The Women's Super League title race took a significant turn this weekend as the competition resumed from its winter break, with Manchester City maintaining their grip at the summit while challengers stumbled.
Title Hopes Dented at the Emirates
The weekend's headline fixture saw Arsenal and Manchester United play out a goalless draw at the Emirates Stadium. The result, described by pundits as a muted restart, has severely damaged the championship ambitions of both sides. The panel on Women's Football Weekly analysed Arsenal's persistent attacking issues and praised United's defensive resilience, especially after playing the final stages with only ten players.
In positive news for the Gunners, the confirmation of Renée Slegers's new contract was highlighted as a crucial piece of business for the club's future planning.
City and Chelsea Restart in Ruthless Fashion
While the top-of-the-table clash ended in a stalemate, the chasing pack made no mistakes. Manchester City secured their 11th consecutive league victory, defeating their opponents to preserve a six-point lead at the top of the WSL table. The panel discussed City's relentless chance creation and the significant impact of player Kerolin.
Meanwhile, Chelsea began a new era under head coach Rita Guarino with a ruthless 5-0 demolition of West Ham United. The emphatic win raises the question of whether the Blues, now with a new manager at the helm, can still mount a serious challenge to catch Manchester City in the coming months.
Round-Up: Villa Fight Back, Spurs Edge Leicester
The rest of the weekend's WSL action provided plenty of drama:
- Aston Villa came from behind to secure a victory against Brighton & Hove Albion.
- Tottenham Hotspur narrowly beat Leicester City, with the winning goal coming from an unfortunate own goal by Ashleigh Neville.
- Liverpool and London City Lionesses played out a scoreless draw in what was the first match for both sides under new management.
With the January transfer window now open, several new faces made their debuts across the league, setting the stage for a dynamic second half of the season. The panel also previewed an upcoming mailbag episode to answer listener questions.
