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      Chelsea and Lionesses star Lauren James on Fifa 23 inspiration, chats with brother Reece and staying humble

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      LAUREN JAMES admits herself that she is a woman of few words.When she received a phone call from an unknown number in August, a combination of her shyness and easy-going nature meant she let it ring out, only to realise it was Lionesses boss Sarina Wiegman telling her she would be making her England debut.
      Lauren James admits she hopes to “inspire” with Fifa 23 her introduction
      The Chelsea forward made her senior England debut earlier this monthCredit: Getty
      Spending time with her older brother Reece, they rarely talk about their joint experiences of playing for Chelsea and their country, preferring to keep football separate if they can.
      And even when asked if she is happy with her rating of 73 on Fifa 23 – a game that includes women’s clubs for the first time – she simply replied: “Nah.”
      After a wry smile, speaking at the Women’s Football Summit, presented by EA SPORTS, she continued: “I guess the stats are based on last season.
      “Hopefully I have a good season and next year my ratings go up.
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      “But, it is inspiration for young girls, being able to actually play with women on Fifa.
      “When I was growing up, I could only play with the men.
      “Had I been able to play the game as a kid and see women’s faces, I would have thought: ‘That could be me one day’.
      “And now, it makes them think: ‘I want to be up there playing’.
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      “They will see us on the screens and want to be like us. It has come a long way.”
      James, 21, has also come a long way, having made her name as a teenager at Arsenal before moves to Manchester United and now Emma Hayes’ Blues.
      Her meteoric rise reached stratospheric levels when recently donning the Lionesses badge for the first time against Austria and Czech Republic.
      James said: “My name has been around for a few years but I still feel young. I am still fresh.
      “Sometimes it can be forgotten about, my age. I guess I do have a lot to learn and improve and still to prove myself.
      “As long as I keep doing myself and what I am doing each day with the games coming up, it gives me a chance to prove that.
      “There are a lot of superstars at Chelsea. I have had the right support system around me to keep me grounded and trying not to let the pressure hit me.
      “As you can tell I am quite a chilled person so I try not to let it affect me.”
      On whether Reece is part of that support system, she said: “We are both proud of each other but we don’t really talk about football together.
      James is shining for the Blues after an injury-hampered first seasonCredit: Getty
      Lauren says her brother Reece played a huge part in her developmentCredit: Getty
      “We have a really close relationship but we tend to keep football separate.
      “If something needs to be said then we talk about it but because we live and breathe it and do it every day, it is nice to talk about other things.”
      James’ move to Chelsea last summer was hampered by injuries, with question marks over whether her big move to west London was a mistake.
      But she is now a mainstay in a classy Chelsea side that includes the likes of Millie Bright, Erin Cuthbert and Fifa cover-star Sam Kerr.
      James agrees it has been nice to prove the doubters wrong, adding: “It is also a kind of an eye opener to think: ‘Lauren is coming back’, I am just enjoying my football again.
      “I don’t let the external noise annoy me. Emma [Hayes] has helped me through it. She also understands the person I am. It is always nice for someone to understand you.”
      ***Lauren James was speaking at the Women’s Football Summit, presented by EA SPORTS. FIFA 23, is available worldwide on all platforms now*** More

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      Jordan Nobbs pleased to make the most of her Arsenal chances after ‘rough few years’ contending with injuries

