Manchester City broke into the top three for the first time this season with a mature display against a toothless Arsenal. Gareth Taylor was “very impressed” after goals from Lauren Hemp and Chloe Kelly capped a first half displayed that fizzed with energy and purpose. Rafaelle Souza pulled one back for the visitors, but it was a worrying display as City leapfrogged them in the table.
“It’s not just me; it’s every single manager and every single player and every fan wanting the [refereeing] standards to go up,” stated a frustrated Carla Ward after Aston Villa were held by Brighton on Saturday afternoon.
A combination of Brighton’s resilience, a drop off in the home side’s levels, and sub-standard officiating saw the points shared at the Poundland Bescot Stadium after Julia Zigiotti’s strike cancelled out a first half own goal from Kayleigh Green.
There’s a lot to look forward to in 2023 in the world of women’s football. Here’s some highlights to keep an eye on.
The 2022/23 Barclays WSL finally got underway on Friday evening as Arsenal cruised past 10-player Brighton. Over 3,200 fans turned out at a packed Meadow Park to watch Jonas Eidevall’s side register their first three points on the board.
It seems surreal that a little over a month ago, Leah Williamson was leading out the Lionesses to lift the Euro 2022 trophy at Wembley. A magical end to a script that England fans are not used to reading. In that moment, women’s football in this country changed, propelling it and the members of the England team into the hearts and minds of the nation.
