Five Takeaways From Women's Super League Gameweek 15 | OneFootball

The Women's Super League (WSL) returned from the international break this weekend and it certainly brought the action.

A questionable display saw Manchester City get the job done in England's capital, stealing a 2-1 victory out from under the feet of Tottenham Hotspur.

Aston Villa's woes worsened as Everton ran out a 2-0 victory in Birmingham, while Manchester United secured a 2-0 win over Leicester City.

Crystal Palace stare down the barrel of relegation as a Liverpool side led by interim head coach Amber Whiteley managed to scrape a 1-0 win away from home.

Chelsea dropped points for just the second time this season, as Lauren James's contentious offside equaliser forced Brighton & Hove Albion to settle for a 2-2 draw.

A thrilling London derby between Arsenal and West Ham United closed out Super Sunday, as the Gunners stole victory in a seven-goal thriller.

Here are six things we learned from WSL this week.

Arsenal edge out West Ham in instant thriller

A fast start from West Ham saw the east London side take a 2-0 lead in just 11 minutes thanks to a brace from Amber Tysiak. Chloe Kelly grabbed one back for the Gunners for her first goal for the club in over eight years.

Despite Arsenal's strength in the opening stages of the second half, it was the Irons who would strike next, this time through Shekeira Martinez. Rehanne Skinner's side were well organized in defense and aggressive in the press, setting up well to combat Arsenal as the game ran down.

Everything changed in the 56th minute as Katie McCabe slotted home her strike from an impossible angle, before Leah Williamson headed home the equalizer just minutes later. A poorly timed handball from Irons defender Kirsty Smith allowed Arsenal the opportunity to make up the three goal deficit in under six minutes, as Mariona Caldentey calmly finished her penalty kick.

Renee Slegers won the game from the substitutes bench, as early changes to bring on Kyra Cooney-Cross and Caitlin Foord shifted the momentum in favor of the Gunners. A hearty performance gave Arsenal the 4-3 victory, maintaining the side's third place position in the league standings.

Questionable City win again

A lackluster Manchester City side was rescued at the last moment by a brilliant goal from Aoba Fujino, securing a narrow 2-1 victory over Tottenham Hotspur. The performance from Gareth Taylor's side left much to be desired as they enter the business end of the WSL season.

The Manchester side continue to struggle in the absence of Alex Greenwood, with January signing Rebecca Knaak now also sidelined with a hamstring injury. City's defensive woes are becoming increasingly apparent, coughing up possession in dangerous areas.

The side now stare down the barrel of four consecutive matches against league leaders Chelsea, in the WSL, Women's League Cup and UEFA Women's Champions League.

Aston Villa continue to struggle despite new head coach boost

Despite many pinning them as favorites to challenge in the top half of the table, Aston Villa have endured an incredibly turbulent 2024/25 season. The Villains, under the new head coach leadership of Natalia Arroyo, currently occupy 11th spot in the WSL standings, just four points clear of the drop.

Aston Villa fans at Villa Park left the stadium with their heads hung low as Everton ran out a 2-0 victory in Birmingham. Brian Sorensen's side who were once relegation fighters, are now brushing off the Villains like it is an easy task.

Despite the squad talent that Aston Villa possess, the side are far off the mark as they endure their ninth loss of the league campaign. The recent departures of midfielder Kenza Dali and forward Adriana Leon were sorely felt as the Villains struggled to appear threatening at all.

Manchester United get the job done over trying Foxes

No Elisabeth Terland, no worries as Manchester United clinched a 2-0 victory over Leicester City at Leigh Sports Village. Melvine Malard slipped into the starter's role with ease, slotting home the opener with composure.

The Red Devils worked well from front to back in the opening half, breaking down the Foxes through the central areas to score the second. An instinctive forward pass from Dominque Janssen located Ella Toone, before the England midfielder once again found the feet of Malard. A clever line-breaking pass played to Leah Galton's advantage, who slipped in her strike into the back of the net.

Despite a strong first half, Leicester City controlled the tempo in the second term and deserved more than they received for their efforts. Amandine Miquel's side were well organized in the midfield, pressing United across the closing 45 minutes.

Manchester United's habit of losing control of the fixtures will becoming a growing concern as they enter the closing stages of the season. However, three points are all that will matter on paper as the title race heats up.

Is the WSL title race still alive?

Chelsea were forced to settle for a point as Lauren James's contentious equalizer levelled the score at 2-2. Brighton & Hove Albion's strong first half gave the side a 2-1 lead heading into the closing stages of the fixture, in what was a strong performance from Dario Vidosic's side.

Sonia Bompastor's side may be unbeaten, but they have certainly showed their vulnerabilities this season. Narrow victories over Aston Villa, Everton and Arsenal have maintained the side's gap at the top of the table. If the game against Brighton showed anything, it is that they are certainly beatable.

A draw for the Blues and a win for United closes the gap at the top of the table to just five points, with seven games left to play. Manchester United's strong winning form puts them in the race to contend, but a closing trilogy of fixtures against Arsenal, Chelsea and Man City may suggest otherwise.