The Women’s Super League draws to a close on Saturday with the title race going down to the wire between Manchester United and Chelsea.
Here the PA news agency takes a look at the best XI from this season’s action.
Mary Earps (Manchester United)
Another strong season for the United and England goalkeeper who picked up the FIFA Best award for women’s goalkeeper. The 30-year-old has been another crucial cog for Marc Skinner’s side in their quest for the WSL title and Champions League football, keeping 13 clean sheets so far this season.
Niamh Charles (Chelsea)
Slotting into full-back and able to play further up the pitch if needed, Charles has been important for Chelsea’s success particularly in the second half of the season. Her defensive work has seen her keep clean sheets in the last four games but she has also bagged two goals and three assists in her last six WSL matches as the Blues continue their title push.
Alex Greenwood (Manchester City)
Greenwood continues to prove an ever-reliable presence in Manchester City’s defence. Her calmness with the ball allows her to help the team play out from the back and build-up play well, picking out good passes in the process.
Millie Turner (Manchester United)
Turner returned to football after a six-month sabbatical following a diagnosis of the rare condition carotid artery dissection. Returning for the opening day of the season, she became a key part of a United defence that has only conceded 12 goals in 21 games.
Ona Batlle (Manchester United)
Part of United’s defensive success has been aided by Batlle at right-back, but she has also proved herself important in attack. Her ability to get forward has seen her register nine assists so far this season.
Guro Reiten (Chelsea)
An influential asset on the wing, Reiten has been pivotal in Chelsea’s attacking success this season. She currently tops the charts in terms of assists in the WSL with 10 and has also chipped in with goals when needed, scoring eight across the campaign including the opener against Arsenal on Sunday.
Frida Maanum (Arsenal)
Competing in only her second WSL season for the Gunners, Maanum has truly come into her own this season. The Norway international has stepped up amidst Arsenal’s injury crisis to put in consistently solid performances, earning her nine goals and four assists so far in the league.
Erin Cuthbert (Chelsea)
An important pillar for Chelsea, Cuthbert’s versatility has been a key part of their success but this season she has settled into a regular central midfield role. She has also been able to contribute with some goals, including a great strike from outside of the box against West Ham earlier this month.
Kirsty Hanson (Aston Villa)
Villa continue to impress and improve in the WSL and Manchester United loanee Hanson has been a big part of their success this year for a fifth-placed finish. Her contributions this season have seen her earn seven goals and nine assists.
Khadija Shaw (Manchester City)
Khadija ‘Bunny’ Shaw has had another great season in front of goal for City providing the majority of their goals. She had an electric start to the campaign, scoring eight goals in seven games, and has since been in battle with Villa’s Rachel Daly for this season’s Golden Boot. Shaw goes into the final day of the season with 18 goals.
Rachel Daly (Aston Villa)
Daly has had the perfect debut season with Villa as she leads the Golden Boot race going into Saturday’s final round of fixtures with 21 goals. Her form has been hugely impressive since joining Villa last summer and has given England manager Sarina Wiegman a selection headache ahead of this summer’s World Cup.
The final round of fixtures of the Women’s Super League season plays out on Saturday, with Chelsea and Manchester United vying for the title and Reading, who host the Blues, fighting to beat the drop along with Leicester.
Here, the PA news agency looks at some of the standout moments from across the 2022-23 campaign.
Record at the Emirates
A notable sign of the women’s game’s growth following England’s triumph at the Euros last summer has been attendance figures.
And early on in the season a new record for the biggest WSL crowd was set, with Arsenal beating Tottenham 4-0 at the Emirates Stadium in September in front of 47,367 fans.
Arsenal-United thriller
Jonas Eidevall’s Gunners made a perfect start to their campaign, winning the first six games, before their next league trip to the Emirates saw them suffer a dramatic 3-2 defeat to Manchester United in November.
The hosts led 2-1 thanks to a 73rd-minute Laura Wienroither goal before headers from Millie Turner and, in stoppage time, Alessia Russo secured victory for Marc Skinner’s side.
The contest also saw Arsenal’s Beth Mead sustain an ACL injury – they would additionally lose Vivianne Miedema, Leah Williamson and Wienroither to the same as the season went on.
