Stina Blackstenius goal saves point for Arsenal against Manchester United

Arsenal had to come back from a goal down against a capable Manchester United side to secure a vital point in the WSL title race. They could have had all three but it was the return of familiar failings in their defence that denied them the chance to really put some distance between themselves and their closest challengers, Chelsea.

The hosts were missing two first-choice defenders in Leah Williamson and Lotte Wubben-Moy, with Jen Beattie and Steph Catley replacing them in a rigid back four. Both found it difficult to stifle United’s interchangeable front three, and it seemed as if the United manager Marc Skinner had planned it that way, with his team set up in a 4-3-2-1. There was an obvious target in all this: Katie McCabe, who was facing Alessia Russo on the left flank.

With the United forwards’ darting runs causing problems on the counter, midfielders Jordan Nobbs and Tobin Heath were often having to track back out of position to help McCabe. The combination marking, however, was not enough to prevent Russo popping up to score with a header from Katie Zelem’s corner after 10 minutes to make it 1-0 to the visitors. Skinner was delighted with how his captain and attacker combined: “the positioning, concentration, it’s so much more than physical to be in the right places in those moments. Coming to Arsenal on the back of the week we had and to do that, it was brilliant,” he said.

Confusion continued to reign in the Arsenal defence and it seemed likely that Russo would add to her tally. There was no reprieve on the attack either for the hosts. Though Arsenal were working to create opportunities, United’s high press effectively cut out spaces for their runs.

Vivianne Miedema changed the pattern with a moment of magic. The