Katie McCabe downs Manchester City to bolster Arsenal’s WSL title hopes

A gutsy performance and Katie McCabe showstopper dragged Arsenal from a goal down to earn a critical 2-1 win against Manchester City and keep their quest for a first league title since 2019 alive.

Khadija Shaw had given City an early lead, but second half goals from Frida Maanum and McCabe moved the hosts within three points of Manchester United having played a game less.

Jonas Eidevall made two changes to the side that beat Bayern Munich to earn progression to the Champions League semi-finals on Wednesday night, with Lotte Wubben-Moy coming in for the injured Kim Little and Leah Williamson shifting into midfield to help fill the hole left by the captain. Sabrina D’Angelo lined up in goal instead of Manuela Zinsberger, Arsenal’s number one.

For City, there were no changes to the side that earned a 2-0 victory over Chelsea, the WSL title holders, last weekend. Gareth Taylor’s side have been served a healthy dollop of luck in their quest for a first title since 2016, with the visit of Chelsea coming shortly after the London side’s battling 1-0 defeat of Lyon in France. City would likely much rather be in the remaining cup competitions, but they are taking full advantage of the longer recovery time afforded them while Arsenal, Chelsea and Manchester United navigate three games a week for stretches of the campaign.

No matter how motivated you are, playing against better rested and recovered bodies has an impact and that was evident early on at a sold-out Meadow Park. City came at the Gunners with the same intensity they did Chelsea, with Yui Hasegawa, their puppet master, pulling the strings in the middle. The goal came early, and it was unstoppable, with Chloe Kelly’s cross from the left whipped in for Shaw to powerfully