Six Takeaways From Women's Super League Gameweek 13 | OneFootball

The Women's Super League (WSL) returned this weekend and it didn't disappoint.

A seven-goal thriller kicked of gameweek 13 as the Gunners stole a 4-3 victory out from under the feet of Manchester City at Joie Stadium.

Liverpool were able to solidify their spot in the mid-table fight with a narrow win over West Ham United, whilst Merseyside rivals Everton flew past Leicester City in a 4-1 victory at home.

Aston Villa nearly reaped the rewards of a gutsy performance against the champions, but a late own-goal from Sarah Mayling saw Chelsea steal all three points on the road.

Down in south London, Palace were able to steal a crucial point from Brighton & Hove Albion thanks to a late equalizer from My Cato, before Manchester United waved off Tottenham in a 1-0 encounter.

Here are six things we learned from WSL gameweek 13:

Chelsea manage to win even when vulnerable

Yet another fixture where Chelsea appear to be there for the taking, but refuse to be beaten. Aston Villa put up a true fight against the league-leaders at Villa Park and looked the most likely to score as the clock ran down.

Kirsty Hanson fired a strike from range that got every Villa fan up on their feet before being narrowly denied by the wood work. You have to take your chances against this Chelsea super team or else they will bite back, and that's exactly what happened next.

Mayra Ramirez stormed down the right-flank in search of making a low cross into the area only to be intercepted by Sarah Mayling who tumbled the ball into the back of her own net. Much like last weekend's London derby, the invincible Blues were able to find a win in the end.

Although some of their results may not be the most pleasing on the eye, Sonia Bompastor has this team wired to be serial winners. Still seven points clear at the top of the WSL standings, Chelsea edge closer towards a sixth-straight league title.

Man City and Arsenal play-out a WSL classic

A blockbuster fixture at Joie Stadium did not disappoint, as Manchester City and Arsenal battled it out at the top-end of the league table. The Gunners were fast out of the gates after Mariona Caldentey opened the scoring in just 42 seconds. Lotte Wubben-Moy was quick to extend the lead, heading home a pin-point delivery from Kyra Cooney-Cross.

From there, City were able to get themselves back in the race thanks to goals from Mary Fowler and ex-Gunner Vivianne Miedema. Arsenal's response was instant, as Frida Maanum edged the side ahead once more in the 51st minute.

A contentious penalty for a foul on Aoba Fujino outside of the area allowed City to open the door once again, as Fowler calmly converted her spot-kick.

Although rapture was short lived as Stina Blackstenius arrived in Manchester ready to haunt the Cityzens once more, tapping in the winner to steal a 4-3 victory in the 78th minute.

The loss at home leaves City in an intensely precarious position, now 12 points adrift of league-leaders Chelsea. Defensive woes left City vulnerable at the back once more, having now conceded 10 goals in just three league fixtures. Head coach Gareth Taylor failed to inject any life into his side when the contest drew close, despite having both Khadija 'Bunny' Shaw and Kerolin Nicoli arrive from the bench.

As for Arsenal, the fixture was there for the taking and the side did just that. Renee Slegers picked her moment to deploy suber-sub Lia Walti into the game and the impact was colossal. The Swiss maestro managed to settle Arsenal's nerves, organising the tempo of the game and playing a pivotal role in the win.

United continue to fly under the radar

An early opener from Elisabeth Terland in under two minutes was enough to get the job done at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, with the Red Devils comfortably retaining their spot in second place.

The performance may have left a lot to be desired, but the ability to grind out results hasn't been something United fans have had the pleasure of growing used to.

Finding ways to get it done, the Red Devils now sit three points clear of Arsenal in third. Despite a turbulent start to the season that saw them string together a disappointing run of draws, United continue to fly under the radar in the WSL title race.

Do Tottenham need to reconsider their playing strategy?

Despite the close result, Tottenham's performance left fans wondering where the brave side of last season has gone. Creating just two shots on target across the full 90 minutes, Spurs lacked any real attacking threat going forward.

Robert Vilahamn's persistent attempts to forge a partnership between Martha Thomas and Bethany England is turning out to be nothing short of a failed experiment, with neither forward able to make a real impact on the day. Thomas's midfield role left Spurs empty in the central areas and United were able to control the tempo because of it.

Tottenham's attacking brand is more of a disheveled mess right now than a masterclass. The absence of Eveliina Summanen meant that Spurs failed to hold their own, despite Maite Oroz's best efforts to keep the space. Ashleigh Neville and Molly Bartrip were wasteful in possession, and the Red Devils played on those vulnerabilities to get on the scoreboard.

It could be time for Vilahamn to rethink his philosophy in order to get the most of his players, rather than continue to bang on a strategic door that seems to be locked shut.

Crystal Palace not out of the race yet

Stealing an equalizer in the dying moments, Crystal Palace were able to secure a crucial point against Brighton & Hove Albion on home turf.

Following a contentious red card that saw Seagulls midfielder Maisie Symonds sent off, My Cato was able to bring Palace back to level terms with a goal in the 88th minute. The point means that the Eagles close the gap between themselves and Leicester City to just three points at the bottom of the league standings, putting themselves right back in contention to stay up.

The late equalizer wasn't the only thing worth celebrating, with Laura Kaminski's side welcoming back star-striker Elise Hughes into the matchday squad. Hughes spent an extended time on the sidelines after rupturing her ACL on the penultimate weekend last season, and will prove to be a major boost for the Eagles heading into the business-end of the season.

Transfer window Toffees fly past Foxes

It was a bright January in the transfer window for Everton, welcoming six new faces into their ranks. The determined business reaped their rewards this weekend, as the Toffees flew past Leicester City with a 4-1 victory at Walton Hall Park.

Winter signing Kelly Gago was a star performer for Brian Sorensen's side, writing her name on the scoresheet twice to help her side fly past the Foxes.

Everton have gone and showed their WSL opponents how transfer business is done, bolstering their squad in order to catapult themselves out of the relegation zone.