WSL Watch

Manchester City Women top the WSL table after a comfortable 4-0 win against Bristol City, with Izzy Christiansen’s early penalty taking her league total to five.

Additional goals from Claire Emslie against her old club and defenders Abbie McManus and Jennifer Beattie ensured the Citizens went top of the WSL going into the international break, staying two crucial points adrift from second-placed Chelsea. The Blues ended their perfect start to the WSL season by dropping points for the first time in a tough 2-2 draw away at Reading, where an unfortunate own goal in injury time from Chelsea’s Magda Erikssen earned a hard-fought point for the Royals. The defeat made Chelsea slip to two points below Manchester City rivals with just five games played. Though Chelsea top-scorer Eniola Aluka netted in the 75th minute to make it 2-1, making the scoreline look final, Reading pushed on through to extra time to further frustrate the Blues.

Liverpool’s Niamh Charles slotted in during the Reds’ 1-0 win over Birmingham City to sit in fourth place, her brilliant first-half strike enough to secure all three points for the Merseyside club – but Birmingham’s defeat meant that they are yet to find victory in their last three WSL games. Liverpool’s top scorer Natasha Harding was unable to find the back of the net, but came close to converting as she was inches away from pounding in from Alex Greenwood’s low cross early in the second half.

Arsenal, third in the table, won emphatically against Sunderland in a 3-0 rout and came back to winning ways after their loss to Reading. Louise Quinn, Vivianne Miedema and captain Jordan Nobbs all struck for the Gunners in the second half, who were dominant in possession throughout.