Mary’s milestone
One of the stars of United’s impressive campaign has been Mary Earps, who in January became the first goalkeeper to reach 50 WSL clean sheets, via a 1-0 win at Reading.
The England international, named FIFA women’s goalkeeper of the year in February, has registered 13 shut-outs in the league this term, taking the Golden Glove.
Basement battle
Having lost each of their first six league matches, Leicester in November replaced boss Lydia Bedford with Willie Kirk.
A considerable revival followed, and the Foxes moved off the bottom of the table, pushing Kelly Chambers’ Reading into the relegation place, with a 2-1 home win over the Royals in April, sealed by Carrie Jones’ goal in the sixth minute of added time.
Late Kerr winner
Chelsea’s defence of the title started with a shock 2-1 loss to newly promoted Liverpool, managed by ex-Blues boss Matt Beard, and it appeared they might trip up again in the reverse fixture earlier this month when Emma Koivisto put the Reds ahead in the opening few minutes.
But Niamh Charles equalised just before the interval and Sam Kerr then scored an 86th-minute winner as Emma Hayes’ team turned things around and kept their title bid on track.
Derby drama
Last weekend’s penultimate round of action saw Chelsea open up a five-point lead at the top with a 2-0 win over Arsenal, with the title to be theirs if United failed to beat Manchester City later in the day.
That was on the cards in the closing stages at Leigh Sports Village, with Filippa Angeldahl having cancelled out Hayley Ladd’s opener, until United substitute Lucia Garcia popped up with a goal deep into stoppage time to take the race to the final day.
It was United’s first WSL win over City, and the result also confirmed their Champions League qualification.
Everton and England midfielder Izzy Christiansen has announced she will retire from football after the Toffees’ season finale against former club Manchester City on Saturday.
The 31-year-old started her senior career with Everton in 2008 and went on to represent Birmingham, Manchester City and Lyon before returning to Merseyside three years ago.
Christiansen won the Women’s Super League and FA Cup during her time at City, plus the Continental Cup twice, while at Lyon she was part of the side that claimed Champions League glory in 2018/19.
The highlight of her international career was being involved in the SheBelieves Cup triumph in 2019 and she finishes with 31 caps for England, scoring six times.
She wrote on Twitter on Thursday morning: “I have something I would like to share with you…I am announcing my retirement from international and club football at the end of the season.
“To all of the football clubs that have trusted me; Everton, Birmingham City, Manchester City, Olympique Lyonnais and finally here again, Everton; Thank you. To representing my country, there’s no greater honour. Thank you.
“What I have achieved is beyond my wildest dreams and being able to choose this ending is something very special. As a young girl kicking a ball around the school field, I had no idea my future would look like this. Dream big.
“Manchester City Academy stadium on Saturday couldn’t really be a better ending. In my home city, on some beautiful turf where I played some of my best football. I’m very excited to reveal what’s next in due course.”
Reading boss Kelly Chambers has challenged her players to leave everything on the pitch when they host Women’s Super League title chasers Chelsea looking to pull off a shock result to stay up.
The Royals remain bottom on the back of a 4-1 defeat by Tottenham, but still with a mathematical chance to retain their top-flight status after Leicester were beaten at home by West Ham.
It would take an unexpected victory at the Select Car Leasing Stadium over the Blues, who are out to clinch a fourth successive title, coupled with Leicester losing at Brighton for Reading to extend their eight-year stay in the WSL.
Chambers, though, maintains her squad simply have to produce the required performance against Chelsea on Saturday – which was distinctly lacking last weekend.
“As tough as the challenge ahead is for us, it is a game of football,” said Chambers, who has been with the club for more than 20 years both as a player and in her coaching roles.
“We need to prepare well, to do everything we can and training has been really good this week in terms of energy and just making sure that we work tactically.
“As much as it is a hard position to be in right now, the players have really attacked the week in a positive mindset to try to do everything they can for the weekend.”
Chambers added: “I have probably been saying this for a couple of games, but however it has come about, we are still in the fight.
“It is an opportunity which we have to give 100 per cent, which we didn’t do against Tottenham. We have to leave everything out there.
