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

Bristol City left with mountain to climb

“Ten cup finals” – that’s how Lauren Smith described her Bristol City side’s run-in as they fight for their WSL future. A 2-1 defeat at home to relegation rivals West Ham worsened the Robins’ plight as the visitors opened up a three-point cushion over the bottom-placed team. City have shown plenty of character and desire this season but remain with just one win to their name. All too often errors and a lack of concentration have cost them dearly. On Sunday, this was illustrated by the visitors’ first goal that came against the run of play. City dealt with the initial delivery but were slow to react to the second phase allowing Honoka Hayashi space to convert. Despite finding a way back into the game, they were then sliced open on the counterattack by Viviane Asseyi for the eventual winner. “Ultimately it’s been a very physical game,” Smith said. “We’ve let ourselves down a couple of times in front of our own goal. We’ve not defended properly and that’s put us out of the game.” Sophie Downey

• Match report: Bristol City 1-2 West Ham

Miedema feels like herself again

After 413 days without a goal, Vivianne Miedema, the all-time leading goalscorer in the WSL, found the back of the net again in Arsenal’s 2-0 win over Liverpool at Prenton Park. The clinical finisher said she was “scared” to make her return but is feeling more like herself again after netting a superb strike. The Netherlands international darted forward on the hour mark and blasted a stellar 20-yard effort into the back of the net via a slight deflection off Liverpool centre-back Gemma Bonner. After sustaining an ACL injury in December 2022, the 27-year-old returned in October after an 11-month absence but only made her first start last weekend. “Coming back in after winter, I’ve just been feeling more like myself again,” she said. “I was a bit scared to come back. Some players don’t overthink it, but I did,” she added. Miedema was one of four Arsenal players who suffered ACL injuries last season but on Saturday she looked like she had never been away. “I don’t think about my knees anymore, which is good,” she joked. Emily Keogh

Manchester City power on despite Roord setback

Manchester City were rocked by a huge injury blow when club-record signing Jill Roord ruptured her ACL during the Continental Cup derby with Manchester United last week. Roord has been one of the WSL’s standout players this season, so her absence on the pitch was bound to be felt. However, Gareth Taylor’s side stepped up once again to earn a 2-0 win at Tottenham, keeping them within touching distance of league leaders Chelsea. The injured midfielder proudly watched on from the Brisbane Road stands as Lauren Hemp held up a shirt with Roord’s name on it following City’s opening goal. Discussing the tribute after the match, Taylor said: “It was really nice. It surprised me. I didn’t know anything about it. It says a lot about Jill that she travelled with us today and wanted to come. It was a really nice touch – and really nice for Jill to be there to experience that.” Emillia Hawkins

James unlocks Brighton’s resilience

It will come as little surprise that the talk after Chelsea’s 3-0 dismantling of Brighton was focused around Lauren James. It almost feels like the young star is reaching a new level every time she plays. She added another two goals to her WSL record this campaign, bringing her total to 12, as she provided the key to unlock a resilient Brighton. James has recently been used as a No 9 by Emma Hayes in her attempts to fill the Sam Kerr-shaped hole in her team but returned to her customary No 10 role on Saturday where she thrives. Her first goal was an instinctive, unstoppable left-footed effort that found the top corner, nonchalantly struck as if it was the easiest thing to do. Her second saw her pounce on a poor defensive header, caressing the ball past Sophie Baggaley in the Brighton goal. That was James’s 50th senior goal at the age of 22, a frightening statistic for opponents in England and beyond. SD

• Match report: Brighton 0-3 Chelsea

New signing, new Leicester?

Yuka Momiki is proving to be a great addition to Leicester’s squad and shone on the right flank during their 1-0 win over Everton. The Japanese forward looked assured every time she received the ball, gliding past opponents and linking up with her teammates with ease. Her ability to keep things simple in possession is her greatest asset and she has adapted expertly to the Women’s Super League since joining from Swedish side Linköping at the start of the month. It appears her quality is rubbing off on her teammates too as Leicester saw the game out after taking the lead through Janice Cayman’s fabulous curling effort. Despite an open first half which saw Everton waste a number of chances, Leicester dominated the second half in a professional display. It’s a crucial three points for the Foxes who hadn’t won a league game since the reverse fixture. Xaymaca Awoyungbo

United get back on track

Manchester United and their manager, Marc Skinner, desperately needed a win and could probably not have wished for better opponents than Aston Villa. Before Sunday’s game the two sides had met seven times with Villa yet to win and United recording six victories. At home United had won all their three games with a goal difference of 13-0. In the end United conceded but ran out 2-1 winners after two goals from Nikita Parris, who was restored to the starting lineup. “The reality is whenever Nikita is not a regular it’s only because of a tactical situation, it’s nothing to do with her,” Skinner told the BBC. “I think she is in fantastic form. You can talk about running and you can talk about form, but she’s almost pre-empting where the ball is going to be.” Marcus Christenson