Chelsea Women vs Tottenham is the London derby that brings the WSL back from the international break, at Stamford Bridge on Sunday, and head coach Sonia Bompastor goes into it with something every manager wants and few ever get: a fully available squad. Kick-off against Tottenham Hotspur is at 12 noon UK time, in a fixture that pits second against fourth in the early Women’s Super League table.
Chelsea Women vs Tottenham: the team news
Speaking ahead of Chelsea Women vs Tottenham, Bompastor confirmed that every member of her squad came through the international window without a fitness concern. “The team is looking good,” she said. “We had everyone back with a good level of fitness, and all the squad is available, so I’ll have some headaches for the game on Sunday. It’s a great place to be, especially when you come into another busy block. I think when you’re the head coach for Chelsea, this is where you want to be.”
The best news of all for Chelsea Women vs Tottenham concerns Lauren James. The forward scored twice for England in their 5-0 win over Greece at the King Power Stadium on Tuesday, and Bompastor was emphatic when asked about her condition: “She’s fit. I think you could see that with England; I’m glad she had two good games with England. She’s in a good headspace and is performing at a good level. She had a really good training session this morning, so that’s good news for us.”
Hamano faces her former club
There is a personal thread running through Chelsea Women vs Tottenham for Maika Hamano. The Japanese forward spent the second half of last season on loan at Tottenham, and Sunday will be her first meeting with her former team-mates since returning to west London. She arrives in form for Chelsea Women vs Tottenham, too: her header against West Ham before the break was her first goal of the season for Chelsea, and she followed it up with another for Japan in a 5-1 friendly win over Haiti. “It felt like relief,” she admitted this week. “I have been waiting all season to do it. It’s been difficult at times, but I think now I have a rhythm, and as a footballer, everyone needs to prepare for their chances. If you have a chance, you need to take it.”
The state of play
Ahead of Chelsea Women vs Tottenham, Chelsea’s 3-0 win at West Ham last time out left them second in the WSL, two points behind leaders Manchester City, with four wins and a draw from their opening five matches. Martin Ho’s Tottenham have been one of the division’s early surprises and sit just behind the Blues in fourth, so Sunday’s meeting has real weight even this early in the campaign. For those not at the Bridge, the match is live on Sky One and Sky Sports Football, with full coverage on the official Chelsea app and website. After Alyssa Thompson’s winner edged the last home derby against Arsenal, another tight London occasion would be no surprise at all in Chelsea Women vs Tottenham.
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