Emma Hayes conceded the Women's Super League title after Chelsea's dramatic 4-3 loss to Liverpool.
It all but confirm that she will end her final season with the Blues without a single trophy after a torrid month in which Chelsea have seen their historic quadruple dreams dashed. Defeats in the Continental Cup final, FA Cup semi-finals and Champions League semi-finals meant that any chance of silverware to mark the end of Hayes' glittering 12-year tenure at the club relied on seeing off Manchester City in a bruising title race.
Yet, Liverpool's Gemma Bonner saw even this sliver of triumph dashed as she scored an injury-time winner from a corner - the third goal of the night from a set piece for the Reds - despite Chelsea leading at half-time then equalising twice.
The defeat leaves Chelsea with three league losses this season. No WSL team has ever lifted the trophy having suffered three losses in a season.
Hayes admitted as much after the match, stating that Manchester City, who boast a six-point lead at the top of the table with two matches remaining having played a game more than Chelsea, will end Chelsea's four-year hegemony.
"I have amazing memories of this football club and we won a lot of things and I'd love to win titles again for Chelsea. But that's not going to be this year I'm afraid," Hayes told SkySports. "My job now is to prepare the team for the last few games to continue to compete and enjoy.
"We will never give up, but the title is far from us. It's not in our hands. City deserve it, their consistency has put them in that position. W
"We will go to the end but I don't think the title will be heading to us this year."
Aggie Beever-Jones put Chelsea up with nine minutes on the clock and the suggestion from then on was a routine victory for Chelsea as they played one of their two games in hand over Manchester City. Yet, Liverpool at Prenton Park have proven a dogged force of nature and one that has gotten the better of Chelsea in the last two seasons.
Such was the case as Sophie Roman Haug popped up with an equaliser from a corner shortly after the restart. Bonner then doubled Liverpool's advantage. What followed was a dramatic and frenzied passage of time as Beever-Jones restored parity, only for Ceri Holland to find Reds teammate Leanne Kiernan with a sensational pass seconds later to give Liverpool the lead once more. Two minutes later, Teagan Micah's own-goal once again drew Chelsea back level.
But Bonner's last-gasp winner sealed the win for the hosts and levied what could be the critical blow to Hayes' final season.
"I'm not going to be harsh on the players, for years they have delivered a lot for this football club and for me," Hayes added.
"And I know they want to win the title, but me being me, you can't concede three set-piece goals, four in a half and expect to win a game of football. That's why we're on the losing end, but I'm going to be kind on my players after everything they've done. I don't want to be too harsh on them."
Chelsea have three games remaining, with Bristol City, Tottenham and Manchester United left to play. Meanwhile Manchester City have Arsenal this weekend followed by Aston Villa on the final day.