Women’s Super League

GARETH TAYLOR hailed Khiara Keating after Manchester City stood firm against Arsenal to end the Gunners’ FA Cup run.The goalkeeper shone despite being jeered by her opponents’ raucous fans during City’s 1-0 fifth-round victory.
Khiara Keating helped Man City take their unbeaten run to 12 games since last NovemberCredit: Getty
The City goalkeeper kept her fourth clean sheet in a row since the end of January with her team reaching this year’s FA Cup quarter-finalCredit: PA
Laia Aleixandri netted the winner for Gareth Taylor’s side in the 75th minuteCredit: Getty
The result came three months after an error from Keating saw the Gunners beat 2-1 in the WSL.
This time around was the Cityzen starlet who had the last laugh with her shot-stopping heroics helping to end Arsenal hopes of reaching the FA Cup quarter-finals.
City chief Taylor said: “This is like redemption for her. What was going on inside (her head) I don’t know.
“But I think she’s been preparing herself for weeks. She has been telling me that.
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“Khiara was excellent with what she had to do and what she had to go through – particularly at the beginning of the game with the verbals from the crowd.
“Arsenal make it a cauldron here (at Meadow Park) but she handled it really well.
“The fans do get behind them and they really keep going and don’t stop. 
“But their attentions turned elsewhere after a while with Khiara which is good and shows you she was doing something right.
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“But I think it’s fantastic for a young player to know that you’re going to make mistakes in the game and that’s how you react. And she’s reacted so well since then.”
Some classy Keating saves late on in the game, including a stunning top corner stop, were among the efforts that saw Jonas Eidevall’s aces denied.
And her shift was watched by England boss Sarina Wiegman who was in the stands ahead of the Lionesses’ friendlies against Austria and Italy this month.
Taylor added: “It was just really nice for her to come away (with a clean sheet and win).
“Sometimes, there are skeletons in the wardrobe and there are skeletons that you’ve had in your career where you go to certain games (and grounds). 
“I’ve had it myself (as a player) where I’ve thought, ‘it’s a nightmare and I never played well in this stadium’, so it’s really nice when you flip it the other way.”
The early stages of the game saw both sides struggle to find a cutting edge.
Arsenal’s Caitlin Foord went closest in front of goal in with a shot prompting a 13th-minute save from Keating.
Later in the half City saw pleas for penalty waves away after Lotte Wubben-Moy appeared to elbow Khadija Shaw during an aerial duel. 
And Shaw prompted a brilliant save from Gunners’ goalkeeper Sabrina D’Angelo pushing her header away from its top corner target in the 61st minute.
The deadlock was broken 14 minutes later with Laia Aleixandri poking home following Chloe Kelly’s free-kick.
City then faced a late barrage including a Victoria Pelova goal-bound header palmed away by Keating with keeper later tipping Kim Little’s volley over the bar.
The hosts felt they may have had a goal with Keating’s catch initially appearing’ as if it had crossed the line.
But City held out to secure a win with Arsenal falling to a second defeat in a row across all contests.
Gunners boss Eidevall said: “It was a very tight game. We’re gutted because we were on the wrong side of every margin. It’s a tough one to take.”
A league cup last eight duel is up next for Arsenal with the title chasers visiting London City Lionesses on Wednesday.
On if a silverware win this term is crucial with the team having lifted one trophy in the past five years, Eidevall added: “We want to compete in every competition.
Jonas Eidevall insists Arsenal are determined to win silverware this seasonCredit: Getty
“That’s the ambition otherwise you shouldn’t be in this club or represent this club.
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“We want to win both competitions that we’re still in. That’s how ambitious we need to be.
“We also need to understand it’s a lot of hard work. It’s not entirely in our own control either.” More

WILLIE KIRK  insists Leicester are up for a quarter-final battle with any of the FA Cup’s big guns after trouncing Birmingham 6-2 on Saturday.Shannon O’Brien netted twice as the Foxes filled their boots in the contest’s fifth round.
