Manchester City 1-2 Arsenal: Women’s Super League – live reaction

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One thing to note is if Chelsea win the rest of their games, which they have three left, and Man City beat Aston Villa it will come down to goal difference. City have the better goal difference, they have 46 and Chelsea have 38. Chelsea will need to score a fair few goals over the next week for a chance at the trophy.

I am actually blown away by that late Arsenal goal rush. The Gunners had not had a real punch with their execution going awry in the final third. But Jonas Eidevall introduced the goal machine that is Stina Blackstenius and she did exactly what was expected of her and scored twice. She is their top scorer this season but has more appearances from the bench, she deserves a lot of credit on her name.

Full time: Manchester City 1-2 Arsenal

What a game. What a season. The title race is still in the balance and Arsenal have performed a late masterclass over Manchester City. Wow.

90 + 10 min: Blackstenius has been given player of the match.

90 + 9 min: Russo wins a corner and Mead takes it short, she also makes sure to run down the clock as much as possible. The game management comes into play here and they do it well, they win a throw in by the corner flag.

90 + 8 min: Angeldahl does really well to keep her cool and marshal the ball around the box, Catley slips but Zinsberger is wise to it and collects. What a game and what an end to a thrilling season.

90 + 6 min: I can imagine Chelsea fans also absolutely loved that goal, the potential winner from Blackstenius means the Blues title hopes are revived. But as Arsenal just displayed everything can change in a few minutes and we have a few more here to go.

90 + 4 min: Eidevall erupts from the bench, what a finish from Blackstenius. She squeezes all the space from the goal and Keating can’t stop her. The title race is blown open. But City will want to have a final say in this game, there is still plenty of time.

GOAL! Manchester 1-2 Arsenal (Blackstenius, 90 + 3)

Blackstenius!! What a game.

90 + 1 min: There will be nine minutes added, this game is on the edge.

90 min: Mead’s delivery was good, it was pinballed around and eventually fell to Blackstenius who hit home. She may have more appearances from the bench this season but she is their top scorer.

GOAL! Manchester City 1-1 Arsenal (Blackstenius, 89')

There it is!

89 min: Here come Arsenal again, can they finally get their execution right? Not for now but Russo wins a corner.

88 min: Casparji is off with her issue, it seems to be something in her calf, and Kennedy is on.

87 min: Casparji is down injured again here, she needs some attention and so there is a break in play.

86 min: Arsenal are on the attack once more and Pelova does really well on the edge of the box to keep it as she was swarmed by City players. Mead gets it in but none of her teammates gets on the end of it, the England international looking exasperated. She has had a good few chances this afternoon but none have hit the back of the net.

84 min: Before the free kick Wienroither is on for McCabe. Arsenal take the free kick quickly and they are forced back to the halfway line, a wasted opportunity. Possession then exchanges hands in what is turning out to be a frantic end to this second half.

82 min: Russo has stayed down from the challenge and is receiving treatment, I think she should be okay to continue. And she is back to her feet as Arsenal look to take this free kick.

81 min: I think that miss sums up Arsenal’s game today, all the right ideas just not the execution. Arsenal come forward again as Foord connects with Blackstenius but Casparji does well to win the ball back. A few passes later and Russo is fouled by Hemp.

79 min: How on Earth has Foord just missed? It was a beaut of a ball from Blackstenius but Foord’s effort is wide. I am almost speechless that hasn’t gone in.

76 min: Mead takes it and it is a good delivery but it evades her targets, Casparji sees it out for a corner. It’s a good effort into the box but it’s well headed clear, it comes to Mead who punts at goal but Keating collects.

75 min: Ouahabi receives a yellow card for a foul on Mead, Arsenal have a freekick in a good position.

74 min: Viewers can hear him screaming at his players to get into action and the stadium is packed out so his voice carrying to the BBC mics is quite impressive. It hits home with a lofting pass over the top finds Blackstenius but her finish is miles over the bar.

73 min: Arsenal are still pushing, they don’t want to come away from this encounter with nothing. McCabe is down with injury here, she wants a free kick but it isn’t given. The Arsenal player is okay to continue. A few passes later Hemp is fouled and the whistle is blown, the camera cuts to Arsenal manager Jonas Eidevall who sinks to his knees in frustration.

71 min: Zinsberger has a loose pass this time and Angeldahl picks it up, the City star can’t control it well enough to turn it in and she is muscled off the ball.

69 min: Hemp passes to Park but her effort is deflected out, Man City corner. Kelly takes the set piece but it isn’t the most precise kick. It does fall to Hemp who puts in a promising ball but Arsenal manage to clear.

