in those three games, five of which were on target and there looks a strong chance she will test the Chelsea goalkeeper on Saturday.

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Chelsea Women v Manchester City Women odds

Chelsea Women - 10/11
Draw - 5/2
Manchester City Women - 27/10

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This article was written by a partner sports writer via Spotlight Sports Group. All odds displayed on this page were correct at the time of writing and are subject to withdrawal or change at any time.