Manchester United, Chelsea and Brighton & Hove Albion also win
Missy Bo Kearns’ second-half strike helped Liverpool to a shock 2-1 win over Manchester City which all but ended the visitors’ title hopes.
Natasha Dowie became the first Liverpool player to score 20 Barclays Women’s Super League goals as she opened the scoring by tapping home following a loose pass from Laura Coombs.
City hit back just before the half-hour mark as Chloe Kelly added another assist to her tally, finding an unmarked Lauren Hemp to head home the equaliser.
Two minutes after the restart, Kearns fired home a low shot to put the hosts ahead again before Ellie Roebuck was forced into an important save to deny Shanice van der Sanden.
Hemp came close to an equaliser in the final minutes but Faye Kirby, on only her second BWSL appearance, got her fingertips to the header to secure her side all three points.
Manchester City are now six points adrift of leaders Manchester United, who have a vastly superior goal difference with just two games remaining for both sides.
Manchester United cruise to victory over Tottenham
Manchester United made easy work of their 3-0 win over Tottenham Hotspur to keep their hopes of a first Barclays Women’s Super League title in their grasp.
Leah Galton put the home side ahead on 32 minutes as she pounced on a mistimed back pass from Amy Turner before sliding it past Tinja-Riikka Korpela in goal.
Alessia Russo doubled her side’s advantage three minutes later as the Lionesses forward volleyed home from the edge of the six-yard box.
The three points were sewn up for United in the 53rd minute when Nikita Parris rifled the ball into the back of the net on the half-volley.
Mary Earps was called into action with 21 minutes to go as Bethany England set up Mana Iwabuchi, the goalkeeper getting dow to deny the on-loan midfielder before keeping out the rebound from Rosella Ayane behind to preserve her clean sheet.
Clinical Chelsea down Everton
Chelsea rounded out the BWSL weekend with an assured 7-0 win over Everton to keep pace with Manchester United.
The reigning champions scored with all five of their shots on target in the first half, Guro Reiten opening the floodgates after just 12 minutes with a fine angled finish.
Sam Kerr headed home the second before going off injured as her replacement Pernille Harder scored with her first touch of the game.
Sophie Ingle netted her first WSL goal of the season before Jessie Fleming brought up Chelsea’s fifth first-half injury time.
Chelsea were made to wait until the 81st minute for their sixth, putting together a special move between Lauren James, Erin Cuthbert and Harder who stroked the ball home.
Cuthbert delivered the seventh all on her own, poaching possession before rifling passed Courtney Brosnan to seal a special win and move Chelsea four points behind United with two games in hand.
Brighton sneak win over West Ham
Kayleigh Green’s bullet header gave Brighton & Hove Albion a vital 1-0 win over West Ham United.
The sides could not be separated in the first half as Barclays Player of the Month nominee Elisabeth Terland saw two chances go begging for the Seagulls.
West Ham United almost found the opener in the 40th minute but Dagny Brynjarsdottir’s strike was cleared off the line by Zoe Morse.
Green put Brighton ahead in the 58th minute as nodded home Katie Robinson’s cross from outside the box.
The victory moved Brighton up to ninth place and they now sit just a point behind their opponents as they continued their promising start to life under Melissa Phillips.
Daly’s day as Villa put five past Reading
Rachel Daly put on a show in a 5-0 win over bottom side Reading to reach 20 goals for the season with a hat-trick.
The forward opened the scoring from a beautifully-worked team goal that began with goalkeeper Hannah Hampton and finished with Daly stabbing home a Kirsty Hanson cross.
She then turned provider for Villa’s next two as she sent perfect passes to Alisha Lehmann and Hanson as the visitors carved open Reading’s defence.
After the break, it was Daly’s turn to be set up beautifully as Kenza Dali took the ball from her own half before firing in a cross that the England international slotted into the back of the net before securing her hat-trick with a calm finish in the 63rd minute.
Reading have just two matches to play and remain two points adrift of Leicester City, who have a game in hand over their rivals in the relegation dogfight.
Maanum magic enough for Arsenal
Frida Leonhardsen Maanum’s wonder goal secured Arsenal a narrow 1-0 win over Leicester City on Friday evening.
Captain Katie McCabe missed an early penalty for the Gunners before the Foxes defended resolutely as they looked to move away from the relegation battle.
Maanum was found in space on the edge of the box and floated the ball past Janina Leitzig to secure all three points and maintain Arsenal’s slim chances for the BWSL title.