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      JORDAN NOBBS vowed to make the most of her impressive form after Arsenal went level on points with league leaders Manchester United.The midfielder bagged her second goal in seven games across all competitions this term with a belting strike against West Ham.
      Jordan Nobbs vowed to keeping working hard after helping the Gunners to a fifth win in five WSL gamesCredit: Reuters
      Her effort helped the high-flying Gunners notch up their 13th successive WSL match win on Sunday night.
      The England ace’s first-half rocket shot followed a stunning volleyed effort netted in the Champions League against Zurich on Thursday.
      And Nobbs’ goal against the Hammers garnered praise from fans on social media with some hailing her comeback following a serious knee injury she sustained in June.
      Reflecting on her recent goals and return from injury Nobbs told Sky Sports: “It’s been really tough.
      “I’ve obviously had a rough few years and in the last few months getting into this squad.
      “We’ve got such a talented team and I’ve just had to basically keep working hard.
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      “Every time I’ve gone out at training and I’ve just been thinking ‘don’t stop because that chance always comes’.
      “I’m just glad that I could take my chance last week and then obviously, coming on today.
      “I have to take any chances I can and yeah and it’s been tough but it’s football.”
      Goals from Nobbs, Stina Blackstenius and Frida Maanum saw the Gunners seal a 3-1 win against the Irons who took a first-half lead with Dagny Brynarsdottir’s close-range effort.
      And the Hammers could have had two, but the Irons skipper saw a headed goal incorrectly disallowed after Kim Little slipped over in the penalty area.
      West Ham boss Paul Konchesky said: “Dagny scored a good poacher’s goal and maybe her first one should have counted.
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      “It’s a bit disappointing as that could have put us two goals ahead and it might have been a different game.”
      Arsenal’s win saw them go second in the table above title-holders Chelsea with the Blues also on 15 points following their 3-1 defeat of Aston Villa
      The Gunners take on Leicester next ahead of the international break with the Foxes bottom of the table after five straight losses.
      West Ham will host Brighton with the Seagulls hoping to bounce back after falling to a hefty 8-0 loss against Tottenham.
      Paul Konchesky’s side are currently seventh in the WSL after five gamesCredit: Getty More

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      Manchester City ace reflects on journey that led to ‘magical’ debut and her Lionesses hope

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      KHIARA KEATING has fond memories of her first senior Manchester City runout as one of the youngest goalkeepers to ever play for the club.However, the England Under-19 starlet could well have ended up as a striker had a trial at rivals Man United gone differently.
      Khiara Kheating hopes to help Manchester City win more silverwareCredit: Getty
      Keating joked about wanting to go home when she spotted a huge group of youngsters at her Red Devils trial when she was just six years old.
      But a few words of encouragement from her mum, Nicola, saw Keating pull on her brother’s oversized gloves and show off her skills.
      And that determination put her on the path to becoming a rising star between the sticks at City.
      The Academy Stadium ace, 18, said: “I only turned into a goalkeeper at a Manchester United trial.
      “I got invited but when I turned up there and saw how many kids there were, I just said, ‘I am not doing this’.
      “But then my mum said, ‘I didn’t drive all this way to just let you give up. Your brother’s gloves are in the car’.
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      “So then I trialled with my brother’s gloves on and got in.”
      That moment put Keating on a path that led to her making her first-team debut, aged just 17, for Gareth Taylor’s side in January
      Growing up in Ardwick, one of Manchester’s toughest areas, also gave her the drive and determination to succeed in the sport.
      It was there that the City ace’s mother helped set up Sunday League team Ardwick FC, a side she joined before playing for Stockport-based junior boys outfit Reddish Vulcans.
      Keating, who has two older brothers and three younger sisters, added: “Mum just juggled everything.
      “She played a big part in the start of my career by creating that team because she saw a gap in the community.
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      “It was just quite special, and we formed bonds we still have today.
      “We still pop around to the club and say, ‘Hi’. I also played for Reddish Vulcans when I was about four or five.
      “Just playing with boys with the physicality levels, the speed of the football, it was good to have that in your pocket.
      “I started there as a striker and then I used to play some games in goal and some outfield.”
      It was in the 5-0 League Cup hammering of Leicester in January that Keating made her first senior start for City.
      She got her chance following an injury in the warm-up to first-choice Karima Taieb.
      Keating added: “It was a magical moment for not just me but my family too seeing me make my debut.
      I didn’t expect to play but Karima got injured and the next thing I’m being told is, ‘Khiara, you’re on!’. It’s every kid’s dream.”
      The City ace, who has made seven England Under-19 appearances, one day dreams of playing a senior level for the Lionesses.
      Keating added: “Being half black and multicultural is special and important to me.
      “For young kids seeing people like me and other keepers in the WSL and other players there and representing is a huge push for them.
      City boss Gareth Taylor believes Keating has a bright future ahead at the clubCredit: Getty
      “I’d say to the little kids from similar backgrounds it’s about going for it and believing in yourself and believing in your power (as players).
      “For me, my main goal at Manchester City would be to help the club win trophies.
       “But my personal goal is to just develop as a player and get some game time.” More

