The latest round of Women's Super League fixtures served up high drama, contentious talking points, and a stark reminder of the division's growing competitive edge. From a major controversy over gamesmanship to a heartbreaking return for a club legend, the weekend had it all.
Time-Wasting Tactics Spark Major Controversy
The most heated debate emerged from the 0-0 draw between Arsenal and Manchester United at a packed Meadow Park. The flashpoint occurred when United goalkeeper Phallon Tullis-Joyce went down for treatment, allowing her coaches to deliver a tactical team talk to the outfield players after they were reduced to ten women.
The situation escalated when United defender Dominique Janssen appeared to confirm the deliberate nature of the incident in a post-match interview with Sky Sports, stating: "Phallon went down for us to discuss tactical changes." While United manager Marc Skinner later insisted Tullis-Joyce had felt an injury, Arsenal's Renée Slegers expressed frustration, calling such perceived time-wasting detrimental to the entertainment value of the product.
City's Relentless Charge and a Goalkeeping Masterclass
At the summit, Manchester City showed no signs of slowing down, maintaining their six-point lead with a 2-0 victory over Everton. The statistics told a story of utter dominance: 32 shots, 13 on target, and an expected goals (xG) figure of 4.27.
With top scorer Bunny Shaw quieter than usual, it was Kerolin who stepped up, her blistering pace causing constant problems. The only thing preventing a rout was a phenomenal performance from Everton's Courtney Brosnan, who made a remarkable 11 saves to keep the scoreline respectable.
Nightmare Returns and Bizarre Debut Delays
In a cruel twist of fate, Ashleigh Neville marked her Leicester City debut against former club Tottenham with a decisive own goal. After 191 appearances for Spurs, her return to Brisbane Road ended in despair as she inadvertently headed a corner into her own net, handing Tottenham a 1-0 win.
Elsewhere, West Ham's miserable day in a 5-0 thrashing by Chelsea was compounded by a bizarre administrative issue. New signing Estelle Cascarino was prevented from making her debut at half-time because she could not remove an earring, contravening strict FA jewellery rules despite having played with it taped in Italy.
Other notable results saw Aston Villa come from behind to beat Brighton 2-1, showing newfound resilience after an early error from goalkeeper Sabrina D'Angelo. Meanwhile, London City Lionesses were held to a frustrating 0-0 draw by bottom-side Liverpool, with new coach Eder Maestre immediately calling for a stronger winning mentality from his squad.
