Manchester City Held To Goalless Draw By Aston Villa In WSL Clash

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Women's Super League leaders Manchester City dropped points in the title race as Aston Villa held City to a 0-0 draw at Villa Park, while Arsenal, Everton and Liverpool all won, tightening competition behind the leaders and affecting both the chase for European spots and the battle at the bottom.

The stalemate means Manchester City move nine points clear instead of the potential 11, with Manchester United and Chelsea occupied by Women's League Cup final duties on Sunday, so the door stays slightly open for the main challengers in the Women's Super League title fight.

Aston Villa controlled long spells of the first half against Manchester City and came closest when Chasity Grant struck the frame of the goal, while Laura Blindkilde Brown appeared to be brought down by Lucy Parker, yet appeals for a Villa penalty were waved away, adding to City's sense of relief.

Defensive strength defined the meeting at Villa Park, with Manchester City and Aston Villa each registering a sixth Women's Super League clean sheet of the season, a figure bettered only by Arsenal with seven and Chelsea with eight, as both back lines limited clear chances despite a high shot count.

The sides combined for 26 attempts, with 10 for Aston Villa and 16 for Manchester City, yet both produced only four efforts on target, and underlying numbers showed Villa narrowly ahead with 1.57 expected goals compared with City's 1.03, while Khadija Shaw hit just one of five attempts on target.

Arsenal capitalised on Manchester City's draw by beating London City Lionesses 2-0, thanks to goals from Olivia Smith and Stina Blackstenius, and the European champions now sit fourth in the Women's Super League, three points ahead of Tottenham, who slipped to a 2-1 defeat against Everton.

Kelly Gago scored late as Everton completed a 2-1 comeback against Tottenham to secure a fourth straight league victory, lifting the Toffees into sixth place in the Women's Super League and extending strong recent form that has pushed Everton firmly into the league's mid-table pack.

Liverpool also strengthened their position in the Women's Super League, beating Leicester City 2-0 to create a four-point cushion over the Foxes, who remain at the foot of the table and face increasing pressure in the relegation battle after another defeat against a direct rival.

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The weekend's Women's Super League results leave Manchester City still firmly in control yet not out of reach, with Arsenal closing the gap slightly, Everton climbing into sixth after four straight wins and Liverpool opening space above bottom club Leicester City in the developing relegation contest.