Women's Super League: Manchester United and Arsenal close gap on leaders Chelsea; Man City, Liverpool, Everton win

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Manchester United faced Leicester City in the lunchtime Women's Super League match, and prevailed with a 2-0 victory at Leigh Sports Village. The win, which was United's seventh in a row, cut the gap to league leaders Chelsea as the west London club later drew 2-2 with Brighton & Hove Albion. Elsewhere, there were victories for Arsenal, Manchester City, Liverpool and Everton.

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Manchester United closed the gap on Women's Super League leaders to Chelsea on Sunday, as a 2-0 win over Leicester for United was followed by Chelsea only managing a 2-2 draw at Brighton & Hove Albion.

Chelsea faced a real battle throughout as they dropped points for only the second time this season, but an equaliser from Lauren James did save them a point that could be a significant one come May.

Brighton had a bright start to the game, dominating early possession, but Chelsea went ahead with their first proper chance of the game after 16 minutes.

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A cross from James found Sandy Baltimore, who fired a volley into the net, to the delight of the visiting supporters.

The hosts hit back after 23 minutes, with Marisa Olislagers latching onto a long ball on the left wing, advancing into the Chelsea penalty area and smashing home a near-post shot.

Brighton then went in front three minutes before half-time, with the hosts taking a quick throw-in and Rachel McLauchlan crossing in low for Vicky Losada to score.

The visitors levelled again just after the hour mark, with Mayra Ramirez running into the home box and firing a shot at goal. Her effort was palmed away by Melina Loeck, only for James to slam home the rebound.

Chelsea frantically chased a winning goal in the closing stages, with James curling a free-kick inches wide of the post.

United pick up seventh win in a row

Manchester United claimed their seventh consecutive Women’s Super League victory with a 2-0 win over Leicester City.

First-half strikes from Melvine Malard and Leah Galton moved Marc Skinner's side within four points of leaders Chelsea, who are in action against Brighton & Hove Albion later on Sunday.

Leicester remain 10th after failing to build on a 3-0 win over Aston Villa before the international break.

Malard broke the deadlock in the 19th minute when she latched onto Ella Toone's perfectly weighted through ball and coolly chipped over Janina Leitzig.

Skinner's side had a strong penalty claim turned down when the ball appeared to hit Sam Tierney's arm inside the box, but the hosts doubled their lead in stoppage time at the end of the first half.

Toone had an integral role in the second goal, playing a ball into Malard, who in turn teed up Galton to apply a clinical finish following a darting run into the box.

United were largely in control of proceedings, but eased off in the second half, giving The Foxes encouragement in an ultimately failed attempt to get back into the contest.

Yuka Momiki delivered a dangerous free-kick into the box which Missy Goodwin fired over the bar.

Momiki continued to look lively after being brought on at half-time, as she latched onto Hannah Cain's pass before seeing her effort comfortably saved by Phallon Tullis-Joyce.

Tullis-Joyce had a concerning moment shortly afterwards, when CJ Bott's cross-shot rebounded off the bar and almost caught out the United shot-stopper.

United had a chance to add a third when Hinata Miyazawa rifled a first-time strike over the target.

Skinner's team would not add to their tally, but the three points continued their 100% start to 2025 and give them some hope of catching Chelsea in the WSL title race.

As for Leicester, they sit six points clear of Crystal Palace at the foot of the table.

Arsenal beat West Ham in thriller

Arsenal recovered from a terrible start to beat West Ham 4-3 and ensure they ended the weekend in third spot in the Women's Super League.

Amber Tysiak scored twice in the first 12 minutes for The Hammers, and they later went 3-1 ahead, but Arsenal stormed back for victory with three goals in seven minutes.

Tysiak first scored with a header to put West Ham in front, before she bundled home after a goalmouth scramble to make it 2-0.

Arsenal needed a spark, and new signing Chloe Kelly provided it, turning in a cross from Mariona Caldentey a minute before half-time.

Leah Williamson scored one of Arsenal's goals

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Shekiera Martinez collected a Verena Hanshaw pass and fired home to make it 3-1 soon after the break however.

Arsenal were shocked into action and responded in impressive fashion, with two goals in as many minutes.

Katie McCabe smashed home past Kinga Szemik from a tight angle to make it 3-2.

Leah Williamson then headed into the net from a corner.

It was one-way traffic at this stage, and Arsenal took the lead when Caldentey scored from the penalty spot, after a handball from West Ham defender Kirsty Smith.

Anouk Denton went close to an equaliser late on for West Ham, but her powerful shot from distance was well tipped over by Daphne van Domselaar.

This was one of the most exciting games of the whole WSL season. And on a day when leaders Chelsea only drew, Arsenal closed the gap at the top to eight points.

City claim narrow win at Spurs

Manchester City laid down the gauntlet to Arsenal in the race for a top-three finish with a 2-1 victory over Tottenham Hotspur.

Gareth Taylor's side are now a point ahead of Arsenal, who are in action later on Sunday against West Ham United.

Vivianne Miedema's opener was cancelled out by Beth England in the first half, leaving both sides on level terms at the break.

Miedema opened the scoring when Aoba Fujino made a surging run down the left flank and teed the ball up for the Dutchwoman to head home from close range.

England then restored parity when Olivia Holdt intercepted Laia Aleixandri's backpass and teed up the Spurs forward for a clinical finish.

But City took all three points away from the capital when Fujino unleashed an unstoppable finish past Lize Kop after being teed up by Yui Hasegawa with 78 minutes on the clock.

Spurs sit seventh in the table with this narrow defeat.

Palace edged out by Liverpool

Crystal Palace are still waiting for their first home WSL win of the season following a narrow 1-0 defeat to Liverpool.

The Eagles are now winless in their last 13 WSL games and prop up the table with only six points from 15 games.

Matt Beard's side claimed all three points when Jasmine Matthews reacted to some indecision in the Palace defence from a corner and tapped home from point-blank range in the 10th minute.

The Reds move up to sixth with this victory after amassing 18 points from 15 games.

Everton win at Villa

Everton came out on top in a big match from the bottom half of the WSL with a 2-0 victory.

A goal in each half from Maren Mjelde and Honoka Hayashi moved The Toffees up to eighth, while Villa stay languished in 11th.

Mjelde got Everton off the mark with a superb close-range volley in the 16th minute, before Hayashi scored just a minute shy of the hour mark when the Japan international reacted to Villa goalkeeper Katelin Talbert's error on her Villa debut.

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