Arsenal have a corner but Daphne van Domselaar reads it well and punches clear.

Frida Maanum crosss the rebound but the Villa keeper catches.

Laura Blindkilde Brown tries to ignite a counter-attack for Aston Villa as she plays the ball to Rachel Daly, but the duo don't move quickly enough and the hosts manage to close them down.

Noelle Maritz tries to send a ball over the top of the Aston Vilal defence but Rachel Corsie is composed and chests it down for goalkeeper Daphne van Domselaar to collect.

Arsenal can't find their break.

Arsenal

Arsenal and England defender Leah Williamson speaking on BBC One: "The games are back-to-back so it’s not like they are months in between and everyone is missing it. They [the fans] are coming back again and again [54,115 attended v Liverpool] and it shows the sustainability is growing and we are on our way."

On her fitness: "I am running, kicking the ball like I used to and not feeling any different so that is good. The lungs need a little bit of time to catch up though."

On visiting the Za’atari refugee camp in Jordan in the summer and speaking at the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals summit: “It was important to me. It was an initiative set up by the club and basically we went to try and change lives, focussing on trying to give them some independence and something to focus on. They don’t have homes and Arsenal have always had that family feel. I did some football sessions. I don’t want to look back on these nine months and think I have not done things I wanted to do for a long time.

“It (speaking at the UN) was an opportunity to speak on gender equality and the things I believe in and I am just trying to use my platform to try and give people who don’t have a voice, a voice. I’m blessed so I need to do as much as I can for other people.

On her OBE: "I’m glad and I really appreciated it by the time it came round. It was a nice day out and a nice moment to reflect on where I have come from but there is still so much more to do. My trousers split so I received the OBE not in my best form but nobody knew about it.”

On Arsenal’s slow start: “We’ve been lucky and had good starts the last couple of years. There’s not much time in the schedule. It’s ridiculous. I think the girls had about eight sessions before the first game and you expect a team to be able to gel. But we are just not at our level, we are chasing a better level but results wise sometimes it’s not with.”

Kim Little went down after a crunching tackle with Sarah Mayling but is back to her feet.

Image source, PA Media

Caitlin Foord is on the box and tries to find an opening but there are no teammates free.

Eventually a cross is played to the feet of Alessia Russo as an Aston Villa defender mistimes a clearance but Russo is closed down by Simone Magill.

Rachel Brown-Finnis
Ex-England goalkeeper on BBC One

In that passage of play there Lia Walti was forced to have a shot in the end because she didn't have any options.

She took one touch, looked up, no options. Another touch, and the same again.

Arsenal have really struggled to break down Villa in those central areas in particular. No movement in behind or around those small spaces.

Image source, Getty Images

It looks like Arsenal are readying a change with Victoria Pelova being shown her instructions on the touchline.

Simone Magill cuts inside out on the wing and whips the ball towards Rachel Daly but the Villa striker can't send a clean header towards goal.

Villa are doing well to keep Arsenal at bay so far. They're composed in defence and trying to work the ball up the pitch.

Rachel Brown-Finnis
Ex-England goalkeeper on BBC One

It will be interesting to see how much Villa push on in this second half, whether they try and take it a bit more to Arsenal.

I'm sure they won't want to be solidly defending for 45 minutes.

They will of course be happy with the job they have done so far.

Image source, PA Media

Villa captain Rachel Corsie gets back to her feet and will continue.

Rachel Corsie takes the full force of an Alessia Russo volley to her head and is down receiving treatment.

Frida Maanum sends her free-kick towards the box but it's cleared by the Villa defence.

Arsenal are building into the second half and trying to ramp up to the level of pressure with which they ended the first half.

They're got a free-kick in a potentially dangerous area.

Anita Asante
Former England defender on BBC One

Arsenal have enough quality in this squad to get back in this game.

It is now about belief and mentality for the home side. But they absolutely have enough about them to do so.

Play recommences at Emirates Stadium.

Arsenal created nine shots in the first half - but only one of those hit the target.

Will they find their clinical edge after the break?

Gilly Flaherty
Former England defender on BBC One

It's a hugely improved performance. I think last week against Liverpool, Villa showed them too much respect.

They're a lot more defensively astute today and it is showing in that first half performance.

It's all over at Joie Stadium.

A flying first half from Man City in which Jill Roord and Khadija Shaw bagged braces, and Laia Aleixandri opened her account for the season from a set piece, saw them all but wrap up the points before half time.

Only a superb stop from Bristol keeper Kaylan Marckese could deny Shaw another City hat-trick in the final moments of the match.

Her performance was perhaps the only bright spark for the visitors on a miserable afternoon, offering several strong stops to reduce the scoreline where possible.

The Robins have endured a torrid return to the top flight so far, with three defeats from three games.

Image source, Getty Images