Round-up from across the Women's Super League as rampant Chelsea mark Emma Hayes' landmark game in style, scoring eight goals; Arsenal overtaken by Man Utd but remain in the hunt at the top of the table
Sunday 4 December 2022 07:58, UK
Chelsea returned to the summit of the Women's Super League with an emphatic 8-0 thrashing of bottom-club Leicester on Saturday, while fellow title-chasers Arsenal edged past Everton 1-0.
Earlier in the day, Manchester United had kept up the pressure at the top end of the table, dispatching Aston Villa in style in front of a record-breaking crowd at Old Trafford which was treated to five goals of immense quality.
It meant that Marc Skinner's side returned, for a brief time, to the peak before Chelsea's eight-goal romp at the expense of the Foxes, who are yet to register a WSL point this season.
Vivianne Miedema's solo strike ensured that Arsenal kept pace in the race for the WSL title, which remains intriguingly wide-open this term.
The Gunners were outfought and outclassed by Man United in their previous outing - a dramatic 3-2 loss at Emirates Stadium - but were back to winning ways this weekend.
Their display was buoyed by the return of Leah Williamson, who had been missing since September with a foot injury, as well as the welcome reinstatement of her usual defensive partner Rafaelle Souza - both named among the substitutes.
Miedema's goal in the 24th minute proved to be the difference, as the Dutch striker profited from Caitlin Foord's neat lay-off, before rifling impressivley into the roof of the net.
Arsenal have won their last 14 WSL games against Everton, scoring 37 goals and conceding just six. It's the longest winning run one team has enjoyed against another in the competition.
Williamson was introduced late on from the bench to make her 200th club appearance.
Chelsea made light work of relegation-threatened Leicester to strengthen their WSL title defence, scoring eight goals in a thoroughly one-sided affair at the King Power Stadium, in turn marking a triumphant 300th game in charge for manager Emma Hayes.
Guro Reiten, Fran Kirby, Jessie Fleming, Niamh Charles and Sam Kerr were all on target before the break, ahead of second-half strikes from Fleming and Kirby, with a powerful Beth England header sandwiched in between.
Reiten was the undisputed star of the show, matching the WSL record for assists registered in a single game with a spectacular tally of four.
Chelsea have won 17 of their last 18 WSL encounters, with the exception being a 2-1 loss at Liverpool in their opening game of the season.
Leicester are without a point from their first first eight games, despite improvement under new head coach Willie Kirk, and face an uphill task to keep their place in the top-flight, even before reaching the season's midway point.
Arsenal travel to Aston Villa on December 11 in a bumper day of WSL action, live on Sky Sports, which will be hosted at Villa Park, while Chelsea entertain Reading, also live on Sky Sports.
The Gunners kick-off at 4.15pm, before Chelsea will live be on your screens at 6.45pm.
