Arsenal kept the Women’s Super League title race alive as Olivia Smith’s composed finish earned a 1-0 victory over leaders Manchester City, ending City’s unbeaten league run since the opening day and preventing them from moving 11 points clear of Manchester United in second place.
The result leaves City eight points ahead of Manchester United instead of pulling further away, while Arsenal’s third straight clean sheet tightens the race near the top and adds pressure to a City side that had been cruising with the league’s most productive attack.
Before the defeat at the Emirates Stadium, Manchester City had won 13 successive WSL matches and were close to matching the competition’s longest winning streak, but the visitors’ usually fluent forward
play never settled, with Arsenal limiting clear chances and repeatedly breaking with purpose against the league leaders.
Arsenal’s breakthrough came after an early scare. Vivianne Miedema almost punished the hosts after only 11 seconds against the former club, yet the effort missed, and Arsenal responded as Mariona Caldentey threaded a precise pass through for Olivia Smith, who sprinted in behind, rounded Ayaka Yamashita, then calmly rolled the ball into an empty net.
City’s attacking output dropped well below usual levels, as they generated just 0.39 expected goals from eight attempts, and only one shot tested the goalkeeper, while Arsenal produced 1.55 expected goals from 12 efforts and extended a run of three consecutive shutouts in all WSL matches, the best defensive spell since five straight clean sheets in January 2025.
| Team | Shots | Shots on Target | Expected Goals (xG) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Arsenal | 12 | — | 1.55 |
| Manchester City | 8 | 1 | 0.39 |
Arsenal could have increased the margin before half-time as defensive errors from City opened further chances; Alessia Russo saw a low strike turned wide by Ayaka Yamashita, then the City goalkeeper reacted again to push away a close-range header from the same forward after another spell of pressure inside the penalty area.
Manchester City appealed for a penalty when Lauren Hemp went down in the box under pressure, but play was waved on, and Arsenal nearly punished the leaders again when Kim Little drove a counterattack and slipped Caitlin Foord through on goal, only for the shot to hit the side netting from a promising angle.
Late drama arrived when Vivianne Miedema thought City had found an equaliser after finishing from near the penalty spot, yet the strike was ruled out because Miedema had pulled back Katie McCabe while winning possession in the build-up, and Arsenal then closed out the remaining minutes to secure a vital Women’s Super League victory.
A BIG WIN AT HOME pic.twitter.com/dorQtI8BQxArsenal Women (@ArsenalWFC) February 8, 2026
Women’s Super League relegation battle and other key WSL results
Elsewhere in the Women’s Super League, Liverpool climbed out of the relegation place with a 4-1 win over Aston Villa, a result that pushed Leicester City into greater danger, while West Ham fought back from behind to defeat Brighton 3-2, and Everton earned a 1-0 away victory against London City Lionesses.
| Match | Score |
|---|---|
| Liverpool v Aston Villa | 4-1 |
| West Ham v Brighton | 3-2 |
| London City Lionesses v Everton | 0-1 |
The day’s results tighten both ends of the Women’s Super League table, as Arsenal’s win cuts Manchester City’s momentum in the title race, while Liverpool, West Ham and Everton gain important points in the battle for safety, leaving Leicester City facing added pressure near the foot of the standings.