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      Hope Powell ‘sad’ to see Ellie Brazil sustain ACL injury with Tottenham boss Skinner ‘gutted’ for the Spurs ace

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      HOPE POWELL says she feels sad to see Ellie Brazil’s season ended by an anterior cruciate ligament injury.The Tottenham ace, 23, and former Brighton forward sustained knee ligament damage during Spurs’ match against Manchester City.
      Ellie Brazil sustained a knee injury during Tottenham’s 3-0 loss to Manchester City in the WSLCredit: Getty
      Brazil’s former boss Hope Powell described her injury as a massive blowCredit: Reuters
      Her injury in Tottenham’s fourth WSL game this term occurred during a duel for the ball with Man City goalkeeper Ellie Roebuck last Saturday.
      It saw her season end early after playing four games for Rehanne Skinner’s side.
      And it occurred almost three years after Brazil, who sealed a two-year move to the North London club from the Seagulls this summer, suffered an ACL injury in her other knee.
      Powell, 55, whose team plays Spurs on Sunday said: “It’s a massive blow and I feel really, really sad for her.
      “She got injured during her time with us and worked really hard to get back and found her form. It’s why Tottenham came in for her.
      “Now to do it again and it’s the other leg is just really unlucky and we feel really sad for her.
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      “I know the staff and the players will reach out. We just want to wish her well and wish her a speedy recovery.”
      Spurs boss Skinner, 42, says the club will be supporting Brazil with her journey to recovery.
      Skinner said: “She’s an exciting, talented player. I was gutted for her as she has worked incredibly hard to get back to being fit.
      “She was in a really good place for us leading into this game.
      “Unfortunately, it was one of those moments where it was just a little bit of a lack of control on the landing after the impact.
      “She’s doing as well as can be in the circumstances. It’s always difficult for players to be out for chunks of time.
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      “In terms of her personally, the journey ahead is going to be the bit that’s the most important thing and the support that the club gives her.
      “We’ll do everything that we need to do to get her on track.”
      Brazil, who began her senior playing career at Birmingham City in 2016, made 59 appearances for Albion over a year period from 2018 to this year.”
      The forward’s tenacious playing style and versatility saw her attract interest from Spurs.
      The club, who are currently finished fifth last season, their highest finish in the WSL since their promotion to the league in 2019.
      Tottenham will play Brighton away next in the WSLCredit: Getty More

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      Arsenal 3 Zurich 1: Nobbs scores a stunner and Hurtig nets her first Gunners brace as WSL leaders thwart Zurich

