Chelsea lose ground in title race at Liverpool while Arsenal struggle to find their shooting boots
When Alyssa Thompson fired in a superb ninth-minute opener, Chelsea looked on course for another routine win. However, Liverpool’s defence held firm and the Reds levelled in the 33rd minute and held out until half-time. The Chelsea manager, Sonia Bompastor, introduced further attacking options in the second half, including Lauren James and Aggie Beever-Jones, but a solid defensive display from Liverpool ensured Chelsea were unable to find a winner as the hosts earned their second point of the season. Although the result did mean Chelsea set a record of 34 successive unbeaten WSL games, clearly all is not well with the defending champions. Last season they had 27 points after nine games and led the way, this campaign they have eight fewer and are three points behind Manchester City. Réshma Rao
With 79 minutes on the clock and Manchester City 3-0 up, Vivianne Miedema would have been forgiven for taking her foot off the gas. However, this is not the Dutch player’s mindset and she produced a quintessential moment of quality. Winning possession with a perfectly timed sliding challenge on Julia Zigiotti Olme, she got to her feet to unleash a cutting through ball for Bunny Shaw. It was a move that summed up the 29-year-old’s rich vein of form as she pulled the strings in behind the Jamaican forward. When Miedema signed for City, many wondered how she and Shaw could play in the same team but both are showing exactly what they can achieve together when fully fit. Miedema created the most chances (four) against Manchester United on Saturday while having opportunities of her own and was unlucky to have been denied a goal by the woodwork. Sophie Downey
