Here’s Suzanne Wrack’s report.
Updated
Full-time: Manchester United 1-0 Arsenal
And that’s it, a famous win for Manchester United. Ella Toone’s goal was just reward for a fine performance that stopped Arsenal completely in their tracks. They were the better in defence and eventually attack, and they climb to the top of the SWL.
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90+6 min: Arsenal corner and they are playing a hurry-up offence. Miedema takes it, but it is cleared. Toone does well to win a throw-in to take off the pressure.
90+4 min: Groenen goes down in the skirmish that includes a fine tackle by Jess Sigsworth as United again hold firm. They have taken to launching it long in these dying moments.
93 min: Zelem does some sweeping up in midfield. She’s been excellent since coming on and has led by example.
90+1min: Seven (!) minutes added on. Meanwhile, Lucy Staniforth whacks a shot wide. United continue to have all the pressure.
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90 min: Schnaderbeck, the Arsenal defender, goes down with an untimely injury and has to leave the field. She looks in real pain. She’s replaced by Joe Montemurro, who chucks on an attacker in Ruby Mace.
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89 min: United pushing for a second rather than defending Arsenal attacks.
87 min: United have a corner that they take their time over. Zelem wanders over to take it. Eventually, Galton and Toone try to shoot on goal, but their efforts are blocked.
86 min: Arsenal’s 100 percent record looks doomed, and they might be lucky to claim a draw. They have looked nothing like the goal machine they had been before this match.
84 min: United deserve that goal on the balance of play. They’ve been excellent throughout, and even better since Sigsworth and Zelem came on.
Goal! Manchester United 1-0 Arsenal (Toone, 83)
Great run by Sigsworth, and a pass inside, and Toone curves her shot beyond Zinsberger. What a goal, it came from Amy Turner’s robbing of Miedema on the edge of her own box.
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82 min: United have a corner. Zinsberger does well, first by punching clear amid heavy traffic and then by stopping another shot by Zelem.
81 min: Katie Zelem storms on to the ball at the edge of the Arsenal box but can’t get enough purchase on her shot.
79 min: Two shots from Arsenal, both from long range. McCabe attempts a Johnny Metgod but ends up with pea-roller and Maher lashes wide into the Leigh gloom and nowhere near the goal.
77 min: United change: Tobin Heath off for Lucy Staniforth.
Leonie Maher comes on for Arsenal for Wubben-Moy, which looked like a preventative measure against a second yellow card.
75 min: This game is there to be won, though neither team have looked too confident in front of goal. Ella Toone is the latest to miss the target when the ball just won’t stay down when a long ball is launched from United’s half.
73 min: Zelem clatters Mead and Arsenal have a free-kick. United though clear their lines.
72 min: Mary Earps makes a fine save to deny Amy Turner an own-goal. The United defender had deflected in a cross.
71 min: The final United change: off comes Christen Press for Lauren James, back after injury.
70 min: Arsenal much better, it has to be said. Little gets to the byline but her cross is cleared by Millie Turner.
68 min: Couple of tackles flying in now. Wubben-Moy, already on a yellow, is perhaps lucky that the referee had blown for a previous infringement when Tobin Heath had received a right cruncher.
67 min: Katie Zelem makes a welcome return, on for Hayley Ladd, and Zelem takes the armband.
66 min: Press turns well but just can’t get Tobin Heath away with a ball that skids along the surface.
64 min: Arsenal chance. Foord’s shot smuggled behind by Earps. Millie Turner goes down hurt and looks to have caught herself in the turf. Looks like she will be OK to continue.
62 min: It’s getting a bit ragged out there. Few tackles flying in on what must be a heavy pitch.
60 min: Tobin Heath goes close for United, just dragging her shot wide. At the other end, Beth Mead’s shot at goal is somewhat weak. The game opening up a bit?
59 min: Arsenal subs. Off comes Van de Donk for Kym Little, and off goes Malin Gut for Jill Roord. That’s strength in depth, being able to bring on that pair.
57 min: Arsenal sat back still. They have not been at the races at all. United have worked much harder so there may be a question about their ability to keep up their workload.
55 min: Another United chance. Heath free-kick from the right, and nodded just wide by Amy Turner.
54 min: Leah Galton limps off but may well be ok to continue. Press tries another shot on goal, though it’s not on target. United still much the better team.
52 min: Arsenal’s Wubben-Moy is booked for a hefty tackle on Galton, who is down hurt. Casey Stoney was not happy with that challenge.
51 min: A mistake by Ladd allows Miedema a chance to finally make a run but again United get the danger quelled.
50 min: Arsenal make attempts to attack but Turner, again, excels in getting the ball clear.
48 min: Sigsworth gets a first chance at a run. Groener flicks on and Toone heads wide. Another good piece of United play.
47 min: Heath cuts in, and whips the ball across the box? Was it a shot? Was it a cross? We may never know but it definitely results in a goal kick.
46 min: And away we go. The rain is still tipping down in Leigh.
Updated
The teams are back out, with Jess Sigsworth to come on for Manchester United for Kirsty Hanson, who had a fine first half.
Half-time: Manchester United 0-0 Arsenal
Rain tips down as the players leave the field. United have been by far the better team but they have no goals to show for it. Arsenal look well short of their best but that’s because United have made life so difficult for them.
45+1 min: Just one minute added and nothing comes of it.
45 min: Groenen goes down after a whack to the face but the United player will be OK to continue.
44 min: Hanson down the wing. Press’s cross finds Heath, who is at too far out to be able to direct a header that will trouble Arsenal’s keeper.
