Women’s Super League leaders Chelsea earned a 2-2 draw at Brighton & Hove Albion on Sunday, while Manchester United closed the gap at the top of the standings to five points thanks to a 2-0 win over Leicester City.
United took advantage of Chelsea’s result, with both goals coming in the first half.
Melvine Malard opened the scoring in the 19th minute, collecting a pass from Maya Le Tissier just inside the Leicester half and charged forward into the area before slotting past the keeper.
Malard turned provider for the second, threading a pass through to Leah Galton in the box who doubled their lead in added time before the break with a first-time finish to seal United’s seventh successive league win.
Chelsea now have 41 points, with United on 36. Manchester City moved provisionally into third spot on 31 points with a 2-1 win at Tottenham Hotspur, one ahead of Arsenal who host West Ham United later on Sunday.
Champions Chelsea, in pursuit of a sixth successive WSL title, were given a real scare by Brighton, despite taking the lead in the 16th minute through a Sandy Baltimore volleyed strike.
Marisa Olislagers levelled for the hosts six minutes later, netting from a difficult angle and Brighton were in front three minutes before the break with Vicky Losada finishing off a cross from Rachel McLauchlan.
Chelsea avoided their first defeat of the season in the 61st minute, when substitute Mayra Ramirez had her effort saved but Lauren James was there to smash the rebound to the net, although she did look to be offside when the initial shot was taken.
Brighton held on under extreme pressure to become only the second side this season to deny Chelsea a win. They remain fifth in the table on 19 points, and are now without a victory in seven league games.
City, meanwhile, went ahead at Spurs through Vivianne Miedema in the 11th minute but Bethany England had the hosts level 13 minutes before the break. Aoba Fujino netted City’s winner 12 minutes from time.
Liverpool won 1-0 away to bottom side Crystal Palace. Palace failed to deal with a corner and the ball fell perfectly for Liverpool defender Jasmine Matthews to tap-in from inside the six-yard box in the 10th minute.
That goal was enough to earn all three points for Liverpool, who had Amber Whiteley as interim manager after they parted ways with Matt Beard this week. Liverpool are sixth on 18 points, moving one point ahead of Spurs.
Palace appointed Norwegian Leif Smerud as their new coach on Saturday, but they remain rooted to the foot of the table on six points, four adrift of Aston Villa, who lost 2-0 at home to Everton.
