Liverpool came from behind to win away to Manchester United and go level on points with them in the Barclays Women’s Super League.
Manchester United 1-2 Liverpool (Att: 6,303)
Everton 1-4 Manchester City
Bristol City 0-3 Chelsea (Att: 9,442)
Leicester City 1-1 West Ham United
Aston Villa 1-0 Brighton & Hove Albion
Liverpool overcame an early deficit and difficult beginning to the match to win away to fourth-placed Manchester United. Ella Toone gave United an early lead just after Leah Galton hit the post, Melvine Malard missed an open goal from a tight angle and Millie Turner headed against the bar. Liverpool then came into the game and Mel Lawley’s cross to the near post appeared to take a touch off Emma Koivisto’s arm and go in via Turner’s head. The visitors went close to taking the lead but Missy Bo Kearns effort was touched over the bar by Mary Earps. They did so midway through the second half, Taylor Hinds volleying in a Marie Hobinger corner. Liverpool lost Gemma Bonner to a nasty clash of heads late on.
Khadija Shaw hit a hat-trick as Manchester City ran out 4-1 winners at Everton. Sara Holmgaard conceded an early penalty when fouling Lauren Hemp, Shaw’s spot-kick was saved by Courtney Brosnan. But Shaw did score twice aided, the first with a lob on the turn before Chloe Kelly found Jill Roord to make it 3-0 with just 25 minutes played. Aurora Galli pulled a great goal back from outside the box, only for Shaw to complete her hat-trick with a header from Kelly’s free kick.
Chelsea moved three points clear at the top for Christmas, with victory in from of nearly 10,000 at Bristol City. Lauren James fired the Blues ahead from 20 yards out, Erin Cuthbert volleyed home the second from Megan Connolly’s attempted headed clearance. Ffion Morgan looked set to halve the deficit before the break but Hannah Hampton rushed out to smother the chance. James hit the bar from 25 yards, from a Guro Reiten cross Sam Kerr headed Chelsea three up. They finished with ten players though, Niamh Charles being shown a second yellow card in added time.
Leicester City had to settle for a draw, after being pegged back by ten-player West Ham in stoppage time. The Foxes broke the deadlock midway throuigh the second half, Aileen Whelan the provider for Lena Petermann to net. The Hammers’ Hawa Cissoko got two cautions in added time but teenage substitue Princess Ademiluyi sent over the cross from which Honoka Hayashi levelled. The draw lifted West Ham off last place on goal-difference, at the expense of Bristol.
Aston Villa edged Brighton 1-0 to leapfrog them into ninth spot. Adrian Leon got the only goal soon after the hour mark, squeezing the ball through keeper Sophie Baggaley’s legs at the near post. Villa lost Maz Pacheco to a second yellow card in the 89th minute.
