Women’s Super League: talking points from the weekend’s action | Women’s Super League

Morgan makes her mark in Tottenham’s big win

It was the moment all Tottenham fans have been waiting for – a goal from Alex Morgan. The US superstar got off the mark in her third appearance for Spurs since joining on a short-term deal until the end of the month via an 84th-minute penalty that sealed a big win for the hosts – their first in the WSL this season.

In that sense it was also a big moment for Rehanne Skinner on her debut as Spurs manager and she, along with her players, will hope this win, which also saw goals from Kerys Harrop and Angela Addison, with Inessa Kaagman getting a consolation for Brighton, is the start of real progress for a team around whom there is much expectation. “The three points are massive for the club, it starts to move us in the direction that we want to be moving in,” said Skinner afterwards, “and I think they deserved it on the balance of play.”

Arsenal turn on style but still look a little short

A 3-0 defeat may not sound respectable but the truth is it could have been a whole lot worse for Birmingham. They were thoroughly outplayed by Arsenal and the only real surprise was that it took the hosts until the second half to break the deadlock. Arsenal failed to do so prior to the interval after Kim Little saw her penalty saved by Hannah Hampton and the Birmingham keeper remained busy throughout. Ultimately there was nothing she could do to keep out Caitlin Foord’s opener – a stooping header on 57 minutes – or Arsenal’s second goal, scored by the prolific Jill Roord and which resulted from some nice one-touch football. Little got the third on 87 minutes when, this time, she did convert from the spot.

All in all it was a dominant display from Arsenal who remain on course for a top-three finish, something they have been able to focus on thanks to not having any Champions League football this season. But to ensure they are playing in the competition next season, Joe Montemurro needs to add to his squad.

Scott’s return and Weir’s magic put City in cruise control

Everton’s manager Willie Kirk tried his best to be positive ahead of the visit of Manchester City but the truth is he was always facing an uphill battle given the absence through injury of Valérie Gauvin, Simone Magill and Claire Emslie and, in the end, City’s quality told. Jill Scott, making her first WSL start of the season, was excellent, while Caroline Weir well and truly shone, creating all three of the visitors’ goals – scored by Ellen White, Gemma Bonner and Janine Beckie – with that wand of a left foot.

City were playing their fifth game in 15 days and Gareth Taylor rotated to good effect. The only sour note for the manager ahead of the Champions League round of 32 trip to Göteborg on Wednesday was the injury sustained by Rose Lavelle. The United States midfielder was taken off at half-time and returned to the stand on crutches.

Unstoppable Chelsea primed to be a threat on all fronts

Another win for Chelsea and the numbers around them at the moment are frightening. It is now 27 WSL games unbeaten for Emma Hayes’s side with this triumph also setting a record of 12 successive home wins in the competition.

What made the victory – witnessed by 700 spectators at Kingsmeadow in what was the first WSL game to welcome fans since the easing of Covid-19 restrictions – was that it came via a different formation; more narrow and one that allowed Hayes to deploy all of her superstar forwards. No one benefitted more than Sam Kerr, who scored a hat-trick. West Ham caused Chelsea problems, and scored twice in the second half through Rachel Daly and Magdalena Eriksson’s late own goal, but the hosts deserved all three points and what’s clear is Hayes has the squad to go all the way in every competition this season.

Groenen’s head injury the only downer for table-toppers

Another week, another win for Manchester United. Goals in each half from Leah Galton and Ella Toone were enough for the league leaders to take all three points at the Bescot Stadium against Aston Villa and the truth is they were comfortable throughout, seen by the fact the visitors had 30 shots on goal during the game, with the last of those being Toone’s clipped’s shot from 30 yards out that went past an out-of-position Lisa Weiß in the Villa goal. The only downer for United was the head injury sustained by Jackie Groenen early on. The Dutch midfielder, having attempted to play on, was replaced in the 11th minute, which was the correct decision – player welfare always comes first.

United remain four points clear of second-placed Arsenal and look destined for a top-three finish. The question is – have they got enough to stay where they are clinch the title? As ever, time will tell.

• Watch women’s football on BT Sport – including Manchester City v Arsenal on Sunday 13 December on BT Sport 1 (on air from 2pm).