Chelsea overcame Arsenal to go within a point of the Barclays FA Women’s Super League leading pair with a game in hand, as Manchester City went top on goal-difference.
Barclays FA WSL results – 19 January
Birmingham City 0-2 Manchester City (Att: 1,197)
Manchester United 3-0 Tottenham Hotspur (Att: 1,836)
Arsenal 1-4 Chelsea (Att: 4,000)
Everton 3-1 Reading
Bristol City 0-1 Liverpool (Att: 1,007)
West Ham United 2-1 Brighton & Hove Albion (Att: 1,799)
Blues blow away Gunners
Chelsea stunned Arsenal with three goals in the first 20 minutes on their way to a 4-1 victory against the morning leaders.
Guro Reiten was involved in the first two goals, as she fed Beth England before the forward curled a shot inside the far post and then crossed for Sam Kerr to open her Blues account with a header back across Manuela Zinsberger.
Following a corner, a clearance only went as far as Sophie Ingle who hooked the ball home from 20 yards to make it 3-0.
Vivianne Miedema had a good chance to get her side back in the game in the second half but only found the side-netting and 2 minutes later, Reiten headed in a Jonna Anderson cross to seal the win.
The hosts replied on 74 minutes when Ann-Katrin Berger failed to keep out Beth Mead’s header inside the near post from a Katie McCabe cross.
Man City edge into first place
Manchester City went top narrowly on goal-difference having won 2-0 at Birmingham City, combined with the margin of defeat for Arsenal.
Man City were ahead after only 34 seconds as Ellen White netted from a cross by Jill Scott, who also played a part as Keira Walsh doubled the lead from her pass midway through the second half, the effort from outside the box flying in off the far post.
Lucy Staniforth twice went close to replying for Birmingham but she was thwarted first by goalkeeper Ellie Roebuck and then by the post.
United repeat 3-0 win over Spurs
Katie Zelem scored twice as Manchester United beat Tottenham Hotspur 3-0, to match the earlier result at The Hive and to go above them and up to fourth in the table.
Zelem broke the deadlock from the spot just before the hour mark and soon after Jess Sigsworth doubled the lead via a corner.
Although Zelem completed her brace late on, United substitute Ella Toone was sent off deep into added time.
Kelly treble lifts Everton to fifth
Everton’s Chloe Kelly hit a hat-trick to see them defeat Reading 3-1 and rise to fifth in the table.
Kelly put Everton in front after 11 minutes but Reading’s Fara Williams levelled with a penalty 20 minutes afterwards, Angharad James having been fouled in the area by Megan Finnigan.
Two goals by Kelly in a six-minute spell around the hour mark secured the points for the Toffees, the first of those coming direct from a corner,
Liverpool clinch first win
New Liverpool signing, Rachel Furness, got the only goal of the game to see the Reds win at Bristol City and climb out of the drop zone on goal-difference, at the expense of the Robins.
Rinsola Babajide hit the post for the away side but Furness scored on 13 minutes when following up a shot from Melissa Lawley.
City missed a golden chance to level on the hour mark, Charlie Wellings winning a penalty but seeing it saved by Anke Preuss.
Lehmann hits late brace in Hammers win
West Ham United trailed at home to Brighton for a large period of the match but two goals in the final 11 minutes by Alisha Lehmann saw them take all three points
Danique Kerkdijk gave Brighton the advantage halfway through the first period, her effort during a goalmouth scramble judged to have crossed the line.
But Lehmann levelled from a Kate Longhurst cross and beat Megan Walsh four minutes later.
South Korean veteran among trio to sign for Bristol City Women