“We are where we are and for different reasons, and I suppose honest conversations have happened.
“But we can’t come off disappointed that we haven’t given our best and I think that is how we felt against Tottenham, that we didn’t put ourselves in a good light in that game.
“If we do that and we get beaten by a better team on the day, then we can hold our hands up – but we can’t let it be down to ourselves again.”
Chambers confirmed Wales midfielder Rachel Rowe will miss Saturday’s final match of the season as she continues her recovery from injury.
“We are only looking at probably about eight weeks,” Chambers said.
“Obviously it being at the end of the season, we have got time to take with her and haven’t got to rush her back for big games.
“It is more of a plan that we can take the time with her and make sure that everything for her is 100 per cent right before she comes back into pre-season.”
Manchester United scored a stoppage-time winner against 10-woman Manchester City to take the Women’s Super League title fight down to the final day.
Chelsea had put the pressure on their rivals as first-half goals from Guro Reiten and skipper Magda Eriksson earned them a 2-0 home win over Arsenal earlier in the day and a five-point advantage.
The Blues have reeled in previous leaders United and Marc Skinner’s side knew only a first WSL derby victory against their city rivals would be enough to take the fight to the final day next weekend.
Hayley Ladd fired in a long-range shot in only the second minute to give the hosts the lead and City were reduced to 10 players just before half-time when goalkeeper Ellie Roebuck brought down Nikita Parris.
But Filippa Angeldahl’s attempted cross flew over Mary Earps for an equaliser in the 68th minute, and City came close to winning it before Lucia Garcia poked in United’s second in the first minute of added time.
Earlier, Reiten put Chelsea ahead with a 22nd-minute strike before Eriksson – who earlier in the week had announced she will be leaving the club at the end of the season – added a finish just before the break.
Katie McCabe had the chance to pull a goal back with a penalty on the hour but put it wide.
Emma Hayes’ side can clinch a fourth successive title with victory over bottom side Reading next Saturday while United – who have clinched Champions League qualification for the first time – face Liverpool.
Defeats for Arsenal and fourth-placed City mean the Gunners stay three points clear – with a much better goal difference – in the race for the third Champions League qualifying spot.
The relegation fight will go to the final match of the season after Leicester were beaten 2-1 by West Ham.
Leicester could have relegated Reading with victory but Sophie Howard’s own goal put the Hammers ahead and Dagny Brynjarsdottir made it two with a spot-kick.
Ruby Mace was shown her second yellow card for the Foxes in added time but there was still time for Hannah Cain to pull one back from the penalty spot.
Rachel Daly extended her lead over Khadija Shaw in the race for the Golden Boot with another goal in Aston Villa’s 3-3 draw with Liverpool.
Kirsty Hanson put Villa ahead in the seventh minute and the sides went into half-time level after Katie Stengel and Natasha Dowie scored in quick succession for Liverpool prior to Daly’s goal.
Stengel then put Liverpool ahead again in the 62nd minute but Hanson equalised eight minutes later.
Everton, who are assured of finishing above their city rivals in sixth, defeated Brighton 2-1.
Hanna Bennison scored an added-time winner after Brighton’s Katie Robinson had cancelled out Katja Snoeijs’ opener.
Chelsea closed in on a fourth successive Women’s Super League title as first-half goals from Guro Reiten and skipper Magda Eriksson earned them a 2-0 home win over Arsenal.
Reiten put the Blues ahead with a 22nd-minute strike before Eriksson – who earlier in the week had announced she will be leaving the club at the end of the season – added a finish just before the break.
Katie McCabe had the chance to pull a goal back with a penalty on the hour but put it wide as Emma Hayes’ side went five points clear of Manchester United at the top.
United failing to win their penultimate game of season, the derby against Manchester City at Leigh Sports Village that kicks off at 6.45pm, would see Chelsea crowned champions, adding to the FA Cup they secured with victory over the Red Devils at Wembley last weekend.
Arsenal, three points behind United, are three clear of fourth-placed City in the race for Champions League football, with the top three sides qualifying.
Tottenham secured their place in next season’s Women’s Super League after a Bethany England brace inspired a 4-1 win over Reading.
