Round-up of WSL action as Man Utd return to winning ways over Bristol City; Beth Mead scores twice as Arsenal ease to victory over West Ham; Lauren James nets another double in latest Chelsea triumph; Liverpool win big over Brighton
Monday 27 November 2023 06:43, UK
Manchester United returned to winning ways as a second-half burst earned them a 2-0 win away at bottom side Bristol City.
Marc Skinner's side were frustrated in a goalless first half, with Bristol City goalkeeper Olivia Clark in inspired form to stop strikes from Leah Galton, Nikita Parris and Millie Turner. At the other end, Mary Earps pulled off a stunning save to deny Amy Mae Rodgers on the stroke of half-time.
But United, who had over 70 per cent of the possession in front of a record WSL crowd at Ashton Gate, eventually made their pressure tell in the first 10 minutes after the break.
Hinata Miyazawa's long-range strike took a wicked deflection past the unfortunate Clark, who could do nothing to stop Parris from tapping home five minutes later from Ella Toone's cross.
United saw out the rest of the game with ease, with substitute Melvine Malard hitting the bar and Toone stinging the palms of a busy Clark with a rasping drive.
Arsenal cruised to a comfortable 3-0 victory over West Ham, largely thanks to a Beth Mead masterclass, scoring her first goals since making her long-awaited return from a cruel knee injury.
Four hundred and twenty-eight days on from her last WSL strike, she netted goals two and three after Frida Maanum had set the Gunners of their way with a sublime effort from range - a cross-cum-shot which, if intentional, will go down as a 'goal of the season' contender.
Then it was all about Mead, as she chopped inside Hawa Cissoko and bent a lovely left-footed strike into the far corner, before becoming the beneficiary of some fine work from Alessia Russo to hammer home Arsenal's third before half-time.
West Ham forward Viviane Asseyi struck the post twice, once in the first period and once in the second, but the visitors were luckless in the final third as Arsenal made their dominance count.
Mead lasted just over an hour before being replaced by Cloe Lacasse, but rounded off the week she earned an England recall in wonderful style. The only disappointment from Jonas Eidevall's perspective will be that his side failed to capitalise on a superbly creative first 45 minutes after the Hammers tightened up at the back, albeit the result was already in the bag.
The Gunners next game, following the international break, is a crunch match against chief title rivals Chelsea on December 10, which will give us an early indication of which way the pendulum is likely to swing this term.
Lauren James scored twice as Chelsea maintained their unbeaten start to the Women's Super League season with a 5-2 victory over Leicester.
A thrilling five-goal first-half saw the Blues go two ahead after just five minutes. James clinically finished after being played through on goal and then saw her shot diverted into the Leicester net by Courtney Nevin after Janina Leitzig had saved.
Leicester didn't collapse despite their nightmare start and pulled one back when Jutta Rantala lashed home on her left foot.
In the final five minutes of the first period, captain Sam Kerr restored Chelsea's two-goal lead with a tap-in following good work from Niamh Charles, but Samantha Tierney reduced the deficit, turning in from on the floor after Aimee Palmer's free-kick had been tipped onto a post.
The second-half couldn't match the first for entertainment although James' quality shone through once more. She netted Chelsea's fourth before the hour mark with a delicate chip over Leitzig and substitute Agnes Beever-Jones wrapped up the points late on with a well-controlled header.
Sophie Roman Haug grabbed two assists and a goal as Liverpool closed in on the Champions League places after an emphatic 4-0 victory over Brighton.
Matt Beard was looking for a response from his side after a 5-1 drubbing at the hands of league leaders Chelsea last weekend, and that's what he got from his side at Prenton Park.
The opener came in the 27th minute when defender Gemma Bonner, who celebrated becoming Liverpool's record appearance maker in the WSL era with 135 appearances before the game, flicked home Marie Hobinger's corner.
The home side doubled their advantage just before the break when Shanice van de Sanden latched onto Sophie Roman Haug's through ball before finishing smartly past Sophie Baggaley in the Brighton goal.
Things didn't improve for the visitors after the break as Ceri Holland converted Haug's cut back to add a third before Haug got on the scoresheet herself in added time to wrap up an impressive performance.
The win sees Liverpool move up to fifth. The Reds are now just one point behind fourth-placed Manchester United and two points behind third-placed Manchester City.
Aston Villa slumped to their sixth loss of the campaign after a 2-1 defeat by Everton.
The Toffees, who have also been struggling for form, took the lead in rather fortuitous circumstances when Katja Snoeijs' cross was put through her own net by Anna Patten in the 54th minute.
Villa rallied and dragged themselves back into the contest a mere 60 seconds later when Kirsty Hanson's low delivery was dispatched off the inside of the post by Rachel Daly to draw level - the No 9's fourth goal of the campaign.
But Hanson was then at fault, penalised for a drag back on Heather Payne in the box which produced a stonewall penalty, and the chance for Nathalie Bjorn to reclaim Everton's lead from the spot.
She sent Daphne van Domselaar the wrong way and it was too much to ask for Villa to come from behind for a second time, as pressure increases once more on manager Carla Ward with her side in 10th.
Everton get a much-needed boost and rise to seventh with their first win since beating Liverpool in the Merseyside derby in mid-October, while Villa are left to rue another opportunity missed.
And finally, on Sunday evening, Manchester City turned on the style as they followed up last weekend's Manchester derby success with a 7-0 thrashing of Tottenham.
The opening half was all about Khadija 'Bunny' Shaw, who scored three goals in 15 minutes in a ruthless display in front of goal.
The City goals kept coming in the second half with three more in 11 minutes through Lauren Hemp, Jill Roord and Lauren Coombs.
Coombs put the finishing touch on a stunning evening for City with a brilliant finish into the top corner for the home side's seventh and final goal in injury time.
