Tight at the top of WSL as Arsenal, Manchester United, Chelsea all win

[October 24, 2022]

(Reuters) -Midfielders Lia Waelti and Frida Maanum both netted in the first half as Arsenal grabbed a 2-0 win away to Liverpool to go top of the Women's Super League on Sunday, with Manchester United drawing level with them thanks to a 1-0 win over Leicester City.

Sunday's results leave nothing between Arsenal and United in the early going, with the two sides tied on 12 points and having scored 11 goals scored while conceding none.

Waelti opened the scoring for Arsenal in the 15th minute, snapping up a clearance from a corner and belting it into the net, and Norway international Maanum made it 2-0 seven minutes later with a powerful run and finish.

Manchester United's excellent start to the season continued with a win over bottom side Leicester thanks to a Nikita Parris strike, but they would have hoped for more goals that would have put them clear at the top.

In Sunday's late game, champions Chelsea had to battle hard on a sodden pitch but eventually won 2-0 away at Brighton & Hove Albion to stay third, level with the leaders on points but behind on goal difference and having played a game more.

Earlier in the day, West Ham United survived a late scare as Reading came back from 3-0 down to make it 3-2, but the Hammers held on and are in fifth place on nine points, behind Everton, who beat Aston Villa 1-0 on Saturday, on goal difference.

Also on Saturday, Jamaican striker Khadija Shaw scored either side of the break to help Manchester City to a comfortable 3-0 win over Tottenham Hotspur.

(Reporting by Philip O'Connor, editing by Pritha Sarkar, Clare Fallon and Christian Radnedge)

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