Footage shows terrible decision to start Chelsea Women vs Liverpool Women

Chelsea Women vs Liverpool Women finished in farcical scenes, just minutes into the game, after several players slipped on the frozen pitch.

Emma Hayes' Chelsea side are currently chasing a fourth Women's Super League title in-a-row and find themselves in a threeway battle at the top with Arsenal and Manchester United.

The champions started their season with a shock defeat to newly promoted Liverpool but have gone unbeaten since, only twice dropping points.

On Sunday they two sides met at Kingsmeadow, home of the Blues Women's side and under 21s, with Hayes' side looking to get revenge.

However, the game had to be abandoned after just five and a half minutes, due to a frozen pitch, with several players slipping in the short period the game went on.

Chelsea women vs Liverpool highlights #CFCW #WSL pic.twitter.com/mlYu3yb1DQ

— frankirbydaily (@frankirbydaily) January 22, 2023

The players were extremely lucky that no one did themselves any harm in the few minutes before the referee decided to call time on the game.

There was understandably a lot of unhappiness that the game went ahead in the first place, with the referee having done a pitch inspection at 9.30 am, ahead of the 12.30 pm kick off.

"The game should never have started," Hayes told BBC Sport, who were covering the game live on terrestrial television, after it was abandoned.

"It's not for managers to decide if it's on - it's up to the FA and officials.

"We have to say to ourselves that it's time for undersoil heating. We've got to take our game seriously. Yes, we can have our blowers and pitch tents but it's not enough."

Plenty of games in the lower leagues were called off this weekend, due to the freezing temperatures across the country, but the WSL is the top tier in Women's football and there should be top of the range facilities, like undersoil heating.

Liverpool boss added, "Chelsea have done everything they can to try and get the game on.

"I'm surprised it kicked off at 12:30 because we got told this morning that we could try and kick off the game at 14:00, but we got the phone call to say that the game was back on at 12:30. I was a bit surprised.

"The temperature was not going to change all day. It's only going to get colder now."

Beard added, "It shouldn't have been played in the first place. Whoever made the decision for the game to be on, it's put players at risk today."

MATCH OFF ❌

The Women's Super League match between Chelsea and Liverpool has been called off due to an unplayable pitch.

We'd already played six minutes!

📲 Watch live on @BBCTwo and @BBCiPlayer #BBCFootball #BBCWSL

— BBC Sport (@BBCSport) January 22, 2023

England striker Beth Mead, who is currently out injured, took to social media to add her annoyance at the situation, posting, "On a serious note, one of the top leagues in Europe and we are cancelling games cause of frozen pitches. Not good enough, the women’s game is heading in the right direction but still a long way to go."

The lack of result for the champions allowed Manchester United to go top, thanks to a late winner from Rachel Williams against Reading.

Arsenal's game with Brighton was also called off, but fortunately for them they didn't have to go through the ridiculous six minutes on a frozen pitch to get there.