January recruit England opened the scoring with a close-range header and took her tally for Spurs to 11 goals with a poacher’s finish after half-time.
Celin Bizet scored in between for Vicky Jepson’s team before Kit Graham added the icing on the cake with her first goal since returning from anterior cruciate ligament damage suffered at the end of 2021.
Justine Vanhaevermaet netted a late consolation for basement club Reading, but they now trail Tottenham by six points with one match remaining and could be relegated if 11th-placed Leicester beat West Ham on Sunday.
This clash took place at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium after Spurs had lost 3-1 to Brentford in the Premier League in the first ever competitive double-header between a men and women’s side.
While the majority of disgruntled home supporters had left by the time the WSL six-pointer kicked off, it did not take long for the hosts to give those still inside the stadium something to cheer about.
After Rosella Ayane had been denied by Reading’s Grace Moloney and Becky Spencer kept out Sanne Troelsgaard’s header, Tottenham broke the deadlock in the 29th minute.
A short corner routine did the trick, with Molly Bartrip able to chip to the back post where England headed home.
It was 2-0 to Spurs four minutes before half-time when a slick team move was finished off by Bizet, who collected Eveliina Summanen’s pass and drilled into the bottom corner to give Jepson’s side a two-goal cushion at the break.
Tottenham wrapped up the points and WSL safety with 62 minutes played when Easther Mayi Kith’s poor back-pass was latched upon by England and she rounded Maloney to score her 11th goal for the club since January.
There was still time for Spurs to add a fourth with 15 minutes left when substitute Graham was sent through by Bartrip and curled home to find the net for the first time since her long injury lay-off.
While Vanhaevermaet headed a late effort for Reading, it was Tottenham’s day with WSL safety finally secured.
Chelsea boss Emma Hayes says she does not intend to watch Sunday’s Manchester derby that could see her side crowned Women’s Super League champions.
With two rounds of games to go, champions Chelsea are two points clear of second-placed Manchester United heading into their lunchtime kick-off at Kingsmeadow against Arsenal.
If the Blues win, United then failing to in their early evening clash with Manchester City at Leigh Sports Village will mean a fourth successive WSL title – adding to last weekend’s FA Cup success – secured for Hayes’ team.
Asked if she would be watching the derby, Hayes told a press conference: “I said (to her son) I promise you Sunday afternoon we’ll take you out, new bike, and I’ll take him and his cousins for a roll around north London.
“He will come first Sunday afternoon. Of course, someone will tell me, but I’m pretty certain I won’t be sitting down and watching it at home. It’s nicer, light evenings – I definitely won’t be.”
Hayes, who saw Chelsea go top with Wednesday’s 4-0 win at West Ham and has described their efforts in a busy schedule as “unbelievable” given “the hardest part is the games accumulation”, added of Sunday: “We have to be really respectful.
“We haven’t won anything. We’ve got to play arguably one of the best teams in Europe this year on Sunday and that will be extremely challenging. I think Arsenal are a top team. So I’m not thinking about the outcome.”
Arsenal, Chelsea’s fellow Champions League semi-finalists this term, beat them 3-1 in the League Cup final in March, while there has also been a 2-0 FA Cup win for Hayes’ team and a 1-1 draw between the clubs since the turn of the year.
The Gunners are third in the table, three points behind United and three better off than fourth-placed City in the race for Champions League places – the top three positions.
Boss Jonas Eidevall said: “We play against a very strong Chelsea side and know we have to be at our best. Maybe the best performance of our season in order to get the result we want.”
Eidevall also said Switzerland international Lia Walti, who came off injured in Wednesday’s 4-1 win at Everton, will miss the remainder of the campaign but should be able to recover in time for the World Cup.
United boss Marc Skinner has described the match against City as “a heavyweight contest – one big punch and the other can be knocked out”.
Since their promotion in 2019, United are yet to have beaten City in five WSL meetings. Three of those have been draws, including the last encounter in December at the Etihad Stadium, which finished 1-1 with Gareth Taylor’s side equalising through Laura Coombs.
The Red Devils – who were making their Women’s FA Cup final debut when they were beaten 1-0 by Chelsea at Wembley last Sunday – have already achieved their record WSL points haul this term, after coming fourth in each of the last three seasons.
