Chelsea Women are WSL champions as Emma Hayes pips Man City to title with Man United rout

Emma Hayes' final match as Chelsea boss ended in glory as the Blues romped to the Women's Super League (WSL) title with a 6-0 victory over Manchester United at Old Trafford.

A stunning performance from January signing Mayra Ramirez helped Chelsea sweep Marc Skinner's side aside to yield the seventh league title of their manager's storied 12-year tenure. Despite Hayes relinquishing her team's crown after a shock defeat to Liverpool just two weeks ago, the Blues had battled their way back to the top of the table ahead of Saturday's season finale in Manchester.

Rivals Manchester City, though, were second only on goal difference and arguably had the easier assignment on the final day with a trip to face Aston Villa at Villa Park. But Chelsea, who have now won the title in each of the last five seasons, showed their class against the newly-crowned FA Cup winners, with City's 2-1 victory in the West Midlands not enough to propel Gareth Taylor's team to the top of the league.

Hayes made three changes to the Chelsea side who narrowly beat Tottenham Hotspur on Wednesday night, with Ramirez, Johanna Rytting Kaneryd and Jess Carter all restored to the starting lineup. And it seems her team selection was inspired, as it was Ramirez who got the Blues off to the perfect start at Old Trafford, nodding home from a sublime Guro Reiten cross inside two minutes.

The Colombian, who had missed Chelsea's previous four games through injury, quickly turned provider with an inch-perfect through-ball for Rytting Kaneryd, who made no mistake with her cool finish past Mary Earps. United threatened to halve the deficit when Maya Le Tissier connected with Katie Zelem's excellent corner delivery but the defender could only crash her header against the crossbar.

And any hopes of a United comeback were dashed when subsitutute Sjoeke Nusken - brought on before the break to replace the injured Catarina Macario - diverted Ramirez's brilliant cross into the back of an empty net to put Chelsea 3-0 up. Some shoddy defending from the hosts then opened the door for the Blues to make it four, with Ramirez dancing into the penalty area and slotting past Earps in first-half stoppage time.

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Despite already having one hand on the trophy, Chelsea refused to take their foot off the gas and went 5-0 up through Melanie Leupolz shortly after the restart, the German poking the ball home after Rytting Kaneryd's inital effort was saved by Earps.

There was a carnival atmosphere at Old Trafford as the Chelsea fans serenaded their departing boss. And things got even better from the Blues when substitute Fran Kirby - making her final appearance for the club after nine years in south-west London - made it six with a lovely finish in front of the travelling fans.

It was the perfect end to a perfect afternoon for Chelsea and a fitting way to say farewell to one of the women's game's greatest ever managers.