WSL roundup: Mead double in Arsenal win; Man City hit seven past Tottenham
Beth Mead scored twice as Arsenal thumped struggling West Ham 3-0 at Meadow Park in the Women’s Super League.
It did not take long for Arsenal to open the scoring as Frida Maanum put the hosts 1-0 up just two minutes in and Mead got her first since returning from injury in the 18th minute before she tapped in from six yards to make it 3-0 just before the break.
Jonas Eidevall’s team sit in second position and continue to pile pressure on the league leaders Chelsea, who stretched their winning run to six games in the league with a 5-2 win against Leicester.
In Sunday’s late kick-off, Manchester City thrashed Tottenham 7-0 with Khadija Shaw scoring a first-half hat-trick before Laura Coombs came off the bench to net a late double. City built on a fast start as Shaw headed home a 23rd-minute opener before two more well-taken goals in the space of six minutes ripped Spurs apart as their eightmatch unbeaten run was left in tatters.
Any hopes of a comeback were dashed at the start of the second half when the impressive Lauren Hemp scored the fourth with a curling shot. Jill Roord’s header and a late brace from Coombs completed a comprehensive win which sees City consolidate third place going into the international break.
Second-half goals from Hinata Miyazawa and Nikita Parris ensured that Manchester United returned to winning ways after their derby defeat by Manchester City with a 2-0 win against the rock-bottom Bristol City.
United were denied on several occasions in the first period by City’s inspired goalkeeper Olivia Clark, who kept out Parris, Leah Galton and Millie Turner. Marc Skinner’s side broke the deadlock five minutes after the break through Japanese international Miyazawa before Parris added a second as United clinched an away win.
Liverpool picked up their first win in three league matches with a convincing 4-0 win against Brighton. The Reds carried a 2-0 lead into the break thanks to goals from Gemma Bonner and Shanice van de Sanden, and Ceri Holland nodded in from close range in the second half before Sophie Roman Haug added the gloss on a good afternoon for the hosts.
Netherlands forward Van de Sanden, who had missed the midweek Continental Cup defeat by Manchester United as her partner gave birth to a girl on Tuesday, celebrated becoming a mother with her first goal of the season. “It’s been crazy, I’m so so happy,” she said.
Everton leapfrogged Aston Villa in the table after Nathalie Björn’s penalty handed them a 2-1 win at Villa Park. Anna Patten’s own goal gave Everton the lead but they were instantly pegged back when Rachel Daly side-footed home from close range. The Toffees’ winner came with 15 minutes left when Kirsty Hanson brought Heather Payne down inside the area. Björn stepped up to hand Everton a first victory in five matches.