City are looking to avoid what would be a first finish outside the European places since 2014, their inaugural WSL campaign.
Also on Sunday, relegation battlers Leicester host West Ham and Brighton go to Everton, while Aston Villa entertain Liverpool.
Tottenham captain Shelina Zadorsky is relishing their “must-win” showdown against fellow Women’s Super League strugglers Reading on Saturday.
Both sides will be desperate for victory in their fight to avoid relegation, with 10th-placed Spurs three points above rock-bottom Reading heading their penultimate game of the season.
Vicky Jepson’s Tottenham have hit a rough patch, picking up only two points from their last five games, while Reading have lost five out of six and were thrashed 5-0 at home by Aston Villa in their last outing.
The match, which is part of a double-header at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, with the men’s team kicking off against Brentford at 1230pm in the Premier League before the WSL fixture takes place at 1615pm, could have huge implications for both clubs, but Zadorsky is looking forward to the occasion.
The Canada international told the club website: “We’re all excited, this is a must-win game for us and we’re very cognisant of where we are in the table and taking accountability for that as players.
“But in training there has been good energy and we’re really pushing to get a good result in front of our fans at home.
“We know how important the game is. We need to enjoy it and find a way to win.”
Saturday’s fixture is also huge for a Reading side whose last win was against West Ham at the start of March.
A victory against Tottenham would see the Royals move off the bottom if Leicester lose to West Ham on Sunday, and manager Kelly Chambers knows what is at stake for her team.
She told the club website: “It’s a hard moment, as I see it every day the amount of hard work that goes in from my staff, the players are given me everything during the week, we’re all fighting.
“I think if we’re all brutally honest, many would have predicted us to be in the position we are in, some have said it from the moment we were promoted, but time and time again we’ve proved what we’re about and on Saturday we need to do it again.
“This Saturday there will be no place to hide.”
Chelsea manager Emma Hayes believes there are “not enough words” to describe the impact that departing duo Magdalena Eriksson and Pernille Harder have had.
The duo announced on Thursday that they will both leave the club at the end of the season.
Captain Eriksson joined Chelsea in 2017 and has made 149 appearances as well as lifting four WSL trophies, while Harder is aiming to win her third WSL title with the club this year since arriving at Kingsmeadow in 2020.
The Blues have two games remaining in the race for the Women’s Super League title, starting with a clash against rivals Arsenal on Sunday, and Hayes paid tribute to Eriksson and Harder’s contributions.
Hayes told a pre-match press conference: “There’s not enough words to describe the impact, Magda particularly because she’s been here longer, they have had on the club.
“We had a chat about it today and people don’t really realise what this culture is unless you’re in it and it’s a culture that Magda, especially alongside me, has driven the standards, I’d say Millie Bright too, the three of us have been the standard bearers.
“I know how emotional Mags will get with things, that was a really tough day for her yesterday and I know she’s probably also glad it’s out there.
“For us as a football club we choose to manage things like this, we don’t believe there has to be bad endings, we think our experiences together have been positive and they’ve been worthwhile and meaningful, so we don’t have to be cynical about it, we don’t part in bad ways.
“I think also, for Pernille, she’s one of the most eccentric characters I’ve ever coached.
“I will miss her eccentricity, no question, her attention to detail, her thirst for winning, the both of them are going to provide their next club with an absolute lot of quality and we’ve lost a lot, no doubt, but we’re equally happy for both of them and we’re very proud of both of them for everything they’ve done here.”
Hayes provided an update on Millie Bright, who has been out with a knee injury sustained in the Champions League quarter-final first leg against Lyon.
Although the England defender remains sidelined, the Chelsea manager is optimistic Bright may make the upcoming World Cup in the summer.
Hayes said: “Millie’s still on crutches. I think she’ll be okay for this summer’s World Cup but when you have surgery, the reality is she’s had her knee cleaned out and sometimes you give or take a week or two.
“It might be a little bit earlier, it might be a little bit later, so I expect Millie to make the World Cup, but there’s no guarantees of anything in life.
“I know she saw the surgeon a couple of days ago and they were really happy with it so I have no reason to believe she won’t make it.”
