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Chelsea go three points clear
Chelsea have gone three points clear at the top of the Barclays WSL after their 6-0 victory away to Aston Villa on Saturday.
Millie Bright and Fran Kirby gave the Blues a two-goal lead going into the interval and after the break, Johanna Rytting Kaneryd made it three and they went on to add further goals through Ashley Lawrence, Aggie Beever-Jones and Niamh Charles. The result however was overshadowed by the announcement from manager Emma Hayes that she will be leaving the post at the end of the season to pursue new ventures.
Manchester City had started the weekend as leaders but they were unable to regain top spot the following day as they went down to their first defeat of the season, beaten 2-1 by Arsenal. Steph Catley opened the scoring for the Gunners in the fourteenth minute and it could have been two when they were awarded a penalty, but Kim Little’s kick brought out an excellent save by Khiara Keating. City stepped up their game after half time and after Khadija Shaw had hit the post with a header on the hour, Chloe Kelly scored from close range to level the scores with eighteen minutes left. Arsenal were not finished though and Katie McCabe’s long pass was latched onto by Stina Blackstenius who duly applied the finish to seal a third win in four games for her side.
Tottenham Hotspur were minutes away from going back into second place but were pegged back to a 1-1 draw by Everton. Grace Clinton gave the Spurs the lead just before half time and this looked to have been enough for a fourth victory in five matches but with five minutes remaining, Aurora Galli earned Everton a share of the spoils when she scored the equaliser from the penalty spot.
Liverpool kept up their good start to the season and joined the cluster of four clubs chasing after Chelsea with a 2-1 victory over Leicester City. The first half was goalless but Melissa Lawley put Liverpool in front three minutes after the restart and after Missy Goodwin had levelled matters just before the hour, Marie Hobinger put the seal on a third victory of the season for the Reds with six minutes remaining.
There was late drama at Brighton & Hove Albion where visitors Manchester Utd preserved their unbeaten record with the latest of equalisers. Elisabeth Terland put the Seagulls in front on the half hour with her fifth league goal of the season and they remained in front until twelve minutes from time, when Ella Toone levelled the scores. Brighton rallied and Guro Bergsvand looked to have given them victory when she put them back in front but deep into injury time, Rachel Williams maintained her habit of scoring late goals by grabbing an equaliser and a third draw in five matches for United.
After four straight defeats, Bristol City broke their duck by winning an exciting match, 3-2 away to West Ham Utd. Viviane Asseyi gave the Hammers the lead from the penalty spot but two goals in five minutes, from Amalie Thestrup and Ella Powell, turned matters around in City’s favour. Riko Ueki restored parity again in first half injury time but ten minutes into the second half, Brooke Aspin put the Robins in front once again and this time they held on for a result which takes them off the bottom of the table.