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      JORDAN NOBBS belted in a wondergoal and capped her first Champions League start of the season in style as Arsenal survived a Zurich fightback. Lina Hurtig bagged a brace as the Gunners marked their 100th game in the contest with a 3-0 victory at the Emirates.
      Jordan Nobbs’ superb strike saw her net her first Champions League group-stage goal this termCredit: Getty
      Lina Hurtig scored twice against Zurich in her first start for ArsenalCredit: Getty
      Arsenal are now two points clear at the top of Group C after two wins in two games and a convincing victory watched by a 5,397-strong crowd.
      They have been beaten just once in their last 14 games played at home with their last loss occurring against Chelsea in the FA Cup in April.  
      Meanwhile, former Gunners boss Joe Montemurro steered Juventus to a 1-1 draw with Lyon with the French giants third with just a point from two outings. 
      Jonas Eidevall made seven changes to the Arsenal side that hammered the tournament record winners 5-1 with Vivianne Miedema returning to his first 11. 
      The Gunners gaffer, whose team have played three games in eight days, gave starts to Nobbs, Mana Iwabuchi, and Hurtig who shone in her first start for the club. 
      Eidevall said: “I thought with us coming off a pretty tight playing schedule it was important for us to change the squad at this moment.
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      “I expected Zurich to be a little bit lower but we had to work a little more to break them down.
      “Jordan’s first goal was a prime example of her finding the right moment to go forward to attack.
      “This game really came at a moment where we needed to trust the whole squad.
      “It’s the Champions League so everything is at stake and I hope the players feel that and that trust in them.
      “When you put players on in a Champions League game it’s because you trust them.
      “I’ve been really happy with how people have been training and how the spirit has been.”
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      Arsenal’s game took place hours after Gunners’ Prem centre-back Pablo Mari was flown to hospital after being stabbed at a supermarket in Milan.
      The defender, 29, on loan at Serie A side Monza, is one of five people reported to have been attacked around 6:30 pm local time this evening.
      Eidevall added: “He is at the hospital and is alright under very sad conditions.
      “I hope he and all the other victims are as good as possible following this event.
      “I hope they can all feel the love from the Arsenal family. No person should go through things like that.”
      Jonas Eidevall’s side are now top of Group C ahead of their November duel with JuventusCredit: Reuters
      Germany legend Inka Grings, who with Beth Mead holds the record for the most goals scored at a Euros, said her Zurich side would do all they could to stress the in-form Gunners. 
      The last match between the clubs saw the Swiss side thrashed 7-2 by the WSL leaders in 2008 with Kim Little netting a hat-trick. 
      The Swiss outfit sought to frustrate their opponents from the get-go. 
      And for the first 36 minutes, they held out congesting space in the final third whilst intercepting and blocking passes when they could. 
      But their resistance was finally broken when Nobbs struck a stunning 37th-minute volleyed goal following a superb cross from Steph Catley. 
      Eidevall’s, aces who face West Ham next, doubled their advantage close to halftime with Iwabuchi teeing up Hurtig’s headed effort following some delightful footwork. 
      The second half saw Zurich look to pull one back quickly with Seraina Piubel firing wide after evading Jen Beattie. 
      Seraina Piubel netted a second-half goal for Zurich at the EmiratesCredit: Reuters
      And the forward, who has found the net five times so far this term eventually got her wish with 13 minutes of normal time remaining.
      Her shot past keeper Kaylan Marckese sparked Zurich players’ celebrations on the touchline. 
      But their joy was shortlived as the hosts restored their two-goal advantage with Stina Blackstenius’ cross turned home by Hurtig.
      And the Arsenal striker fired an injury-time effort over the bar before her side saw out the win. More

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      ‘It’s important we do not get ahead of ourselves’, says Harder after Chelsea go top of Champions League group

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      PERNILLE HARDER wants Chelsea to take things step-by-step after turning up the heat on their Champions League rivals by crushing Vllaznia.The midfield ace, who netted three goals, was reflecting on a storming Blues display with Sam Kerr scoring her first hat-trick in the contest.
      Chelsea will play Real Madrid next in the Champions League after their 8-0 thrashing of VllazniaCredit: Getty
      Sam Kerr was on target with four goals for the Blues in their second group stage gameCredit: PA
      The 8-0 drubbing of the Albanian Women’s Championship leaders at Kingsmeadow saw Chelsea move into pole position in Group A before their November duel with Real Madrid.
      Their Spanish opponents dropped points on Wednesday night after sharing the spoils of a scoreless home draw with Paris Saint-Germain.
      Harder, who netted in both halves of their home defeat of Vllaznia, wants Chelsea to stay grounded ahead of Madrid’s visit on November 23.
      The Blues star, whose side play Aston Villa in the WSL next, said: “It’s important (to be in control of the group) but we take things one game at a time.
      “We don’t get ahead of ourselves. We wanted to win the first one, now we have to win the next one, then we take it step-by-step.”
      “We know we played really well and now we just have to be even more focused.”