Hayes also confirmed Fran Kirby has had successful surgery, with the England midfielder already ruled out of the World Cup.
She added: “Fran’s had a successful surgery, the piece of bone’s been taken out of her knee, and she will be back in with the group in pre-season.
“I think she will need that pre-season, something she didn’t get last year.
“I’m excited, without that knee problem we would have had her back, but it was one that unfortunately we couldn’t avoid the surgery in the end.”
Chelsea captain Magdalena Eriksson will leave the club at the end of the season, along with midfielder Pernille Harder.
Eriksson, who has won four Women’s Super League titles since arriving at Kingsmeadow in 2017 from Swedish side Linkopings, delivered the news of her departure in an emotional message to supporters via the club’s Twitter feed.
The 29-year-old has made 149 appearances for Emma Hayes’ side and will hope to cap a trophy-laden spell at the club by adding another WSL success to the FA Cup won on Sunday.
Denmark international Harder is coming to the end of her third season at the club having joined in 2020 from Bundesliga side Wolfsburg, and is aiming to win her third WSL title.
Chelsea lead Manchester United – who they defeated 1-0 in the Wembley showpiece – by two points with two games to play, away to Arsenal and at home to Reading.
Should they hold off United and retain the title it will bring Eriksson’s total trophy haul to 12 at the club, whilst Harder will claim her seventh major honour.
“It’s really difficult even to talk about and say out loud,” said a tearful Eriksson. “It feels kind of surreal. The news that I have for the fans and for the world is that I will be leaving Chelsea at the end of the season.
“It’s been an unbelievable time, the best time of my life. It’s been six unbelievable years, together with my teammates, together with the fans and the club in general.
“I feel so privileged to have been on this journey with the club as we’ve really established ourselves as one of the best clubs in the world.”
Chelsea’s hopes of achieving an unprecedented treble were dashed by defeat to Barcelona in the Champions League semi-final in April.
Nevertheless, the captain has the chance to end her time in west London by helping her side to a fourth domestic double in six seasons.
“It’s been such an amazing journey so I feel I’m not only sad, even though it might look like it,” she added.
“I’m also really, really happy and just proud of the whole journey and everything we’ve been through together. It’s mixed emotions for sure.”
Manchester City midfielder Laura Coombs sees the rise of Manchester United as a major force in the Women’s Super League as something to be welcomed.
After being relaunched in 2018, winning the Championship and then coming fourth in the WSL for three successive years, United this term have had their best top-flight campaign to date.
Marc Skinner’s side had been top of the table and are close to securing Women’s Champions League qualification for the first time.
City, who United face in Sunday evening’s derby at Leigh Sports Village, are in danger of missing out on Europe.
But on the topic of United’s rise, Coombs told the PA news agency: “I think every player prefers the league more competitive.
“I think it now puts our league as probably the best in the world, because it’s the most competitive. So the more teams that can rise up, the better in my opinion.”
With two rounds of games to go, United are second in the table, two points behind Chelsea.
Arsenal, Chelsea’s opponents at Kingsmeadow on Sunday, are three points further back in third, with fourth-placed City another two points behind in the battle for the three Champions League berths.
Asked about the fact that if Chelsea win, City could then end their derby rivals’ title push, Coombs said: “We want to beat United. If that result then stops them, I wouldn’t say that’s why exactly.
“We just want to go in and get the result to give us every chance to get top-three, that’s really our main motivation.”
City are looking to avoid what would be a first finish outside the European places since 2014, their inaugural WSL campaign.
Yet to be beaten by United in six WSL meetings, winning three of those, City take them on a week after Skinner’s side lost 1-0 to Chelsea in their debut Women’s FA Cup final appearance.
Coombs – scorer of an equaliser in December’s 1-1 Manchester derby draw at the Etihad Stadium, a moment she describes as a “highlight of my career” – has no doubt United will “come all guns blazing”.
And the 32-year-old added: “Like us, they lost their last game so they want to put that right straight away. They always give us a good game, and I think every year the games between us are getting more and more competitive. It’s really exciting to be a part of.”
After a notable turnover of players last summer, City started their WSL campaign with back-to-back losses before going unbeaten across the next 14 games, winning 12.
