WSL talking points: Man United rise above noise in difficult week, Renee Slegers ready for permanent Arsenal role

Sky Sports analyses the biggest and boldest talking points as Man Utd, Man City, Arsenal and Chelsea all score four goals to power big wins...

Man Utd rise above the noise

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Never a dull week in Manchester. Another faux pas from minority owner Sir Jim Ratcliffe. Another high-profile departure as Dan Ashworth, a public advocate of the women's programme, leaves the club. There is always noise around Old Trafford, but this weekend Marc Skinner's side have managed to rise above.

Their 4-0 demolishing of Liverpool - a side whom they lost home and away to last season - was impressive in insolation, but even more so against the backdrop of Ratcliffe describing the men's team as the "main issue". The priority list remains as confused as ever.

On the pitch, Man Utd were ruthless, scoring four times from six shots on target, their biggest margin of victory for a year - and shared the goals around the team neatly. This was a bold performance that convinced doubters of Man Utd's ability to mix it with the best this season.

Critics have praised defensive stability so far, but never purred over productivity at the top end - now they can do both.

• Man Utd cruise to impressive victory over injury-hit Liverpool
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Chelsea pass biggest test yet

Chelsea remain perfect in the WSL after beating Brighton 4-2, but signs of weakness, perhaps for the first time, were evident. They were pushed all the way by battling Brighton, in terrible conditions, and made mistakes enough to show they can be got at when opposition teams are willing to be brave.

Hannah Hampton gifted Kiko Seike a goal, and then the Japanese international missed a golden opportunity to draw level at 3-3 in the second half. Had that gone in, we could be talking about a different outcome. Chelsea were carless in possession, and made far too many errors, especially in midfield.

High turnovers and sloppy transitions are not in the Sonia Bompastor playbook. The Frenchwoman will be pleased with her side's resilience to grind out the result, but not by the manner in which they got it.

Why is Slegers still interim boss?

At this point, it's difficult to understand why Arsenal have not named Renee Slegers as Jonas Eidevall's permanent successor. Since Eidevall walked in October, the Gunners have played eight times in all competitions, winning seven.

They have scored 24 goals - including three plus goals in single games fives times - conceding only twice. And the uptick goes beyond collective results, individual performances are vastly improved too.

• WSL round-up: Chelsea stay perfect while Arsenal move into third

Alessia Russo is case in point, having now scored in four straight WSL appearances for the very first time. She's playing with natural rhythm, and a freedom that was difficult to come by under Eidevall. That is not by coincidence.

Slegers' audition has been near-perfect - surely she is now the ideal candidate for the role permanently?

Sublime Shaw is unstoppable

Bunny Shaw has everything. The rate at which she scores goals is clearly impressive, but how she scores them should draw equal acclaim. Her output is the reason second-placed Man City are maintaining pressure on leaders Chelsea.

Manager Gareth Taylor praised her as "the complete striker" on Sunday, as City saw off Leicester in style, and Shaw scored two of their four-goal haul. "She gives us so much without goals, and then her goals are the cherry on the cake," he added.

Two powerful headers - carbon copies of each other - were simply reiterations of goals she's scored time and time again in the WSL, and yet no defender can handle the threat. Knowing what she wants to do is one thing, understanding how to stop it another entirely.

Since her WSL debut in September 2021, Shaw has found the net 59 times, at least 23 more than any other. Staggering numbers from a staggeringly good player.

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