Five different players netted for Leicester in their FA Cup fifth-round defeat of Birmingham CityCredit: Getty
Saori Takarada, Yuka Momiki, and Shannon O’Brien impressed for the FoxesCredit: Getty
Willie Kirk hopes Leicester will continue having a mix of Foxes names on the scoresheet in gamesCredit: Getty
Five different players were on the scoresheet for Leicester who were ruthless after going 1-0 behind.
Japanese pair Saori Takarada and Yuka Momiki shone for Kirk’s side with Takarada among the hosts’ scorers at Pirelli Stadium.
When asked if this was the highest-ever scoring win for Leicester in the Cup’s fifth round, Kirk said: “We don’t like to look too far back in terms of records.
“We want to keep focus on creating our own history. 

“And that’s been a big thing this year – we’ve achieved a lot of firsts, and we’ll continue to try to do that. 
“We’re a young club still with a young history. The thing that pleased me most is the five different goal scorers for the six goals.
“That’s been a feature for us this season.  I think our highest goal scorer might have only five (goals), but we’ve had double figures in terms of the different players who’ve scored. 
“It’s important this continues and that we’re unpredictable in terms of where goals come from. 
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“You would hate it if someone bagged four goals and you’re always relying on that single (number) nine.”
Arsenal, Manchester City, holders Chelsea and last year’s beaten finalists Man United, are among the WSL giants targeting a place in the contest’s last eight.
The Gunners and City will go head-to-head on Sunday lunchtime with Chelsea facing Crystal Palace and United up against Southampton.
And Kirk has no qualms about Leicester facing a top tier rival including those fighting it out for the league crown. 
The Foxes chief added: “At this stage of the competition you would take anybody (on).
“I look at the last time I went to an FA Cup final (when I was managing Everton) and we got Chelsea in the quarter-finals.
“I’ll make sure I say to the players that it doesn’t matter who we get. If those big teams are going to lose a game, it’s normally a quarter or a semi-final.”
The hosts found themselves behind after two minutes Birmingham captain Ellie Mason’s free-kick bouncing in off Missy Goodwin’s head for an own-goal. 
And after Momiki and Takorada tested Birmingham stopper Lucy Thomas, Janice Cayman levelled from close range in the 19th minute.
The hosts took a 2-1 lead four minutes later through O’Brien’s top corner finish before Blues’ Libby Smith levelled with a stylish chip. 
O’Brien’s slotted close-range strike restored the lead close to half-time. 
Leicester took things up a notch in the second half bagging three more goals. 
Takorada headed them 4-2 in front before subs Deanne Rose and Aileen Whelan got in on scoring to wrap up the win. 
Following their exit Birmingham’s focus will be back on their fight to return to the top tier with five Championship teams in promotion contention. 
The team are sat fifth in the second tier but just four points off leaders Charlton with a game in hand.
Birmingham City face promotion rivals Southampton next in the Women’s ChampionshipCredit: Getty
Brum boss Darren Carter said: “I love this competition (the FA Cup) and I’m gutted (we’re out but) everyone knows our aim this year.
“That’s to go and challenge and get this team back to the WSL.
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“We’ve got eight games to go now, and everyone is going to be huge. The players will be hungry, and they’ll be focused and ready.”
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RACHEL DALY has been hit with a three-match ban following an incident during Aston Villa’s clash with Bristol City on Saturday. Video footage shows the Villans striker appearing to elbow Robins captain Megan Connolly in the face during the WSL duel. 
Rachel Daly’s three-match ban follows the Aston Villa ace being penalised for violent conductCredit: Getty
Daly appeared to elbow Bristol defender Megan Connolly in the face during Villa’s clash with the RobinsCredit: Getty
The incident, which occurred in the 39th minute of the match, was not initially spotted by the referee.
