#wsl

#wsl

Manchester City are six points clear at the summit and take on the London City Lionesses on Saturday, but Chelsea's clash with Arsenal headlines this round of WSL matches. The Blues can pull further clear of Renee Slegers' side with a win as they aim to keep up the pressure at the top, while the Gunners are hoping to breathe fresh life into their slim title prospects. But Arsenal also have one eye on the teams directly behind them, as the race for the Champions League qualification hots up.

The dates for the inaugural Club World Cup were approved by the FIFA Council in December. The tournament is set to run in the middle of the English domestic calendar -- which will also impact several leagues across Europe including Spain, France and Germany. A spokesperson for the WSL said holding the tournament in January is "at best inconvenient, and at worst, catastrophic" for the domestic game in England, commercially and for player welfare.

In the end, we were not talking about the football, players, or implications on the title race, as Arsenal vs. Chelsea ended in a 1-1 draw on Saturday afternoon. Despite it being arguably the biggest clash of the Women's Super League (WSL) season, between two of the top teams (the reigning domestic champions and reigning European champions), we were instead left talking about some dreadful officiating decisions that completely overshadowed what should have been a massive high-stakes clash.

Chelsea have reached a verbal agreement with Angel City over the transfer of United States forward Alyssa Thompson for an initial fee of close to $1.5 million, sources told ESPN. The deal could potentially reach near $2 million with add-ons, a source said, which would surpass the previous women's transfer record. The Women's Super League (WSL) champions have agreed a five-year contract with the National Women's Soccer League ( NWSL) star, sources added.

"After speaking to Charlotte [Healy, the City head coach] and everything that the club offers both on and off the pitch, it felt like a good fit. The club wants to get promoted and I love winning."

Nikita Parris, following the expiration of her contract with Brighton, is expected to join the London City Lionesses after scoring seven goals for the Seagulls this season.

Mia Fishel has signed a four-year deal with Seattle Reign, marking her departure from Chelsea. Fishel's time with Chelsea included two WSL titles, an FA Cup and a League Cup.

"I'm just super excited to get started. I'm ready to win the Champions Leagues, to win every trophy that's out there," Rose said.

Born in Merseyside, Charles joined Liverpool academy as a teenager, originally as a forward. A senior debut followed in 2016, against Sunderland, with Charles just 16-years-old at the time.

I am talking long term to the board, not just around the next two games, but how we develop the League of Ireland - we've spoken a lot about that.

Manchester City Women announced their starting line-up for the match against Manchester United, featuring Khiara Keating as goalkeeper and captain Alex Greenwood in defense.