WSL results: Chelsea pile on the pressure, Reading relegation worries worsen

WSL results: Chelsea pile on the pressure, Reading relegation worries worsen

More twists in this season’s Women’s Super League narrative unfolded at the weekend. Action in the title race, the top three tussle, and the battle to avoid relegation saw 20 goals scored across the board.

Here’s how each team fared in the latest round of fixtures and where they sit in the table as we head into the final few weeks of the season.

Arsenal 1-0 Leicester City

Frida Maanum of Arsenal celebrates scoring a goal for her team

Arsenal still have a top three finish well within their sights after an important win over Leicester City. Right now, the Gunners need as many points as possible to keep their hopes of Champions League qualification alive. They do however, have a crucial advantage of two games in-hand.

Equally, Leicester are also in need of maximum points as we enter the final weeks of the season. The Foxes are finally out of the relegation zone with an important game in-hand, but a slight slip up this late in the term poses a huge risk of dropping back to the bottom.

Arsenal superstar Frida Maanum came up clutch once again for her side to score the only goal of the match.

Man United 3-0 Spurs

Manchester United are not giving up this title battle without a true fight. Chelsea may have two games in-hand but Marc Skinner’s Reds are keeping their focus firmly on their own season.

They extended their winning run with a convincing victory at LSV over Tottenham Hotspur, who are four points above the drop zone.

Man United currently lead the pack with 50 points but Chelsea are four behind. Goals from Leah Galton, Alessia Russo and Nikita Parris made for a breezy home win, while Spurs are now five matches without a win.

Liverpool 2-1 Man City

Missy Bo Kearns celebrates scoring a goal for Liverpool with her teammates

Manchester City are also fighting for a top three spot, but their loss to Liverpool may be the writing on the wall. Arsenal have two games in-hand over Gareth Taylor’s team and are just three points adrift.

An Emma Koivisto goal opened up the afternoon, followed by Lauren Hemp’s equaliser in the first half. However, just after the break, homegrown talent Missy Bo Kearns popped up with a goal to kill off the match and give Liverpool their sixth win of the season.

Reading 0-5 Aston Villa

Rachel Daly celebrates with her teammates after scoring for Aston Villa

It was more misery for Reading as they were handed a hefty defeat on home soil. Their fate started to slip out of their hands when previous relegation favourites Leicester recently leapfrogged out of the drop zone.

Aston Villa, who are enjoying a strong season under Carla Ward, banked their tenth win of the season. Thanks to a Rachel Daly hat-trick and goals from Alisha Lehmann and Kirsty Hanson, it was an easy outing for the Villans.

Daly’s performance takes her to 20 goals for the season and she now leads the race for the WSL Golden Boot.

Brighton 1-0 West Ham

Just one point separates these two sides now after Brighton earned a hard-fought win over West Ham thanks to a Kayleigh Green goal.

Both sides are still mathematically at risk of facing the drop at the end of the season, but at this moment in time, they are comfortable enough to be away from the bottom.

Chelsea 7-0 Everton

Chelsea boasted the biggest scoreline of the weekend with their 7-0 demolition of Everton at home. Six different goal-scorers got in on the action to keep the pressure on WSL leaders Man United.

Guro Reiten, Sam Kerr, Pernille Harder, Sophie Ingle and Jessie Fleming all ran riot in the first 45 minutes. By the time the whistle blew for half-time, Chelsea were cruising with a six-goal lead.

The second half was much quieter but Erin Cuthbert popped up right at the death to rub salt in the wounds and hammer one last goal home for the Blues.