Manchester City moved level on points with Barclays Women’s Super League leaders Chelsea whom they now only trail by two on goal-difference.
Liverpool 3-1 West Ham United
Manchester United 2-0 Bristol City
Brighton & Hove Albion 1-4 Manchester City
Tottenham Hotspur 1-0 Leicester City
Manchester City are right back on the leaders’ heels with a 4-1 win at Brighton. Man City went in two up at the break, Jess Park playing Lauren Hemp in to squeeze a shot under Sophie Baggaley and Hemp providing the cross for Mary Fowler to double the lead. Khadija Shaw made it 3-0 midway through the second half, with a firm header following Yui Hasegawa’s ball into the box. Laura Coombs added the fourth, when found by Fowler’s cut-back. Lee Geum-min pulled a goal back for Brighton, volleying in a Veatriki Sarri cross into the six-yard box.
Manchester United beat basement side Bristol City 2-0 with a brace by Lisa Naalsund. Man Utd were ahead inside ten minutes, Naalsund allowed to advance into the box and shoot into the bottom corner. Bristol remained just the one goal behind into the last few minutes, but had their hopes of rescuing a point hit by a second caution for Jamie Lee Napier. United eventually got their second goal in added time, Katie Zelem’s corner turned in by Naalsund. Marc Skinner’s side are now within six points of third-placed Arsenal, Bristol City still as many points adrift at the bottom.
Liverpool were 3-1 winners over West Ham to stay just goal-difference behind Manchester United, the Hammers still six points off the bottom. Leanne Kiernan opened the scoring for the Reds four minutes before the end of the first 45, 13 minutes of stoppage-time followed. Five minutes after the restart the hosts went two up, Ceri Holland’s cross headed in by Missy Bo Kearns. Victory was wrapped up after 73 minutes, Niamh Fahey heading on a corner for Sophie Roman Haug to fire high into the net. Riko Ueki scored a consolation for the Hammers, with an effort from outside the box.
Tottenham Hotspur edged Leicester City 1-0 to gain a psychological advantage ahead of their Adobe Women’s FA Cup meeting. Spurs took just a couple of minutes to take the lead, Matilda Vinberg with the goal on the volley from a Jess Naz cross after a breakaway move. Becky Spencer saved on the line to deny Aileen Whelan late in the first-half, before again denying the same player, as well as the follow up from Jutta Rantala. The post saved Spurs from a Rantala effort in the second half, Rosella Ayane missed a glorious chance at the other end. Beth England was denied a stoppage-time goal for Spurs by an offside decision but her side move six points ahead of the Foxes in mid-table.
