Vivianne Miedema and Katie McCabe strike for WSL leaders; Sam Kerr scores first-half hat-trick and Fran Kirby reaches Chelsea milestone in big win for Emma Hayes' side; West Ham edge Tottenham; Wins for Reading and Everton
Monday 22 November 2021 08:24, UK
Arsenal preserved their place at the top of the Women's Super League with a 2-0 victory at Manchester United.
Vivianne Miedema and Katie McCabe scored in the second half as the Gunners bounced back from points dropped in a draw against Tottenham to record their seventh win in eight league games.
Without a league win of their own since beating Birmingham at the start of October, United kept the visitors scoreless in the opening 45 minutes, but Dutch striker Miedema drove home a low shot three minutes into the second half to break the deadlock.
Nine minutes later, McCabe was fouled in the box to earn a penalty, and the Irish international dusted herself down before firing the spot-kick beyond the dive of Mary Earps.
Arsenal stay just one point ahead of London rivals Chelsea, who hammered second-bottom Birmingham City 5-0 at Kingsmeadow.
Sam Kerr scored a first-half hat-trick, while Fran Kirby brought up a century of Chelsea goals in the thumping win against a side who sacked boss Scott Booth in midweek but always looked destined for another tough afternoon in the top flight.
Kirby sparked the rout with a fine lofted finish after a defensive mix-up with just four minutes on the clock, before Kerr took over.
Her first was a clinical finish after good work from Jessie Fleming, her second a tap-in and her third a close-range header - celebrated with a somersault - after Drew Spence's shot was parried.
The partnership brought further reward in the 75th minute as Kirby flicked in at the near post and while the scoreline might have been greater, it was a timely warning to the Gunners, who they face in the FA Cup final on December 5 before the WSL resumes after the international break.
Everton took their time to finally earn new manager Jean Luc Vasseur a first WSL win as manager as they shook off back-to-back league defeats to beat lowly Leicester 1-0 at the Pirelli Stadium.
The Toffees laboured to victory with Kenza Dali and Toni Duggan's poor efforts as close as they came to breaking the deadlock against their defensively suspect hosts before half-time.
Duggan and Valerie Gauvin wasted even better chances in the second period as Leicester eyed the chance to jump above Birmingham in the table, but with nine minutes left substitute Simone Magill rounded goalkeeper Demi Lambourne and fired home.
Late on it could have been two, when Duggan's ambitious effort hit the bar on its way over.
Goals in either half ended Brighton's three-match winning streak as Reading moved two points off the top half with a 2-0 win at the Select Car Leasing Stadium.
Brighton were hoping to stay on the coattails of the top two but Natasha Dowie struck with just three minutes on the clock and Emma Harries made sure with four minutes remaining.
Dagny Brynjarsdottir scored the only goal in Sunday's London derby as West Ham United edged Tottenham 1-0.
Brynjarsdottir finally made the breakthrough in the 69th minute of a scrappy contest, drilling into the bottom corner after good work from Lisa Evans.
The Hammers were indebted also to goalkeeper Mackenzie Arnold, who denied Ashley Neville and Rachel Williams late on as the hosts climbed to fifth - two points behind their opponents.
