Arsenal beats West Ham but Manchester United goes top of WSL

Arsenal came back from a goal down to beat West Ham 3-1 in the Women’s Super League. Manchester United continues to top the points table after its 3-0 win over Everton.

Arsenal’s Beth Mead and Frida Maanum celebrate after the team’s 3-1 win over West Ham. | Photo Credit: REUTERS

Arsenal came back from a goal down to beat West Ham United 3-1 on Sunday, but it was not enough to dislodge Manchester United, which tops the Women’s Super League table after a 3-0 win over Everton earlier in the day.

United, Arsenal and Chelsea, which beat Aston Villa 3-1 on Sunday, all have 15 points but the Red Devils lead the standings thanks to their superior goal difference.

Dagny Brynjarsdottir capitalised for West Ham when Steph Catley misjudged a backpass to Manuela Zinsberger that hit the post, and Brynjarsdottir reacted quickest to break the deadlock in the 35th minute. It was the first goal Arsenal had conceded in the league in more than 15 hours, with Birmingham City’s Lucy Quinn the last player to score against the Gunners back in March before they went on a run of 10 clean sheets in a row.

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However, the lead did not last long as Jordan Nobbs equalised shortly after coming on for the injured Kim Little, drilling the ball through a forest of bodies in the 42nd minute to put her side level.

Catley redeemed her earlier error with an assist for a Stina Blackstenius goal in the 53rd minute, and Frida Maanum headed home to make it 3-1 in the 70th minute and ensure a 13th victory in a row for the Gunners.

Earlier, Ashleigh Neville, Drew Spence and substitute Jessica Naz all netted twice as a rampant Tottenham Hotspur side hammered Brighton & Hove Albion 8-0. Rachel Rowe scored twice in second-half stoppage time as Reading staged an impressive comeback from a goal down to beat bottom side Leicester City 2-1, condemning their visitor to its sixth defeat in six league games.

Manchester City bagged a 2-1 home win over Liverpool that keeps it in fourth place on nine points, six behind the leader and ahead of Spurs, Everton and West Ham on goal difference.

Results

Arsenal 3 (Nobbs 42’, Blackstenius 53’, Maanum 70’) West Ham 1 (Brynjarsdottir 35’)

Chelsea 3 (James 22’, 47’, Kerr 63’) Aston Villa 1 (Daly 38’)

Everton 0 Manchester United 3 (Parris 13’, Galton 55’, Ladd 68’)

Manchester City 2 (Shaw 21’, Raso 75’) Liverpool 1 (Stengel 33’)

Brighton & Hove Albion 0 Tottenham 8 (Bartrip 2’, Karczewska 19’, Neville 29’, 56’, Spence 45+2’, 58’, Naz 60’, 83’)