      Chelsea’s thrashing of underdogs Vllaznia saw Sam Kerr score four times.
      Team-mate Guro Reiten provided four assists on her 100th appearance for the WSL title-holders with summer signing Katerina Svitkova netting her first goal for the club.
      The rampant Blues saw their duel momentarily halted late on by their opponents’ raucous away fans throwing smoke bombs onto the pitch.
      Despite their side falling to a hefty loss Vllaznia’s supporters chanted loudly throughout and threw in a few pantomime boos during Chelsea’s corner kicks at their end.
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      Kerr jokingly said: “I thought they (Vllaznia’s fans) were excellent.
      “I thought about stirring them up but didn’t want them to take it the wrong way
      “I think that’s what makes football so great. When I scored the second goal down there, I was thinking about it.”
      Chelsea’s clash with Vllaznia was momentarily paused late in the game due to fans with flaresCredit: Getty More

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      Kirby set for Chelsea return and Green hails ‘mentally tough’ goalkeeper Berger ahead of Blues’ clash with Vllaznia

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      FRAN KIRBY has given Chelsea a major fitness boost with the forward set to return to action following a spell out with illness.The Blues star could be in line to feature for the team in their Champions League duel with Vllaznia.
      Fran Kirby could be set to make her first appearance for Chelsea since their 3-1 defeat of West Ham in SeptemberCredit: Getty
      Kirby and her Blues team-mates will play Vllaznia in their second Champions League group stage gameCredit: Getty
      Chelsea will face the Albanian champions at Kingsmeadow tomorrow night in their first home match in this year’s tournament.
      While the Blues will be without Jelena Cankovic, with the midfielder missing their last three games due to injury, Kirby is likely to be included in the club’s squad.
      The club’s all-time leading goal scorer has made three top-tier appearances so far this term netting three times for the WSL champs.
      General manager Paul Green said: “Jelena’s injury hasn’t settled down as quickly as we’d hoped so she won’t be available.
      ” Fran has been back in training for the last couple of days, so she’ll be one addition to the squad. 
      “She is a quality player and to have her back is fantastic and gives everybody a boost.
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      “She has been out with illness, but we’re delighted she’s now available.
      “We look forward to seeing her on Wednesday night and hopefully staying healthy for the whole season.”
      Chelsea’s second Group A game is likely to see Blues goalkeeper Ann-Katrin Berger make her sixth appearance across all competitions this term.
      Green hailed the German international’s recent displays between the sticks two months on from her announcing the recurrence of thyroid cancer.
      Since then, Berger has kept three clean sheets in five games.
      He added: “The way she’s handled herself in this period and such difficult circumstances is a real credit to her.
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      “She’s immensely mentally tough to cope with the cancer.
      “She’s a real inspiration to all her team-mates and somebody to really look up to with the way that she has gone about her business at such a difficult time.
      “We’re delighted with her coming back to full health and fitness on the pitch.
      “She has shown that in her performances since going back in the goal.”
      Chelsea’s game against Vllaznia’s comes six days after the nine-time Albanian National Women’s Champions fell to a 2-0 away loss to Real Madrid.
      Their visitors, who are playing the Champions League for the first time in their 12-year history have five American players in their squad.
      And the team are underdogs in a group that includes Paris Saint-Germain in addition to Madrid and the title winners of England.
      Green expects Chelsea will face a side prepared to sit deep.
      Chelsea first home Champions League game comes six days after their away win at Paris Saint-GermainCredit: Getty
      He said: “We can’t take anything for granted.
      We need to perform at our best level to be able to break down their block and get the goals that are ultimately going to win us the game.
      “They’re in the competition on their own merits and we’ve got to get the job done.
      Should the Blues progress to knockout the phase they.
      Chelsea vs Vllaznia can be watched live from 8:00 pm on DAZN’S Uefa Women’s Champions League channel on Wednesday 26 October More

