Chelsea’s Women’s Super League fixture against Liverpool was abandoned around six minutes after kick-off due to an unplayable pitch.
The players kicked off at Kingsmeadow for the 12.30pm fixture but the game was curtailed shortly after when the referee deemed the pitch frozen.
Chelsea’s official website confirmed that the decision had been made for player safety, reporting that “freezing conditions” saw “several players slipping during the opening exchanges and appearing to be in pain after falling on the hard surface”.
Chelsea boss Emma Hayes told the BBC after the abandonment: “You can see from the opening minutes that it was like an ice rink out there.”
Asked if the game should have started, she said: “Never.”
The referee has taken the decision to abandon today’s game due to a frozen pitch.
The club will provide a further announcement on the fixture in due course.#CFCW
— Chelsea FC Women (@ChelseaFCW) January 22, 2023
Hayes, whose side were looking to stay at the summit against opposition 20 points behind them, addressed fans after a development that former Brighton and England boss Hope Powell described on the BBC coverage as “embarrassing”.
“I know how much you are invested in the team and how hard it is to get here and that people come from up…
