Chelsea boss Sonia Bompastor has explained why Lionesses star Lucy Bronze missed out on Sunday's Women's Super League defeat to table toppers Manchester City. The England defender was a surprise absentee from the teamsheet at the Etihad Stadium and there will be concern that she could be unavailable for even longer, having felt pain in the same shin that she broke during the 2025 European Championship.Bronze was a big miss for Chelsea on Sunday as they succumbed to a shocking 5-1 defeat away at Man City. Bompastor had said after last week's defeat to Arsenal that she felt the title was already out of reach for her side and that gap to the leaders grew with this loss, leaving the Blues 12 points behind and City 11 points clear of second-placed Manchester United with only eight games to go. The Cityzens now look set for a first WSL title in 10 years, while Chelsea prepare to relinquish the crown for the first time since 2019. Chelsea's focus will now be on securing a top-three finish and a Champions League spot. They are currently in that third spot, a point ahead of Arsenal, albeit with the Gunners having a game in hand.Further concern on Sunday for Chelsea came in Bronze's absence and while it is unclear just how long she could be sidelined for, Bompastor's comments after the game didn't make for positive listening for fans of the Blues. Bronze suffered a fractured tibia last summer and played through the pain at the 2025 European Championship, to help England win the trophy, before missing the first month of the WSL campaign as she recovered.However, Bompastor confirmed on Sunday that Bronze felt pain in that same shin this week, leading to her being left out of the squad for the trip to Manchester. "She just felt pain in her shin again," she explained. "We felt it was the right decision for her not to travel and to rest for this game. We'll assess her again and see how it goes."Looking for smarter football bets? Get expert previews, data-driven predictions & winning insights with GOAL Tips on Telegram. Join our growing community now!It's a particular concern for Chelsea because the team is also set to lose Ellie Carpenter for a significant period because of next month's Asian Cup. Carpenter and Bronze have provided the Blues with two superb options on the right-hand side of the defence so far this season. But the former will fly to Australia in the coming weeks to represent the Matildas in their quest to win a first continental crown since 2010, and she will be expected to be there for the majority of the tournament as the host nation are one of the favourites for the trophy.To also have Bronze unavailable would be a huge blow, then, as it would force Bompastor to turn to more unnatural options in that area of the pitch. There are some big games during the Asian Cup, too, including the League Cup final against Manchester United, while the first leg of Chelsea's Champions League quarter-final will take place just four days after the Asian Cup final.Add GOAL.com as a preferred source on Google to see more of our reportingFurther concern on Sunday came when Aggie Beever-Jones needed treatment after a whack to the ankle that has kept her sidelined in recent times. The England striker continued, albeit only because Chelsea had used all of their subs. "I think she twisted a little bit again, that same ankle," Bompastor explained. "It's probably quite painful for her I'm hoping for her to be okay because we need to have players. We already have a lot of injuries."England, too, will hope neither have any long-term concerns as the Lionesses' qualifying campaign for the 2027 Women's World Cup will begin soon. The reigning European champions start that process next month with a trip to Turkey to face Ukraine on March 3, before welcoming Iceland to Nottingham Forest's City Ground four days later. England are in the same qualifying group as Spain and only the group winner will qualify automatically for the World Cup, so every result is vital for Sarina Wiegman's side, making a fully fit squad imperative as well.