Summary

  • Result: Birmingham 2-0 Arsenal - Smith and Sarri goals end Gunners' unbeaten record

  • Result: Brighton 0-6 Man City - visitors score four in seven minutes after goalless first half

  • England defenders Bronze and Houghton both returned from injury for City

  • Result: Reading 1-0 Leicester - Dowie's stunning lob sends Foxes bottom

  • Three of six WSL matches postponed this weekend because of Covid, including Chelsea v Tottenham

  1. Postpublished at 13:06 Greenwich Mean Time 9 January 2022

    HT: Brighton 0-0 Man City

    A reminder that there is a lot more to come in the WSL today.

    Two games are kicking off at 14:00 GMT, with leaders Arsenal traveling to Birmingham, while Reading host Leicester City.

    The team news from those two games will be brought to you shortly.

  2. 'Signing new Man City deal was best decision' - Hemppublished at 13:03 Greenwich Mean Time 9 January 2022

    Lauren Hemp in action for EnglandImage source, Getty Images

    Lauren Hemp was bright for Manchester City in that first half, but can she mark a new deal with the club with a win?

    The 21-year-old winger, who joined three years ago, has committed herself to City until the summer of 2024.

    You can read more about her new contract by clicking here.

  3. Postpublished at 12:59 Greenwich Mean Time 9 January 2022

    HT: Brighton 0-0 Man City

    As it stand, fifth-place Brighton will maintain their two-point cushion on Manchester City in sixth.

    A draw would also see the Seagulls close the gap to Manchester United in fourth to just two points.

  4. HALF-TIMEpublished at 12:54 Greenwich Mean Time 9 January 2022

    Brighton 0-0 Man City

    Lucy BronzeImage source, Reuters

    We are yet to see a goal, but there has been an abundance of chances.

  5. Postpublished at 45 + 4

    Brighton 0-0 Man City

    Brighton will be happy if they can keep it goalless at the break. They have certainly had a lot more defending to do.

  6. Postpublished at 45 + 2

    Brighton 0-0 Man City

    Brighton eventually deal with the corner in from Georgia Stanway, but after the ball is worked back into the box Man City are awarded another.

    This time it comes in from the left and is well dealt with.

  7. Postpublished at 45 + 1

    Brighton 0-0 Man City

    Great work from Brighton's Emma Koivisto stops Hayley Raso from cutting in from the right. The ball runs out for a corner.

  8. Postpublished at 45 mins

    Brighton 0-0 Man City

    And there will be six minutes of injury time to come. No surprise, that.

  9. Postpublished at 42 mins

    Brighton 0-0 Man City

    More running repairs for Brighton. Inessa Kaagman appears to have taken a knock to the face and she is holding a bloodied nose.

    She heads to the sidelines. We are going to have a lot of injury time at the end of the 45.

  10. Postpublished at 39 mins

    Brighton 0-0 Man City

    After an injury delay, the corner is swung in.

    Brighton's attempted clearance falls nicely for Georgia Stanway, who thumps a volley onto the roof of the stand behind the goal and into the car park.

  11. Postpublished at 38 mins

    Brighton 0-0 Man City

    Again Georgia Stanway has Brighton's defence working over time. She links up with Hayley Raso on the right and has her shot blocked.

    Man City with another corner now.

  12. Postpublished at 36 mins

    Brighton 0-0 Man City

    Brighton's Inessa Kaagman meets a wonderfully placed cross from Ellie Brazil on the right.

    The Dutch international does well to pull the ball around her body with a volley, but it spins wide of the far post.

  13. Postpublished at 34 mins

    Brighton 0-0 Man City

    What appears to be an attempted cross from Manchester City's Hayley Raso ends up looking like a neat lobbed attempt on goal from the Australian.

    It ends up on the roof of the net from a tight angle.

  14. Postpublished at 32 mins

    Brighton 0-0 Man City

    Manchester City carve out a great opportunity.

    Lauren Hemp skips in from the left before passing inside for Georgia Stanway. From the top of the D, the forward launches her shot over the bar. Good movement by the visitors.

  15. Postpublished at 31 mins

    Brighton 0-0 Man City

    Brighton boss Hope Powell checks in with Kayleigh Green as she comes off. It seems that the forward is okay to continue.

  16. Postpublished at 30 mins

    Brighton 0-0 Man City

    Both sets of players take on water and head to the sideline for a pep talk as Brighton's Kayleigh Green gets some medical attention.

    It's the second time she has gone down so far.

  17. YELLOW CARDpublished at 28 mins

    Brighton 0-0 Man City

    Danielle Carter is the first to get booked today.

    She is shown a yellow for a late challenge on Alex Greenwood. I didn't look sinister, but she timed her lunge all wrong and had studs up.

  18. Postpublished at 25 mins

    Brighton 0-0 Man City

    Manchester City clear the danger from the corner.

    Set-pieces have been a real problem for them this term.

    Eight of the 18 league goals they have conceded so far have come from dead-ball situations. Four of those have been from corners.

  19. Postpublished at 24 mins

    Brighton 0-0 Man City

    Brighton with a corner now. Danielle Carter shows great control and real power on the ball to make room to shoot. Her effort is blocked.

  20. Postpublished at 22 mins

    Brighton 0-0 Man City

    You really sense there are goals in this game. Manchester City will certainly feel they should have opened the scoring by now.

    When it comes to games involving Brighton, goals are just about a certainty.

    None of their past 20 WSL matches have ended level, with the Seagulls winning 11 and losing nine of those games.