But it was captured on camera during the encounter which ended as a 2-2 draw with the FA deciding that it constituted violent conduct.
Daly, who has made 13 appearances for Villa this term, has admitted to the FA’s charge and will serve the suspension.
The ban means the player will miss her side’s Conti Cup quarter-final duel against Brighton this evening.
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She will also be absent from their next two WSL games against Tottenham and Liverpool.
An FA statement on the incident said: “Her behaviour during the 39th-minute wasn’t seen by the match officials at the time but it was caught on camera.
“The FA alleged that it constitutes violent conduct.
“Rachel Daly has subsequently admitted this charge and accepted the automatic penalty for violent conduct.”
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Last term Daly was awarded the WSL’s Golden Boot after finishing the season as top scorer with 22 goals in 22 games.
Carla Ward’s side will face Brighton in the Conti Cup quarter-finalsCredit: Reuters
Her efforts helped Villa achieve their highest finish in the top-flight to date with the team claiming fifth spot.
This season has seen them initially struggle in the league losing eight of their 13 matches played.
However, Carla Ward’s side have picked up two wins and a draw from their last four WSL games. More

EMMA HAYES was stunned by Brighton sacking Melissa Phillips after less than ten months managing their women’s side. The Chelsea chief also empathised with Jurgen Klopp’s reasons for standing down as Liverpool boss and leaving at the end of this term. 
Emma Hayes reckons Brighton’s decision to end Melissa Phillips’ reign as head coach was a “little bit quick”Credit: Getty
The USA-born coach was relieved of her duties just two days before the Seagulls’ league duel with Manchester UnitedCredit: Getty
Hayes, 47, was speaking to reporters on Friday less than 24 hours after the Seagulls announced the departure of Phillips. 
The American head coach’s exit came five days on from Chelsea’s 3-0 away defeat of Albion.
It follows a run of seven losses in 12 WSL games this term with the Seagulls sitting second from bottom. 
Brighton say their decision was “vital for the progress” they want to see the team make in the WSL with the club harbouring top three ambitions. 
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Hayes, whose team host Everton next, said: “The manager has only been in place since last April, she’s just brought players in the window this January. 
“I thought they were a very organised team when we played them last week, but there are a lot of young players in there that take a while (to develop). 
“Getting into the top three is tough for anyone.
“We’ve since the challenges it has posed for Manchester United and they’ve developed a much more experienced squad than Brighton. 
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“I was shocked by that decision to be honest. 
“Yes the game is going that way but no one is being paid a million pounds here (in women’s football) to make that decision. It seemed a little bit quick.”
Hayes’ side are currently top after 10 wins from 12 league duels so far this term. 
And they hope to win a seventh WSL title under their boss who will leave Chelsea at the end of the season to take charge of the US Women’s team. 
Hayes’ departure after 14 trophy-laden years in the Blues’ hot seat will coincide with Klopp bidding farewell to Liverpool later this year . 
The German, 56, leaves at the end of this season after nine successful years in which he led the Reds to seven major trophy wins including Champions League and Prem titles. 
And “running out of energy” was among the reasons Klopp gave for his decision to leave the club he loves. 
Of his motivations to stand down from his role, Hayes said: “I related to everything he said, and I don’t think maybe enough attention and time is put on the mental health and wellbeing of staff in football. 
“Everybody expects the most from us (manager). 
“Players expect everything from us, clubs expect everything, everyone expects everything. But the volume of hours you have to commit to this job is unsustainable.”
Hayes admits she can relate to the reasons by Jurgen Klopp’s decision to leave Liverpool after nine years in chargeCredit: Alamy
On Klopp’s candid explanation, Hayes added: “He articulated it better than me. 
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“He articulated it really, really well. I don’t have his luxury though, that’s the difference
“Nonetheless, I also get to go to an Olympics and a World Cup (with the USA) so I just have to maybe reflect on that or keep myself as fresh as possible.” More