Neuromuscular fatigue (NMF) and exercise performance are affected by exercise intensity and sex differences. However, whether slight changes in power output (PO) below and above the maximal lactate steady-state (MLSS) impact NMF and subsequent performance (time to exhaustion, TTE) is unknown. Purpose: This study compared NMF and TTE in females and males in response to exercise performed at MLSS, 10 W below (MLSS -10 ) and above (MLSS +10 ). Methods: Twenty participants (9 females) performed three 30-min constant-PO exercise bouts followed (1 min delay) by a TTE at 80% of the peak-PO. NMF was characterized by isometric maximal voluntary contractions (IMVC) and femoral nerve electrical stimulation of knee extensors [e.g. peak torque of potentiated high-frequency (Db100) and single twitch (TwPt)] before and immediately after the constant-PO and TTE bouts. Results: IMVC declined less after MLSS -10 (-18±10%) compared to MLSS (-26±14%) and MLSS +10 (-31±11%) (all p<0.05), and the Db100 decline was greater after MLSS +10 (-24±14%) compared to the other intensities (MLSS -10 : -15±9%; MLSS: -18±11%) (all p<0.05). Females showed smaller reductions in IMVC and TwPt compared to males after constant-PO bouts (all p<0.05), this difference being not dependant on intensity. TTE was negatively impacted by increasing the PO in the constant-PO (p<0.001), with no differences in end-exercise NMF (p>0.05). Conclusion: Slight changes in PO around MLSS elicited great changes in the reduction of maximal voluntary force and impairments in contractile function. Although NMF was lower in females compared to males, the changes in PO around the MLSS impacted both sexes similarly.