That momentum has slowed with two defeats in the last four for Gareth Taylor’s side, 2-1 at Arsenal and then Liverpool last time out.
Coombs, whose season has included signing a new deal with the club running to 2025 as well as returning to the England squad, said: “I think it has been a bit of a rebuilding year.
“We bounced back pretty quickly after the first two games of the season and we’ve got ourselves in a place now where we’re a solid group, and there won’t be a big turnover at the end of the year.
“So I think going into next year that puts us in a really strong position. We have had large periods of the year where we’ve played some really great stuff and we’ve got back to a competitive place in the league. So I think if we look at it as a building year, it makes next year really exciting for us.”
Chelsea coasted past West Ham 4-0 to move top of the Women’s Super League table.
Niamh Charles, making her 100th WSL appearance, put the Blues ahead in the 13th minute after Sam Kerr’s shot was blocked.
The FA Cup winners doubled their lead three minutes into the second half through Pernille Harder, who drilled her angled shot into the bottom corner.
Chelsea wrapped up another impressive victory in the 65th minute when Magdalena Eriksson’s header from a corner was pushed onto the crossbar by Irons keeper Mackenzie Arnold and Sophie Ingle nodded in the rebound.
In stoppage time, substitute Erin Cuthbert fired in a fourth to cap another impressive display.
Emma Hayes’ side edge two points clear of Manchester United – runners-up at Wembley on Saturday – as they close in on what would be a fourth straight title, which could be confirmed this weekend should all results go their way.
Arsenal had earlier consolidated third place with a 4-1 win at Everton, where midfielder Lia Walti suffered an injury in the second half after being fouled by Aggie Beever-Jones who was sent off.
Caitlin Foord, making her first start since recovering from a hamstring injury, fired the Gunners in front after 29 minutes when she converted a cross from full-back Noelle Maritz.
Arsenal captain Katie McCabe doubled the lead with a long-range effort before Australian Foord grabbed a second, nodding in a rebound after Stina Blackstenius’ header was saved.
Lotte Wubben-Moy headed in a fourth just before the break from Frida Maanum’s free-kick.
Arsenal were dealt another injury concern in the second half.
Midfielder Walti was brought down just inside the penalty area by Everton forward Beever-Jones, shown a straight red card for the late challenge, and had to be taken off on a stretcher with what looked an ankle problem.
Katja Snoeijs headed in a late consolation for Everton, who suffered another heavy defeat following a 7-0 thrashing by Chelsea.
Jonas Eidevall’s side, meanwhile, sit three points clear of Manchester City in third place with Champions League qualification in their own hands heading into the final two matches.
Chelsea will back up their FA Cup success with more glory in the Women's Super League.
That is the view of their former goalkeeper and three-time WSL winner Carly Telford, as the top-flight season reaches a thrilling conclusion.
Chelsea beat Manchester United 1-0 in front of a world-record crowd for a domestic women's match of 77,390 at Wembley Stadium on Sunday, winning the FA Cup for a third straight season.
A record-extending sixth WSL crown is also in their sights, with United also serving as their main rivals in that competition.
United lead the WSL table by one point, but Chelsea have three games left to play this term, as opposed to the Red Devils' two.
The Blues are away to West Ham on Wednesday, with potentially decisive matches against Arsenal and Reading to follow.
"Yeah, I think it will be Chelsea," Telford told Stats Perform when asked who would edge the dramatic title race.
"I just think it comes down to a huge weekend because you have got the United v City derby, and then you have got the Arsenal v Chelsea derby as well.
"It could go either way at the minute, but I think the good thing is Chelsea have kind of kicked on and have shown that in the past couple of weeks.
"They have really shone and a lot of teams have started struggling a little bit.
"Again, it comes to this time of year and you can't write off Chelsea as they have done it so consistently.
"I think United might drop points next week in the derby, if I'm honest, though they have just been one of those teams that seem to be grinding out results. You can't break them off.
"But yeah, I'm going Chelsea."
Following their FA Cup win, Chelsea boss Emma Hayes dedicated her side's triumph to supporters after a year in which she felt the wider club has "suffered".
Former England keeper Telford retired in March, having left Chelsea for the second time in January 2022.
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