here was a time when the games between the top three – traditionally Chelsea, Manchester City and Arsenal – were title-deciders. Where every point taken off a title rival was key. Such was the gap in investment and quality between those teams and the rest of the Women's Super League, it was extremely rare that points would be dropped to teams outside that elite clique.
As the WSL has grown in investment, profile and size, that narrative has started to shift a little. The investment gap is still large from the top to the bottom of the league. But increased investment among the best of the rest and even among those teams further down the table, as well as an increase in high-quality coaches with the tactical and technical vision to get more from players, is having an impact.
That's a roundabout way of saying that when Chelsea welcome the title holders and current league leaders to Stamford Bridge on Saturday lunchtime, counterintuitively, the three points isn't the most important takeaway. Instead, based on the state of play, it's the momentum, confidence, belief and bragging rights that are critical.
Naturally, should Chelsea win and thus leapfrog Manchester City, then the title race will be considered wide open. If Andrée Jeglertz's City extend their lead over Chelsea from two points to five, even at this early stage, they will be considered favourites for the title in May, but it will be said with a little less confidence than it might have been in previous years.
The WSL is more and more competitive year on year. There have been only two occasions, in the 15 years since the first WSL season was played (after it was launched to replace the FA Women's Premier League National Division), when the title winners have lost more than two games in a season. Both of those have come in the last three years, with Chelsea the first to do so in 2023-24 and then Manchester City last season.
You could say that because wins are less consequential in the games between title rivals, those games are less thrilling, but the reality is that the growing unpredictability of almost every match across the WSL means that every game becomes a must-watch.
At Stamford Bridge on Saturday, the remaining two unbeaten teams have the opportunity to inflict a first defeat. Neither side has looked infallible this season. City have kept just two clean sheets in their 13 games in all competitions, while Chelsea stuttered last weekend, with their second draw of the season allowing City to move above them.
Arguably, there has been a momentum shift between Sonia Bompastor's and Jeglertz's teams, with the former having dropped points against Everton before a 0-0 draw with the Swedish side Häcken in the Champions League while City earned a 5-0 win over West Ham and picked up a first win in Europe, after three draws, with a 4-1 defeat of Inter.
Jeglertz said that moving top had changed nothing before this clash. "We're still early in the season. We want to win all games. That's our focus this weekend," he said. "Nothing has changed from that point of view and I don't think it will have for them either."
Chelsea have been defensively strong, and are the only WSL team to still be in single figures for goals conceded, on five to City's 10, and they have kept nine clean sheets in their 13 games in all competitions (not including Champions League qualifying).
However, the key to the west London side's ambition of drawing first blood between the two teams this season will probably centre around how well they cope without Lauren James.
They may lead the way in goals scored too, 28 to City's 27, but against Everton the absence of the England forward's creativity was keenly felt and Chelsea's attack looked a little predictable. Everton nullified the impact of the wide players Ellie Carpenter and Sandy Baltimore and Chelsea struggled to find another way through.
"My job is to make sure I find solutions when some players are not available and not playing for the team," Bompastor said last week.
While Chelsea have to cope with the absence of James, who has a hamstring injury that Bompastor says means they "won't see her until the end of this block" – up until at least the international break at the end of the month – City have players returning.
Rebecca Knaak is fine after a knock to the head against Inter and Vivianne Miedema, Beth Mead and Niamh Charles are on their way back. "All three of them, actually, were in the session today and I hope that they will be available for Saturday," said Jeglertz. Advantage City then, just.
In a way, that it is unlikely that this result decides either team's season makes it a more interesting and exciting contest, because players are free to play uninhibited by the pressure of how catastrophic a loss could be and, with the two dominant teams going head to head, we're in for a show.