Chelsea and Arsenal win to maintain pressure on Manchester United

Chelsea closed the gap to Manchester United at the top of the Women's Super League to one point after they comfortably ran out 3-1 winners over Brighton.

Guro Reiten and Jess Carter scored twice in nine first-half minutes and Johanna Rytting Kaneryd sealed the three points 19 minutes from time, with Danielle Carter’s late strike for the visitors nothing but a consolation.

Emma Hayes’ defending champions have a game in hand over United and moved two points clear of Manchester City as the WSL title race hots up.

Ireland international Megan Connolly played the full game for the Seagulls.

Katie McCabe's Arsenal reignited their title hopes by ending a run of three league games without a win with a 2-0 victory over Liverpool thanks to first-half goals from Stina Blackstenius and Caitlin Foord at Meadow Park.

Arsenal, who clinched the League Cup at the weekend, were ahead through Blackstenius’ thumping effort from outside the box and into the roof of the net after 28 minutes.

Foord doubled Arsenal’s lead six minutes later when she was on hand to tap home a rebound after Blackstenius’s powerful shot was parried back into play by Rachael Laws.

Jonas Eidevall’s side are fourth in the table, six points adrift of the leaders but with a game in hand over both Manchester clubs.

McCabe started for the Gunners, while Megan Campbell saw game time for the Reds, coming on for the second half.