Manchester City took only 24 hours to regain the league leadership from Chelsea by beating Liverpool 4-0, while Everton edged Reading 2-1 and Arsenal put four past Yeovil Town.
Sunday 11th February
FA WSL 1
Manchester City 4-0 Liverpool (Att: 2,356)
Arsenal 4-0 Yeovil Town (Att: 740)
Everton 2-1 Reading (Att: 274)
Man City retake top spot
Manchester City ended Chelsea’s very brief spell as leaders when regaining pole position with a comfortable win over Liverpool.
The opener came within 90 seconds and in bizarre fashion as Sophie Ingle’s attempted clearance hit Nikita Parris clean in the face and bounced past a helpless Becky Flaherty.
Abbie McManus saw her long-range effort skim the post and Georgia Stanway’s half-volley was turned wide by Flaherty.
Martha Harris closed down a stinging effort from Claire Emslie inside the area to prevent City extending their lead but shortly afterwards on 55 minutes, Parris was brought down in the box and Issy Christiansen hit the penalty into the roof of the net.
Ellie Roebuck blocked a close-range Beth England effort before City made it 3-0 on 59 minutes, Parris heading home Emslie’s corner kick and Abbie McManus got City’s fourth goal with 18 minutes remaining
Nikita Parris said: “It was always going to be a tough game and that’s why the early goal for us was such a positive because we knew Liverpool were going to sit deep and try and frustrate us.
“They sat on their 18-yard line and we had to break them down but we had that persistence to grind them down. We got a bit of luck and I’d be totally lying if I said I meant the first goal but I’ll take any goal as it comes.”
Liverpool manager Scott Rogers said: “The game plan was out of the window after 60 seconds against a team that hasn’t lost in the league here for three years.
“We tried to frustrate them and limited opportunities and I felt we did that in the first half but we’re still going in at half-time 1-0 down from an error that wasn’t part of the plan.”
Gunners go third
Danielle Carter and Beth Mead both scored twice, as Arsenal won 4-0 at home to Yeovil Town and climbed above Liverpool into third spot.
Yeovil’s Nia Jones make a last ditch interception to deny Mead when put through by Katie McCabe but the Gunners were ahead on 37 minutes, Carter with a side-foot finish.
Ella Pusey picked up a loose Arsenal back-pass but her 30-yard effort went wide.
Mead made it 2-0 soon after the restart, showing quick feet in the box to tuck her shot past Megan Walsh.
Carter got her second with a header on 70 minutes to cap a good move and Mead later also completed a brace, following in a rebound from Jordan Nobbs’ free kick.
Everton hold on to beat Royals
Everton took a 2-0 lead over Reading but were left desperately holding on at a wintery scene in Widnes.
Straight after Fara Williams saw her shot deflected wide, Everton went up the other end where Courtney Sweetman-Kirk was played in for a cool finish.
Williams then drew a fine stop from Lizzie Durack from her 25-yard free-kick but midway through the half, Chloe Kelly got the hosts second after intercepting a pass in the area.
The Royals got one back by the break, Rachel Furness with a neat header from Jo Potter’s free kick.
Reading pressed hard in the second half and Durack was fortunate when failing to claim a free kick, before Brooke Chaplen hit the Everton upright and Remi Allen headed just wide in stoppage time.
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Quotes by Sportsbeat