42 min: United looking for that goal before half-time. They have been good enough for it, though their finishing has not matched the quality of the rest of their play.
40 min: Yet more United pressure but Arsenal clear their lines and try to put a patient passing move together. Foord gets down the wing but her cross makes its way back to Mary Earps in United’s goal.
39 min: Hanson’s cross is hurriedly cleared by a retreating Beth Mead. United pressing hard at the front, and Arsenal really struggling to clear their lines.
37 min: Arsenal have a spell in the United half but the home team’s defending has been excellent so far. They, though, need to be taking their chances as just reward for their dominance.
35 min: Arsenal really struggling with United’s momentum. Miedema has been a passenger but she finally gets a taste of action only to have her run curbed by some decent defending from Turner.
33 min: Van de Donk seems to be fouled, but play goes on and Heath fires a shot at goal that is saved. Arsenal have been thoroughly pinned back.
31 min: Hansen brought down after escaping down the right. Heath tries to deliver a decent free-kick but swings it on to the top of the net. United have been been somewhat wasteful with the dead ball.
29 min: Press goes close again! Great save this time, from Zinsberger, down low, with her foot.
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26 min: Schnaderbeck heads bravely back to her Arsenal goalkeeper when another cross comes in, then Press sends a ball across that evades everyone. It’s all United.
24 min: Heath and Press link again but this time the ball is cleared by some fine last-gasp defending.
23 min: Close for United! Heath feeds Press and her acrobatics almost pull off a superb goal but her shot whips over the bar.
22 min: Press feeds Toone but the United attacker is robbed on the edge of the Arsenal box. Arsenal go down the other end and Mead is stopped from getting on the end of a diagonal pass. Both teams defending well.
20 min: Miedema steps back to clear the danger from another United free-kick into the area.
18 min: A United free-kick buys some respite from what has been a helter-skelter match so far. Both teams expending plenty of energy.
16 min: Hansen down the right bursts on to a pass by Heath, but her cross is cleared. Arsenal counter, and Hansen has to come back to clear the danger.
15 min: Beth Mead has to drop back to sweep up a United overlap. It’s all hands to the pump from both teams.
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14 min: Arsenal corner but it’s cleared and United push their opponents back to Gunners goalkeeper Zinsberger.
12 min: Beth Meade’s ball across the area causes problems for United but they get it clear. Arsenal in the ascendancy now.
11 min: United goalkeeper Earps takes a positive age over walking the ball across her area and eventually launching her kick. Arsenal start to push up. Miedema pushes up on Earps.
10 min: Arsenal clear their lines from a United free-kick. Joe Montemurro can be heard on the sidelines. His free-scoring Arsenal team yet to find their step just yet.
8 min: Arsenal stepping it up? Leah Williamson tries to create something but United’s defenders clear the danger. Millie Turner steps in to whack the ball away.
6 min: Hanson’s cross from the right and Gut has to head away for Arsenal. It continues to be all United.
5 min: Arsenal having to resort to long balls? Miedema is the target but United are pressing hard.
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3 min: All United in the early stages, Leah Galton stepping forward, with Christen Press looking dangerous. Arsenal try and clear their lines.
1 min: United begin with purpose, and keep the ball moving. Casey Stoney is a believer in the passing game.
There are wreaths laid for Remembrance Sunday, and a minute’s silence is observed ahead of kick-off.
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Alessia Russo is absent for Manchester United, and may require surgery on a hamstring injury as Casey Stoney confirms. “This is our biggest game of the season,” says Stoney. “It’s a big test but we are ready.”
ℹ️ @AlessiaRusso7 is missing from today’s squad after suffering a hamstring injury in training and will undergo surgery in the coming days.
— Manchester United Women (@ManUtdWomen) November 8, 2020
We wish Alessia all the best in her recovery 🙏 pic.twitter.com/VQK09dBTVk
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Here’s Suzanne Wrack’s interview with United’s Emily Ramsey.
A reminder of Vivianne Miedema’s unbelievable stats.
🔴 Vivianne Miedema since joining Arsenal in 2017:
— miedemastuff ⚽️ (@miedemastuff) November 5, 2020
8⃣5⃣ appearances
7⃣5⃣ starts
8⃣3⃣ goals
1⃣0⃣ hat-tricks
🔴 2020/21 Vivianne Miedema:
7⃣ appearances
1⃣4⃣ goals pic.twitter.com/ycsG2Q8Cwa
The teams are in
🗞 The team news is in!
— Manchester United Women (@ManUtdWomen) November 8, 2020
Let's go, #MUWomen! 🔴⚪️⚫️
🚨 TEAM NEWS IS IN 🚨
— Arsenal Women (@ArsenalWFC) November 8, 2020
🏴 @LotteWubbenMoy in defence
🇨🇭 @LiaWaelti captains the side
🇳🇱 @VivianneMiedema leads the line @BarclaysFAWSL 🏆 pic.twitter.com/q4DraYXoam
Premable
Just the 29 league goals from Arsenal this season. And in five matches. Joe Montemurro’s team are absolutely flying but they come up against one of the teams who are themselves unbeaten. Arsenal, of course, have a 100 percent record, but Casey Stoney’s United have won four from five matches.
Vivianne Miedema has scored 14 goals in seven matches in all competitions, and 10 in Arsenal’s five matches. Jill Roord, who made a midweek comeback, has six in two.
United, though, look the toughest opponent Arsenal have faced yet in the WSL. Let’s see if they can keep up their free-scoring ways.
