Women’s Super League: talking points from the weekend’s action

Skinner salutes statement win for United

Manchester United’s second win against one of Arsenal, Chelsea and Manchester City, and first away win against any of the traditional top three, was significant. The 3-2 defeat of Arsenal at the Emirates spoke to a real shift in the resilience of Marc Skinner’s side. Having taken the lead, United’s collapse early in the second half, conceding twice, looked to be following a familiar pattern. Instead, in front of an impressive away end, United roared back to equalise and then win it in injury time. Skinner called it a full Manchester United performance. “Our job is to bring the women under that same banner of: we might go down but we’re never beaten,” he said. They were helped by some poor defending for Katie Zelem’s lethal set-pieces, which provided goals two and three, but there is little doubt that United, after a bruising 3-1 defeat to Chelsea, are serious contenders. SW

Arsenal’s loss is Chelsea’s gain as Hayes returns

Perhaps the biggest winners following Manchester United’s 3-2 defeat of Arsenal were Chelsea. Having beaten United 3-1 before the international break, the Blues pounced on the opportunity to go top of the table, albeit with an extra game played, with a 3-0 home win over Tottenham. Emma Hayes returned to the touchline following her emergency hysterectomy, but the team had gone unbeaten in her absence and, in many ways, transition in and out had been seamless. “There is often this sense that coaching has to be done from coaches to players,” she mused after. “Instead I want players to be coaches on the pitch. So Sam Kerr said to me that when she scored against Manchester United the other day – when her touch had been all over the place in maybe three or four subsequent moves –just before that Guro [Reiten] had told her ‘Sam, the next time the ball comes, turn and shoot.’ It just made me feel so confident.” SW

Drama surrounds Brighton again in thriller

If you are looking for pure drama, a Brighton game is the place to be these days. A fortnight ago, they had clung on to victory in a nine-goal thriller. On Sunday, they surrendered a lead once more, leaving interim manager, Amy Merricks, lamenting her side’s tendency to concede. It was deja-vu as the Seagulls found themselves 3-1 up at the break. A capitulation followed, however, as Liverpool produced an inspired comeback. Despite a tough run of form, Matt Beard’s side have shown character and they took their opportunities with Shanice van de Sanden as the catalyst. The substitute pulled one back before providing the assist for a dramatic equaliser. Rachel Furness was the player of the hour, bravely diving in with her head – as she so often does – at a cross in the 91st minute to send her team home with a valuable point. SD

Leicester’s bad luck continues

When your luck is out in football, it really is out. An 87th-minute winner from West Ham’s Izzy Atkinson – her first goal for the club – struck a dagger through Leicester hearts. Having what looked an equaliser disallowed minutes later only added to the pain. The Foxes, propping up the table, produced a solid performance on Sunday against an out-of-sorts West Ham. For the most part, they were brave and compact, controlling possession and tenacious with it. Their inability to convert chances, however, made them pay once more. Before the game, Willie Kirk’s side had the lowest shot conversion rate in the league at 3.5% and that problem was highlighted in this encounter: they created 17 shots to West Ham’s eight but only managed three on target. Kirk was keen to emphasise the positives post-match but he will know how valuable even a point would have been. With Chelsea next things do not get any easier for this Leicester side as they try to find a way to turn their fortunes around. SD

Daly drubbing highlights Reading’s weakness

Reading have had a difficult start to the season and are second from bottom. On Sunday, at Villa Park, they took the lead in the seventh minute but once again defensive errors let them down and they ended up losing 3-1. It went wrong late in the first half with Rachel Daly being left unmarked to head in the equaliser. True, it was a superb header but she had far too much room to execute it. Daly then made it 2-1 from a corner and it could even have been 3-1 early in the second half but Kirsty Hanson missed a glorious oppotunity. The Reading goalkeeper, Jacqueline Burns, was then sent off for a challenge on Daly and the England international completed her hat-trick from the spot. Reading have conceded 17 goals in seven games; that ratio needs to improve if they are to avoid a relegation scrap. SR

Shaw the focal point for City

Striker Khadija ‘Bunny’ Shaw has become the linchpin of Manchester City’s team this season and scored another vital goal at the weekend, this one giving her side a 2-1 win at Everton. The goal, coming in the 49th minute from a rebound, was her eighth in the league this season and handed City their fifth consecutive WSL victory, ensuring they keep the pressure up on the top three. Shaw set up the other goal for her side but the City manager, Gareth Taylor, was at pains to point out her overall contribution. “She does so much more than score goals, the way she takes the hits as well as giving the hits out,” he told the BBC. “She’s also very strong and she’s looking a lot fitter. She’s found a rhythm now in knowing she’s the focal point of the team.” SR