WSL talking points: goals galore as Arsenal, Manchester City and Liverpool find derby delight

With her hat-trick successful Arsenal’s 5-2 triumph complete Tottenham, Alessia Russo took her tally to 25 extremity contributions successful 31 games this campaign. It is simply a notable return from a subordinate who is successful her prime, not conscionable successful her buildup play but besides her finishing. She will rightly return nan headlines but Arsenal’s attacking power – they person scored 18 successful their past 5 – is down to nan truth that galore of their attacking players are successful form. Stina Blackstenius has 3 successful her past 4 while Caitlin Foord besides scored connected Saturday, her first quality since returning from nan Asian Cup. Renée Slegers has spoken astir nan versatility successful nan benignant of goals her broadside produces and nan request to beryllium ruthless successful some boxes. Spurs’ 2 goals meant an extremity to Arsenal’s 106-day streak of not conceding successful nan WSL. While each runs must travel to an extremity astatine immoderate point, Slegers’ broadside still boast nan meanest defence successful nan league, a value that has been a instauration for their existent vein of form. Sophie Downey

Match report: Arsenal 5-2 Tottenham

Marc Skinner many times said fatigue was Manchester United’s downfall aft they were comfortably beaten by Manchester City, and expressed his vexation astatine playing their neighbours connected Saturdays consecutive aft midweek Champions League fixtures doubly this season. His squad faced Bayern Munich past Wednesday, whereas City are not successful Europe this term, and asked astir nan speedy turnaround clip for this conclusion and for November’s 3-0 distant nonaccomplishment astatine nan Etihad, which besides followed a Champions League crippled for United, Skinner replied: “Honestly, it’s a difficult 1 for maine because if I opportunity ‘yes’, which is what I really do feel, past group opportunity it’s an excuse but honestly, it is simply a factor. I deliberation Man City person had an advantage from that doubly this year. That’s [all] nan power they person got; nan girls are giving everything. It gave them [City] a immense advantage. It’s a factor, going into these immense games.” Tom Garry

Match report: Manchester United 0-3 Manchester City

Marc Skinner and Jess Park look dejected astatine half-time aft Vivianne Miedema’s first half double. Photograph: Molly Darlington/WSL/WSL Football/Getty Images

Liverpool exemplified their caller improvements by ending their six-year hold for a convention triumph successful a Merseyside derby arsenic they won 3-2 astatine Goodison Park and ended their ain extended winless tally of distant WSL fixtures this season. Having been winless against Everton successful WSL fixtures since May 2019, and having recorded conscionable 1 distant WSL triumph against their neighbours successful astir 13 years, they survived a precocious Everton rally pinch conscionable 10 players to cod their first distant triumph since Gareth Taylor took over. It besides lifted them 8 points clear of threat astatine nan bottommost and Taylor’s squad are now surely each but safe, aft their successful transportation window. TG

One instant of brilliance, 1 plaything of nan footwear that whitethorn yet specify West Ham’s season. Oona Siren’s first extremity for nan club, a thunderous volley that near nan London City Lionesses goalkeeper Elene Lete pinch nary chance, earned a constituent that could beryllium important pinch nan Hammers 4 points clear of nan bottommost broadside Leicester City, pinch a crippled successful hand. West Ham had started brightly but were punished erstwhile Jana Fernández converted London City Lionesses’ only changeable connected target. The consequence aft nan break was much purposeful. When Saki Kumagai’s clearance fell invitingly, Siren reacted quickly to thrust past Lete. “Every constituent is important,” she said. With 3 games remaining and nary triumph successful four, this could yet beryllium decisive. Mitul Samji

In arguably nan astir entertaining lucifer of nan season, Chelsea’s 4-3 triumph complete Aston Villa was a compelling reminder of their attacking firepower and protect vulnerability up of a important Champions League necktie against Arsenal this week. After conceding wrong 2 minutes, an end-to-end, almost tennis-like first half saw six goals scored, pinch Villa converting each 3 of their shots connected target. The Chelsea manager, Sonia Bompastor, expressed her vexation astatine her side’s nonaccomplishment of power aft going 3-1 up but remained assured her broadside would respond successful nan 2nd half. With nan Kingsmeadow crowd driving them on, Sam Kerr’s precocious assistance for Sjoeke Nüsken secured a captious triumph that moves Chelsea backmost into 2nd spot successful nan table. Bompastor admitted nan winning extremity was “a alleviation for everyone”, but a greater level of power will beryllium required connected Wednesday successful bid for Chelsea to overturn a first-leg deficit. Réshma Rao

Chelsea lacked power but Sjoeke Nüsken’s precocious victor against Aston Villa moved them into second. Photograph: John Walton/PA

Kiko Seike picked up consecutive wherever she near disconnected pinch Brighton anterior to nan Asian Cup and scored for a 4th crippled successful a statement for her nine to springiness them a 1-0 triumph astatine struggling Leicester City. The Japan forward, who besides scored 4 goals for her state to thief them triumph their continental title successful Australia, is now Brighton’s apical scorer this word pinch 7 convention goals. Her latest owed overmuch to nan imagination of Fran Kirby, whose defence-splitting walk recovered Rosa Kafaji who, successful turn, group up Seike for nan winner, but Seike’s all-round guardant play passim nan crippled showed that she is afloat of assurance amid specified a prolific goalscoring run. TG