Six-goal Manchester United top the Barclays FA Women’s Super League for Christmas, while Arsenal went second in the table.
Sunday 20 December
Barclays FA WSL
Manchester United 6-1 Bristol City
Arsenal 4-0 Everton
Birmingham City P-P Manchester City (waterlogged pitch)
Chelsea P-P Tottenham Hotspur (positive Covid tests)
Brighton & Hove Albion 1-3 Reading
West Ham United P-P Aston Villa (positive Covid tests)
Reds remain top for Christmas
Manchester United sent basement side Bristol City to a 6-1 defeat, moving four points clear at the top.
However, the Robins nearly took an early lead when Ebony Salmon lobbed just wide of the post when hitting the ball over Mary Earps.
Leah Galton opened the scoring on 25 minutes from outside the box and United made it 2-0 in added time, Millie Turner heading in Katie Zelem’s corner.
Jess Sigsworth rifled home the third and Galton got her second before Salmon replied, only for Tobin Heath to then bag a late brace.
Gunners go second
With Chelsea’s game postponed, Arsenal took the chance to go above them in the table with a comfortable win over Everton.
Arsenal made a flying start against Everton, scoring twice in the opening ten minutes. Beth Mead’s cross presented a tap-in for Jordan Nobbs and soon after Caitlin Foord was also set up for a simple finish.
The Gunners added two more goals in quick succession but after the hour mark, Jen Beattie with a far-post header from Katie McCabe’s corner, then Mead curling the ball home from the edge of the box.
Chantelle Boye-Hlorkah came close to a consolation goal late on but struck the crossbar with Lydia Williams well beaten.
Fishlock features in Reading win
Jess Fishlock scored twice and made the other goal as Reading recorded a 3-1 away win over Brighton.
Brighton paid for gifting possession to Fishlock, as the Wales veteran fired into the bottom corner from 18 yards out.
The lead was short-lived though, Deanna Cooper conceding a penalty for a foul on Ellie Brazil, Inessa Kaagman thumping the spot-kick into the net.
The Royals lost Natasha Harding to injury inside 30 minutes and Fishlock had to recover from a nasty collision before restoring her side’s lead close to the interval.
The points were sealed in added-time, Fishlock playing in Rachel Rowe whose dink past the keeper hit the far post and was judged to have crossed the line.