67 min: Keating has a loose pass at the back and Mead pounces, she sets herself and takes a quick chance but the goalkeeper gets back in time to save. Mead potentially should have taken more time on that to punish the mistake.

65 min: A really good run from Arsenal but as they look to lay off the final pass it is cut out and City can counter. It must be so frustrating for the visitors, they are doing everything right until the moment it counts. City’s counter ends in a goal kick.

63 min: Arsenal win it back in the midfield and Russo lays off a beautiful ball to Lacasse but the offside flag is up. The visitors are making a raft of changes with Lacasse off for Blackstenius, Cooney-Cross off for Catley and Fox off for Foord.

62 min: Arsenal are patient in their build-up but Williamson loses out, Cooney-Cross does so well to time her tackle to stop a counter. The Gunners come forward again and City suddenly look a little loose in defence but they shore up.

60 min: A lovely bit of build-up play there, Man City really are playing some beautiful football this season. A nice one-two to send the defender the wrong way. Arsenal do manage to win it back but they don’t have much attacking vim at the moment.

58 min: Man City win it back and pull their own attack together, Coombs gets it into the area but it is repelled. They keep pressing and Fowler does well to cross in but it’s cleared again. Man City make a change with Angeldahl on for Coombs.

56 min: Pelova tries to find McCabe but her pass is blocked, Arsenal are being stifled here.

54 min: An effort comes in from Mead and it is saved by Keating but she spills, no Arsenal player is there to pick up the rebound. If they were there that was a sure goal. Arsenal are getting everything right apart from their final touch or decision.

53 min: On the replay the foul looks horrible, Lacasse steps on her ankle and it rolls in an unnatural position. Thankfully she is back to her feet and okay to continue.

52 min: Casparij is fouled and she stays on the deck which sees Lacasse given a yellow card. The City player is receiving some treatment.

51 min: Arsenal are being pinned in their own half at the moment, they have played it back to Zinsberger twice in the space of a minute but they eventually unlock their attack. Lacasse passes to McCabe but her pass is to no one and out of play.

49 min: End-to-end football here as suddenly Manchester City have the ball pinballing around in the area. Multiple City players have shots but the best one comes from Fowler and Zinsberger makes a good save to keep her out. A frantic start to the second half.

47 min: Arsenal win a corner with Mead standing over the set piece. Her delivery is really good but Greenwood, who else, heads the danger clear. Arsenal keep pushing though as Williamson controls well in the box and lays it off to Codina but her effort is wide.

Back underway! Manchester City 1-0 Arsenal

The next 45 minutes could decide who wins the WSL title this season. Arsenal have made a change with Maanum off for Little, what a player to bring on.

Have you been reading our weekly free women’s football newsletter, Moving the Goalposts? If not, they are informative pieces about the sport’s global news. This week focuses on the Zambia team. Have a read here:

There has been drama in the 2pm kick-off between Liverpool and Manchester United. Liverpool manager Matt Beard has been given a red card for abusive language but his team also leads 1-0. Catch up with all the action:

Here is Hemp’s goal (if you are reading outside of the UK you may not be able to access the video):

Half-time: Manchester City 1-0 Arsenal

A superb goal from Lauren Hemp separates these two clubs and if it stays like this Manchester City may have one hand on the title. If they do hold onto the win and Chelsea drop any points against Bristol City later on, the title will be Garth Taylor’s by the end of the day.

45 + 1 min: Russo has two attempts, the first hits one of her teammates and the next hits a City player. Both plays just looked rushed. There will be two minutes added.

44 min: Hasegawa looks like she has robotic boots that are programmed to evade defenders, she marshals the ball around the corner as Arsenal look to strike but the City star just plays it through them to end the opportunity. She is such an asset.

42 min: Lacasse gets a good cross in but it is over the head of Russo, Arsenal may be slightly stalling but they are capable of sniping a goal which could turn this game on its head.

40 min: Park finds acres of space and she passes to Kelly, her effort maybe wasn’t as powerful as she would have liked and so Zinsberger is able to save. The hosts honestly look in third gear which is scary, if they need to crank it up a notch they can.

38 min: Coombs is in the book for a challenge on McCabe, I think she wanted more from it as she tells the ref “studs were up” but it stays at a yellow. Arsenal lose possession and City are completely running the show at the moment, do they have one hand on the trophy? I think so.

36 min: Maanum takes a beat with a little problem but she is back to her feet, she is okay to continue.

34 min: Lacasse this time the one to give away a free kick with a foul on Fowler, it is in the Man City half so they will build an attack from deep. Arsenal’s frustration is starting to show though, apart from Maanum’s strike they have not had any opportunities in this one so far.

33 min: Kelly is found but she is offside, if she had timed her run better surely that would have been goal number two.