Sonia Bompastor has singled out Lucy Bronze for special praise after Chelsea Women thrashed Manchester United 5-0 in the Women’s Super League.
Bronze captained Chelsea during a dominant afternoon and contributed at both ends of the pitch.
The experienced defender helped create Keira Walsh’s first-half goal before completing the scoring herself deep into stoppage time.
Speaking to Sky Sports after the game, Bompastor said “Lucy was unbelievable today”, with The Guardian’s post-match coverage also highlighting the head coach’s praise for Bronze’s leadership and influence.
IT'S FIVE! 💪
Lucy Bronze grabs a fifth goal in added time for Sonia Bompastor's side 🔵 pic.twitter.com/PsQPKIHlSI
— Sky Sports WSL (@SkySportsWSL) September 13, 2026
Lucy Bronze leads Chelsea response
Chelsea entered the match looking for a response after being held to a 1-1 draw by Aston Villa on the opening weekend.
They got one.
Sjoeke Nüsken opened the scoring before Walsh doubled the advantage, with Lauren James, Ellie Carpenter and Bronze adding three more after half-time.
ReadChelsea’s full 5-0 match report covered how Chelsea turned a dominant display into a statement victory away from home.
Bronze was central to that performance.
Her contribution to Walsh’s goal was particularly clever, with the defender playing a first-time pass into the midfielder’s path before Walsh finished from outside the box.
Bronze then added Chelsea’s fifth herself in stoppage time after Manchester United failed to clear a corner.
ReadChelsea also rated Bronze as the standout player in our Chelsea Women player ratings vs Manchester United, after a display which combined leadership, defensive control and attacking quality.
Bompastor still demands more from Chelsea
Despite the emphatic scoreline, Bompastor was keen to keep Chelsea’s performance in perspective.
The Blues boss made it clear that one result does not suddenly mean her side are the finished product.
That message matters because Chelsea are still developing under her despite the scale of Sunday’s victory.
The performance did, however, answer one of the biggest questions from the opening weekend.
ReadChelsea had already examined how Chelsea’s 32-shot display against Aston Villa exposed a finishing problem, but there was no repeat against Manchester United.
Chelsea were far more ruthless this time.
The Blues repeatedly turned pressure into clear opportunities and then converted those openings into goals.
That was the major difference.
Bronze remains hugely important for Chelsea
Bronze’s display also underlined why she remains such an important figure in this Chelsea side.
Her experience was obvious throughout the game.
She helped organise the team, contributed creatively and then added a goal of her own late on.
Bompastor’s praise therefore reflected more than just one attacking contribution.
It was about leadership.
Chelsea’s younger players benefited from having an experienced figure guiding them through the contest, particularly once the game began to open up.
Bronze’s influence could become even more important as Chelsea move into a busier period of the season.
The Blues now have league, cup and European commitments beginning to stack up.
If Bronze continues producing performances like this, Bompastor will have one of the WSL’s most experienced players operating at an extremely high level.
And after the 5-0 win over Manchester United, the Chelsea head coach made it clear just how highly she rated Sunday’s display.
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