1 ) Miedema’s return warms Arsenal hearts
Guess who’s back, back again, Viv is back, tell a friend. Yes, Arsenal’s Vivianne Miedema is back in action. The striker played her first minutes since rupturing her ACL last December in the Gunners’ 2-1 win against a stoic Bristol City on Sunday. Miedema was named on the bench and came on, ironically, in injury time. The Dutch star has not lost any of her shine either as she threaded a pinpoint pass to Beth Mead who almost scored. “It was a really special moment for Viv, she’s worked so hard over the last few months,” said Katie McCabe, who scored both of Arsenal goals. “I said to her at the end I thought it was going to be a trademark Viv special because she slotted Beth in and I thought Beth was going to finish it off and it was going to be written in the stars. I’m sure we’ll see that combination coming up in the next few weeks.” Sarah Rendell
Katie McCabe only scores BANGERS 🚀#BarclaysWSL @ArsenalWFC @Katie_McCabe11 pic.twitter.com/QW0LzhDPtO
— Barclays Women's Super League (@BarclaysWSL) October 23, 2023
2 ) No panic for Everton but defence must improve
Everton’s 5-0 loss to Manchester United was their third defeat in four games and means they are now languishing in 10th. However, their performance wasn’t as embarrassing as the scoreline suggests and they can deem the 1-0 defeat to Leicester two weeks ago and the 2-1 defeat to Brighton on the opening weekend of the season as missed opportunities given their displays in both games. The 1-0 victory over a then unbeaten Liverpool side also demonstrated the type of performance Brian Sørensen’s side are capable of. “I’m not concerned about anything,” insisted the manager after the loss to United. Sørensen may be right to be so calm but what is concerning is Everton’s defence which is seriously struggling – it essentially collapsed at the weekend – and strengthening that area of the team in January is a must if they are to arrest the slide. Suzanne Wrack
Match report: Everton 0-5 Manchester United
3 ) No doubting Thomas but plenty doubting Villa
Before the start of the season, Aston Villa were many people’s tips to break into the top four given their form during the last campaign allied to strong summer recruitment. Their start to the season, however, has been poor and their woes deepened with a fourth straight defeat, against Tottenham on Saturday. Carla Ward’s side were bright early on but their penchant for conceding at crucial moments continued. Ashleigh Neville’s goal right at the end of the first half made it 2-1 to Spurs and Villa, who had taken a fifth-minute lead through Rachel Daly, were unable to recover. They were a shadow of themselves in the second half as the visitors, and specifically Martha Thomas, compounded their problems. With expectations high, pressure will be mounting on Ward to instigate a result against Chelsea after the international break. Sophie Downey
4 ) No hat-trick for Nüsken after own goal ruling
Chelsea posted a picture of midfielder Sjoeke Nüsken with the match ball and holding up three fingers following the 4-2 comeback win over Brighton on Sunday. However, the official record does not show Nüsken having scored a hat-trick, with her third goal instead credited as an own goal by Brighton’s Guro Bergsvand. This has caused a great deal of discussion on social media with many arguing Nüsken should be awarded the goal. It did appear as though the 22-year-old’s shot was on target, even if it was deflected in by Bergsvand. Nüsken probably won’t mind too much either way after helping rescue three points for her side after Brighton had opened the scoring. SR
Cool finish from @AggieBjones 👊#BarclaysWSL @ChelseaFCW pic.twitter.com/2A029ydnu6
— Barclays Women's Super League (@BarclaysWSL) October 22, 2023
5 ) Leicester stick to their ideals, even in defeat
Courageous, committed and living on the edge - three ways to describe Leicester City’s display in their 1-0 defeat to Manchester City on Sunday. Willie Kirk is known for his attacking football philosophy but even he surprised a few with his strategy against in-form opponents. Kirk’s 3-2-2-3 formation left Leicester looking narrow but the intensity they brought in the press threw City off their game. It was a performance that despite ending in a loss, illustrated how far the Foxes have come. “It was high stakes, high risk in terms of how we set up,” Kirk reflected. “We wanted to embrace the uncomfortableness of it, and I thought we did that.” SD
Match report: Leicester 0-1 Manchester City
6 ) Ueki makes Hammers’ point
On paper, an encounter between West Ham and Liverpool at Dagenham looked evenly matched and so it eventually proved in a 1-1 draw. Both have been in positive form so far this season, with the hosts markedly improved from last year. Rehanne Skinner and Matt Beard also set up their teams in similar formations and, as such, a chess match ensued, one that Liverpool largely dominated. Skinner blinked first, shifting to a back four at the break and placing Mel Filis in the No 10 role in an attempt to unlock the visitors’ press. While Liverpool should have put the game to bed after Marie Höbinger fired them ahead, Skinner will have been pleased with the grit and desire her players showed. Riko Ueki’s last-gasp leveller exemplified the tenacity with which West Ham finished the game, providing a platform to build on after the international break. SD
| Pos | Team | P | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Man City Women | 4 | 8 | 10 |
| 2 | Chelsea Women | 4 | 5 | 10 |
| 3 | Tottenham Hotspur Women | 4 | 5 | 9 |
| 4 | Man Utd Women | 4 | 6 | 8 |
| 5 | Leicester Women | 4 | 2 | 7 |
| 6 | Liverpool FC Women | 4 | 2 | 7 |
| 7 | Arsenal Women | 4 | 1 | 7 |
| 8 | West Ham Women | 4 | -2 | 4 |
| 9 | Brighton & Hove Albion Women | 4 | -5 | 3 |
| 10 | Everton Women | 4 | -6 | 3 |
| 11 | Aston Villa Women | 4 | -6 | 0 |
| 12 | Bristol City Women | 4 | -10 | 0 |
