It was a game billed as the Champions League decider. Both sides were desperate for a win, but ultimately, it was Arsenal who emerged as 2-0 victors under the Friday night lights.An own goal from Millie Turner followed by a second-half header from Lotte Wubben-Moy gave Joe Montemurro’s side all three points and cut the deficit to third-placed United to just three points.Here’s five things we learned from the Gunners win:
Arsenal now Champions League favourites
Leading into Friday’s game, it was United who had the ascendancy in the race for Champions League qualification.
Casey Stoney’s side had won the reverse fixture between the teams and sat six points ahead of Arsenal having played a game more.
However, the Gunners victory seemingly makes them favourites to secure that all-important third spot as we reach the business end of the season.
Arsenal are now just three points behind their rivals and have a game in hand to come. The crucial factor is that Montemurro’s team have a far superior goal difference to United, and would clinch the final Champions League spot should both teams finish on the same points.
Considering Arsenal have played all of United, Man City and Chelsea twice already and haven't lost to a team outside the top four since 2018, they look to be firmly in the driving seat.
Wubben-Moy is a future star
It was a fine team performance from Arsenal, led by a string of accomplished individual performances –– but none were more impressive than the young Lotte Wubben-Moy in the centre of defence.
The 22-year old rejoined Arsenal in the summer from the University of North Carolina but showed leadership and composure well beyond her years as she marshalled a makeshift Gunners defence, who were missing the experienced Leah Williamson.
Not only did Wubben-Moy help her side keep a third consecutive clean-sheet, but she also scored Arsenal’s second, rising highest from a corner early in the second half to give Montemurro’s team full control of the match.
Having made her England debut against Northern Ireland last month, replacing Leah Williamson as a substitute –– there are clear signs that Arsenal may have found a long term stalwart of their defence for years to come.
United missing Tobin Heath
The return of Christen Press appeared to be a valuable boost to United ahead of the match, but the forward failed to inspire her team to victory.
Casey Stoney’s side were still missing another American though in Tobin Heath, who has been absent for all of 2021 so far.
Scorer of four league goals before her injury, United haven't lost a game this season when Heath has featured, losing five of their last seven league matches since the 32-year-old last played.
While United still have a plethora of talented forward options –– Heath is ostensibly the missing link for a team that has not looked the same imposing force that it once did at the beginning of the season.
Referee struggles
For a game that had so much riding on it, tensions on both sides were understandably heightened. Referee Amy Fearn tried her best to control proceedings but drew frustration from both managers.
The Arsenal players were particularly aggravated by the persistent fouling by Ella Toone on Katie McCabe, while United were equally vexed by the treatment of Lauren James.
In the end, Arsenal were forced to contend with 10 players, as Beth Mead brought down Jess Sigsworth, picking up her second yellow card in the process.
Speaking after the game, Stoney was quick to complain about Fearn’s performance.
“I’m probably going to get fined anyway so I’ll tell you if you have a 19-year-old getting fouled time and time and time again and you say you can’t do anything because it’s different players it’s poor,” she said.
United have a weakness against corners
Manchester City and Reading had both taken points off United in recent matches, after exposing their weakness against set pieces.
Arsenal had evidently examined these frailties and duly took advantage, sending all six of their corners straight into the penalty area, as Wubben-Moy eventually made one of them count.
United actually have one of the worst records of goals conceded from corners in the league, further highlighting their defensive woes.
Given that Casey Stoney was herself a defender back in her playing days, this is surely a problem that United will look to address and fix as soon as possible.