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      Liverpool 0 Arsenal 2: Walti and Maanum net as Gunners defeat Reds on the road and equal WSL match win record

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      SOME headaches normally cause people to look for medicine.But in Jonas Eidevall’s case, this particular headache is a selection one – and a pleasant one to have with Arsenal beating Liverpool 2-0.
      Frida Maanum netted her second goal for Arsenal this term in their win against LiverpoolCredit: Reuters
      Lia Walti opened her WSL goal account for this season to give the Gunners the lead at Prenton ParkCredit: Alamy
      The Gunners are firing on all cylinders with a solid performance at the home of the Merseyside giants
      The result saw them nab their 12th victory in a row in the top tier.
      A win that sees them equal the league record set by themselves and Manchester City.
      To top it off, Eidevall’s high-fliers also kept their 10th clean sheet, a feat that saw them go 1003 minutes without conceding a goal.
      Among the performers who impressed for the visitors was Frida Maanum.
      The Gunners’ ace was a midfield menace alongside Kim Little and Lia Walti as Arsenal made it winning business as usual dominating the game for large spells.
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      Any hopes of the Reds stunning another WSL title chaser were snuffed out with Maanum – among today’s scorers – justifying why she is in Eidevall’s starting 11.
      The WSL ace helped Arsenal maintain winning business as usual after their 5-1 defeat of Lyon with Eidevall keeping the same line-up.
      On retaining Maanum in his side, the Arsenal chief told BBC Sport: “It’s a pleasant headache, isn’t it?
      “It’s also a really good sign for any player looking to see what you do when you don’t get opportunities.
      “People remember when you play, they don’t remember when you’re not playing so make it stick.”
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      The result saw the Gunners, with Caitlin Foord delivering a player of the match performance, in action for the third time in seven days.
      Eidevall added: “It was tricky, it is tough to play a third away game within a week. I like the heart we put on the pitch today.
      “We work extremely hard for each other.
      “We showed we matched them and we were very good at expressing ourselves on the ball. That’s the difference.”
      Gunners forward Foord said: “We had a short turnaround and a bit of travel.
      “We definitely felt it towards the end and it was a grind to see the game out.
      Caitlin Foord reckons Arsenal could won have won by a bigger marginCredit: Getty
      “But in saying that, we had plenty of chances as well and could have gone a bit ahead.”
      Matt Beard’s aces began strongly at Prenton Park refusing to be overawed.
      But the visitors got get into their groove with captain Little, Foord and Lia Walti among the players pulling the strings.
      Walti got Arsenal off the mark powering home their 15th-minute opener from the edge of the box.
      The visitors soon doubled their lead eight minutes later with Foord teeing up Maanum who netted after some nifty footwork.
      Liverpool attempted to battle their way back with some threatening corner kicks and deliveries into the box.
      They caused some problems in the visitors’ box in the second half’s opening stages and looked for a handball after Emma Koivisto’s shot struck Foord.
      Niamh Fahey sent a shot wide for Liverpool late on in the gameCredit: Reuters
      And they came close to pulling one back with Niamh Fahey firing wide of the far post before Beth Mead walloped an injury-time effort over the bar.
      The result saw Arsenal go top before Manchester United’s trip to Leicester.
      It also left Liverpool hunting for their second win of the season with a Conti Cup clash with Leicester next before a league trip to Man City.
      The Reds are currently ninth after three straight losses following their opening-day defeat of Chelsea. More