12 November 2023 , 21:07
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Another Women's Super League weekend has come and gone, and with it, myriad talking points and drama.
Emma Hayes' Chelsea remain top of the table as they kept their unbeaten start to the season alive with a 3-0 win over Everton. But it's behind the Blues where the action lurks.
Arsenal's emphatic 6-2 comeback win over Leicester City keeps them within three points of the reigning champions, while Manchester United's thrashing of West Ham keeps them within a four-point shout. Manchester City suffered a blow to their title challenge as Brighton proved once again they're a force to be reckoned with.
Meanwhile, Aston Villa discovered the joy of points as they found their first of the season with a 2-0 win over Bristol City to emerge out of the relegation spot. Mirror Football runs through the weekend's results here.
United show attacking edge
Manchester United manager Marc Skinner was left lamenting his side's blunt attack after they salvaged a point against Brighton last weekend. Given the attacking quality on the pitch - Geyse, Leah Galton, Melvine Malard, World Cup Golden Boot winner Hinata Miyazawa - his distress was warranted.
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Skinner could indulge no post-mortem lamentations on Sunday afternoon as United romped West Ham 5-0. Brazilian Geyse supplied the game's opener (her first league goal) in the third minute and what followed was an exquisite exercise in domination from United, with Millie Turner, Nikita Parris and Lucia Garcia getting in on the action before Melvine Malard supplied the finishing touch in the 90th minute.
Geyse of Manchester United scored the first goal against West Ham (Photo by Jess Hornby/Getty Images)The victory keeps United within four points of Chelsea, while West Ham were consigned to a second defeat on the bounce to leave them one point off bottom-of-the-table Bristol City.
Seagulls surprise again as City drop more points
Maybe it's Manchester clubs. Or perhaps Brighton should be feared more. Whatever the case, the Seagulls could celebrate vibrantly as Lee Guem-min secured all three points for Melissa Phillips' side with less than 10 minutes of regular time remaining.
Brighton had stunned Manchester United the week prior, touting a 2-1 score line in injury-time that was eventually stolen away in a last-gasp equaliser through super-sub Rachel Williams.
This time, it was Brighton who were celebrating their last-gasp exploits as Lee combined with fellow former City player Pauline Bremer to bundle past Khiara Keating at the far post.
Gareth Taylor's side has dropped eight points from their opening six WSL games (Getty Images)City, who have now suffered their second loss of the season, could only rue their chances spurned after 35 shots, including two that hit the woodwork, failed to find the back of the net.
For Gareth Taylor's side, the narrative is threatening to become a familiar and potentially debilitating one. City have already dropped eight points from their first six matches, making their bid to wrestle Chelsea off their division pedestal a greater challenge as the weeks continue.
Chelsea continue unbeaten run as Toffees flounder
Sam Kerr of Chelsea celebrates with teammates Johanna Rytting Kaneryd and Jessie Fleming after scoring Chelsea's second goal (Photo by Lewis Storey/Getty Images)If any doubt did exist that Chelsea won't grab a fifth league title on the bounce (and there was some), news of Emma Hayes' departure at the end of the season makes the prospect all the more unlikely.
The prediction goes that the Blues, buoyed and inculcated with a desire to ensure Hayes gets the send-off she deserves, will now wreak the sort of havoc on the league that a team bristling with their quality of players arguably should. Against Everton, Chelsea upheld that prediction as Jessie Flemming, Sam Kerr and Aggie Beever-Jones gave the reigning champions a comfortable 3-0 victory.
Chelsea, now unbeaten in six league matches, are setting the tenor and tone for the league. Meanwhile, Brian Sorensen's side suffered a fourth loss of the season, while their record against Chelsea (the Toffees have not beaten Chelsea since a 3-2 win in 2013) was extended further.
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Arsenal punish Leicester in ruthless second half
Arsenal celebrate scoring against Leicester City (2023 Getty Images)Two goals in as many minutes sent Foxes fans dreams into a frenzy in the first half of Sunday's final match as Leicester looked to be the latest side on course to shock a title contender.
But Arsenal are Arsenal, and the second half underlined this sentiment as Cloe Lacasse, Alessia Russo, Caitlin Foord and Victoria Pelova each found the back of the net to send the Gunners into an ultimately insurmountable 4-2 scoreline just after the hour mark.
Stina Blackstenius accentuated the sense of suffering for the hosts 15 minutes from full-time. The swelling scoreline did little to keep the Gunners from pushing for more, and questions could be asked of the Foxes, who had conceded five goals in half an hour but were keeping loyal to a 3-3-4 formation without the ball.
Jonas Eidevall's side gleefully exploited the cavalier approach, with Lina Hurtig twice slamming the woodwork and Beth Mead doing so late into injury time.
Hurtig eventually grabbed her goal to earn Arsenal an emphatic 6-2 win as they finished the night second in the table, as Leicester's winless run was extended to three matches.
Spurs succumb to another late equaliser
Tottenham and Liverpool have both relished stunning starts to the campaign that few pre-season predictions tapped into.
Whether one could distinguish itself from the other was the test on Sunday, and Spurs looked to be the ones destined to do so as Celin Bizet put Robert Vilahamn's side on course for a fourth win in five matches with a sensational solo goal. The Norwegian international began the move from inside her own half before driving at Liverpool's defence and producing a scintillating finish past keeper Rachael Laws just before the half-hour mark.
But it would be fellow Norway compatriot Sophia Roman-Haug who would cancel out Bizet's hard work in the 66th minute with a well-placed header following a super cross from substitute Yana Daniels, marking a successive match that Spurs would concede a lead.
The Reds could have won it had Gemma Bonner's volley not fizzed wide. The draw keeps the two sides level on points and three points adrift of Chelsea.
Aston Villa discover first points of the season
Relief. That was the sensation coursing through Aston Villa manager Carla Ward's bones as Ebony Salmon's cross was turned into the back of Bristol City's net by defender Megan Connolly with less than 15 minutes of regular time remaining.
Salmon, who arrived off the bench to give Villa a much-needed incision in the final third, would double the advantage and ensure that Villa did, finally, seize their first points of the season.
Ebony Salmon celebrates the win over Bristol City (Photo by Ryan Hiscott/Getty Images)Glorious delirium for the travelling Villa supporters, indeed, though for large portions of the match, it seemed Villa would only know the sensation of points in a singular sense. Bristol City's defence, becoming renowned for its obstinate and disciplined shape, promised to thwart Villa to great lengths as they bid to keep their own hunt for points alive.
But pressure eventually told as City's defence cracked late on. Unable to provide enough of a threat on the opposite side of the pitch, City were consigned to a fifth league defeat in six matches and forced back into the relegation spot.