Chelsea Women face Man City with top spot at stake and two stars ruled out

Chelsea Women can take back top spot on Saturday, but they will have to do it without Lauren James and Naomi Girma. Sonia Bompastor has confirmed both will miss the visit of Manchester City to Stamford Bridge.

City arrive two points clear of Chelsea, with neither side beaten in the WSL this season. A home win would put the Blues a point ahead. An away victory would leave them five behind.

That is the immediate prize at 1.30pm on Saturday 14 November. There is also a chance for Chelsea to respond to the 5-1 defeat they suffered when these sides last met in the league in February, as Chelsea’s own preview recalls.

Chelsea Women team news: James and Girma miss out

Bompastor’s latest update rules James and Girma out for the rest of this block of fixtures, which ends next weekend before the women’s international break. Neither is available for Saturday.

“I think LJ is good, but I don’t think we expect to see her in this block,” Bompastor said, as reported by Hayters TV. “That’s the same for Nay. She’s now more advanced, not far from starting to train with the team again.”

Bompastor, named WSL Manager of the Month this week, saw her side’s run of seven straight league wins end in last weekend’s 1-1 draw with Everton. She wants a sharper response in front of goal. She also expects a different contest from games against teams who defend deep: City’s willingness to attack should leave more space for Chelsea to use.

“We have hunger going into the game tomorrow,” Bompastor said at her pre-match press conference.

Her message about Khadija Shaw was equally clear. Chelsea have to respect the striker’s threat without allowing City’s other attackers to benefit from all the attention being placed on one player.

Man City could welcome back three players

Andrée Jeglertz is hopeful that Niamh Charles, Beth Mead and Vivianne Miedema can return after all three trained on Thursday. Charles could face her former club, while Miedema is working towards her first appearance of the season after a knee problem.

City’s official team news also confirms Rebecca Knaak returned to full training after a collision in the Champions League win over Inter. The possible returns are not confirmed starts.

City have injury problems of their own. The club’s earlier update on Alex Greenwood and Anna Moorhouse said the pair were expected to remain unavailable until after the international break.

Why this game can change the top of the table

Chelsea’s match guide lists City on 25 points from nine games and Chelsea on 23. The Blues’ draw with Everton last weekend allowed City to move above them.

Result at Stamford Bridge	Position between the two sides
Chelsea win	Chelsea lead City by one point
Draw	City stay two points ahead
City win	City move five points clear

The key contest: Shaw against Chelsea’s defence

Shaw has 12 goals in nine league appearances, according to the WSL’s weekend preview. Keeping her away from clear chances is an obvious priority, but Bompastor’s warning about the supporting cast matters.

Our view: Chelsea need the balance between pressing for the win and protecting the space behind them. Committing more players forward will count for little if City can turn a loose pass into a chance at the other end. At the same time, Chelsea cannot afford to waste the openings Bompastor expects City’s approach to create.

What channel is Chelsea Women vs Man City on?

The match is live on BBC One and BBC iPlayer in the UK, with kick-off at 1.30pm GMT on Saturday 14 November at Stamford Bridge. For more, follow our football coverage.