Women's Super League One: Birmingham City Ladies 0-0 Arsenal Ladies

Birmingham City and Arsenal also drew 0-0 in the reverse fixture in Hertfordshire in May

Birmingham City Ladies and Arsenal Ladies played out a goalless draw that helped neither side's hopes of mounting a Women's Super League One title bid.

Women's FA Cup winners Arsenal, who beat Sunderland 5-1 on Saturday, struggled to break down a hard-working, organised Blues side, who remain third.

Birmingham have now gone five consecutive games without conceding.

Jordan Nobbs' low shot was held by Birmingham's debutant goalkeeper Ann-Katrin Berger in the closing stages.

Another debutant, midfielder Andrine Hegerberg, headed Birmingham's best chance of the game over from close range.

Fourth-placed Arsenal rallied late on but were denied any clear-cut goal-scoring opportunities for much of the contest.

Birmingham remain one point above the Gunners, who have a game in hand, but both clubs lost ground on second-placed Chelsea, who thrashed Sunderland 5-0.

Blues boss David Parker gave debuts to Norway midfielder Hegerberg, ex-Paris St-Germain keeper Berger and substitute Isabelle Linden, following the departures of England midfield duo Jo Potter and Jade Moore, and all three impressed with their displays.

Birmingham City boss David Parker: "It was another cracking performance and yet I still want more, there is still so much more to come from this group, it's quite scary.

"Teams are looking at us and thinking we have lost a few players - but look at the players we have added and the kids coming through too. We are growing so quickly and so much, and there is so much more to come from this group.

"It was a great save from our new goalkeeper (Berger), she's played against the best for PSG in the big Champions League games and when you have someone who can make crucial game-defining saves, and distribute the ball like her, it's a real asset to have."

Arsenal manager Pedro Martinez Losa: "I thought we deserved a little bit more in the second half but you have to accept results.

"On another day we probably would have taken the points, so we're not happy but obviously we value one point away from home and I'll take it in a very competitive game.

"Birmingham are full of confidence and you have to give them credit, they were well organised and we knew it was going to be very difficult to score here. Teams will come here and drop points."