Arsenal Women 3 Manchester United Women 1
Another day, another milestone for women’s football in this country. When it comes to breaking records, Arsenal truly are the gift that keeps on giving.
A total of 60,160 tickets were sold for this match; this was the highest figure ever in a Women’s Super League match. Remarkably, the north London club are currently among the top five teams with the highest attendances in the women’s top flight.
But the real news in the headlines is that Arsenal remain firmly in the WSL title race. The challenge will be to bottle up the feel-good energy from that comprehensive victory, which boosts their chances of securing European football next season, and carry it into business until the end of the season as they chase a first league title since 2019.
Asked about the significance of his side’s result, Arsenal manager Jonas Eidevall said: “It would be nice to say it really matters, but the truth is that what we do in the next eight games will add value to this win.” “If we don’t perform well in the next eight games, today’s result means nothing.”
Arsenal have disappointed fans recently with poor strike rates in front of goal, but capitalized on an early own goal from Geyse to match the high-octane atmosphere at the Emirates.
Against an underwhelming United team devoid of any superiority, they sealed the result before the break thanks to Cloe Lacasse’s header and Kim Little’s penalty; Lucia Garcia’s injury-time strike was the only blemish on an otherwise flawless performance.
The home team was superior in every aspect; big game players came to the fore in this must-win match at all costs, with England star Leah Williamson ruled out with a hamstring problem.
The defender’s injury is thought to be minor, but Eidevall said earlier this week it was “probably” Williamson, who was recalled to the Lionesses’ squad for friendlies against Austria and Italy later this month after a lengthy injury with her knee. She would have to withdraw from Sarina Wiegman’s squad due to her injury.
His absence did little to affect Arsenal’s resolve. The home side smothered United with sharp passing play and repeatedly cut through the visiting players with clever link-up play; United had to pay the price for their haphazard defending.
Lacasse was particularly great, being a real live broadcast in attack and tormenting the visitors all afternoon. The Canadian reacted quickest when she headed a panicked clearance into Katie Zelem’s goalmouth. United’s miserable afternoon continued when Gemma Evans’ clumsy tackle on Beth Mead gifted Arsenal a penalty, which Kim Little coolly slotted into the goal.
United head coach Marc Skinner cut a frustrated figure on the touchline before pulling Geyse back on the hour mark to shake things up.
In reality, her staff never recovered after failing to deal with Katie McCabe’s probing corner, which deflected off Geyse’s thigh and beat Mary Earps at her near post 10 minutes into the action. Apart from Garcia’s last-gasp consolation goal (when the Spaniard headed in Ella Toone’s cross), they didn’t have much to shout about.
Cruelly, England star Russo, one of Skinner’s graduates who swapped United for North London last summer, provided the biggest joy of the afternoon when he entered the tackle midway through the second half.
Despite increasing the pressure, Arsenal continued to deny many brilliant opportunities in front of goal. Mead hit the woodwork twice, lingering too long in front of the Earps, who made a series of trademark saves when Lacasse should have hit another.
Skinner denied the result was “damaging” but admitted his side lacked “plenty of physicality”. “We’re still chasing the chase,” he said when asked if his team could still aim for a first league title. “This is what we have to do. “Coming to the Emirates you have to be almost perfect but we weren’t.”
Going on stage in front of a packed crowd was small consolation for the team, which remains seven points behind third-placed Arsenal and 10 points behind league leaders Chelsea. “I hope it continues to grow in the larger context of women’s football,” Skinner said of Emirates’ sell-out.
Match details
Arsenal (4-2-3-1): D’Angelo; McCabe, Codina, Wubben-Moy, Catley (Foord 84); Pelova (Cooney-Cross 45), Walti; Mead (Maanum 75), Little (Miedema 75), Lacasse; Blackstenius (Russo 66).
Reservation: McCabe, Wubben-Moy, Foord.
Unused subs: Zinsberger (gk), Lia, Reid, Bouhaddi (gk)
Manchester United (4-2-3-1): Ears; Evans (Galton 45), Le Tissier, Turner, Blundell; Naalsand (Ladd 70), Zelem; da Silva Ferreira (Williams 62), Toone, Garcia; Parris (Malard 77)
Reservation: Blundell, Evans.
Unused subs: Tullis-Joyce, Mannion, Guerrero, Aherne.
Reference: Kirsty Dowle
Attention: 60,160