#FAWSL: Arsenal Women stay top with win at Manchester United | OneFootball

Aoife Mannion of Manchester United brings down Katie McCabe of Arsenal. (Photo: Jan Kruger/Getty Images)

Barclays FA Women’s Super League leaders Arsenal won at Manchester United, second-placed Chelsea thrashed Birmingham City.

Manchester United 0-2 Arsenal (Att: 2,186) Chelsea 5-0 Birmingham City (Att: 2,704) Leicester City 0-1 Everton Reading 2-0 Brighton & Hove Albion West Ham United v Tottenham Hotspur (Att: 1,242)

Gunners return to winning ways

Beth Mead hit the crossbar for Arsenal and Noelle Maritz brought a save from Mary Earps in the first half.

The second half was little than two minutes old when Vivianne Miedema fired the Gunners ahead with a 20-yard drive.

The lead was doubled before the hour mark as Katie McCabe converted from the spot, having gone down in the box under a challenge from Aoife Mannion.

A great ball down the middle from Lucy Staniforth was met on the volley by Katie Zelem but dealt with by Manuela Zinsberger.

Kerr nets first-half hat-trick

Fran Kirby scores Chelsea’s opening goal against Birmingham City. (Photo: Clive Rose/Getty Images)

Chelsea’s Fran Kirby chipped the keeper for a fourth-minute opening goal, Sam Kerr then played in by Jessie Fleming to double the lead inside 20 minutes.

Kerr latched onto a loose ball to hit home number three and then clinched a first-half hat-trick when reacting first to Drew Spence’s rebounding strike.

Kirby completed the scoring in the second half, with Kerr the provider.

West Ham go fifth

Spurs had Kit Graham stretchered off in a first half of very few chances, Lisa Evans denied when keeper Tinja-Riikka Korpela came racing out to clear and later by a deflection taking her effort over the top. Ashleigh Neville went close for Tottenham with a header from Ria Percival’s corner.

The decider came on 69 minutes, as Evans’ cross was only cleared as far as Dagny Brynjarsdottir, who found the bottom corner.

Chioma Ubogagu had a goal ruled out for Spurs and Rachel Williams was thwarted by a sharp save by Mackenzie Arnold.

Everton leave it late at Leicester

Lucy Graham of Everton collides with Sophie Howard of Leicester City. (Photo: Morgan Harlow/Getty Images)

Leicester were again close to a first-ever WSL point but Everton took all three with a goal in the last ten minutes.

Kenza Dali had an effort tipped away by Foxes’ Demi Lambourne in the first 45, the keeper making a number of saves throughout the game.

Sophie Barker cleared off the line from Valerie Gauvin but the visitors made the breakthrough after Simone Magill came off the bench

Hanna Bennison played her part in the 81st-minute goal, before Magill rounded the keeper to score.

Royals down Seagulls

Reading scored early and late in the game to defeat Brighton 2-0 and go eighth in the table.

The Royals scored just three minutes in, Fliss Gibbons’ strike from distance parried by Megan Walsh but straight to Natasha Dowie who fired into the empty net.

The points were sealed late on as Emma Harries was played in and went round the goalkeeper to score.

FA Girls’ Youth Cup & Plate: Liverpool edge Everton on penalties