Mary Fowler scores twice for Manchester City
Thirteen minutes later, she made it 2-0 – and with a centre-forward’s goal that Shaw would have been proud of, ghosting in ahead of her marker and expertly sliding home Lauren Hemp’s cross from the right.
With City relaxing after her two strikes, they scored two more, one courtesy of Amy Rodgers’ awful own goal and an Alex Greenwood header with the final touch of the match.
Arsenal celebrate their win over Tottenham.Credit: AP
In the English Premier League, Arsenal held on to beat north London rivals Tottenham Hotspur 3-2 away and move four points clear at the top after an emphatic first-half display and a nervous second period in an electric derby atmosphere on Sunday.
The win at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium ensured Mikel Arteta’s team remained at the top of the standings, ahead of defending champion Manchester City, who won 2-0 at Nottingham Forest later in the day.
But Arsenal had to endure a nervous finish despite powering to 3-0 lead in a London derby that was supposed to be one of their biggest tests in the title chase.
“The last 20 minutes wasn’t nice, but it was worth it,” Arsenal forward Bukayo Saka said. “We know it is a big derby and they don’t want to lose 3-0 at home. Momentum shifted their way, but I am proud of the boys – we managed to get the three points.”
An own goal by Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg and efforts from Saka and Kai Havertz put the Gunners in control at half-time and although Spurs fought back through Cristian Romero’s strike and a Son Heung-min penalty, the visitors claimed the three points.
But in the face of a potential rout, Tottenham responded in the second half through Cristian Romero and a penalty from Son Heung-min in the 87th minute.
Under pressure, Arsenal held on and remain one point clear at the top, having played a game more than City.
Tottenham’s defeat hit their hopes of playing Champions League football next season as they stand seven points off fourth-placed Aston Villa, albeit with two games in hand.
Tottenham manager Ange Postecoglou was left to rue the mistakes that have dogged his side all season.
Tottenham manager Ange Postecoglou was left to rue the same mistakes that have dogged his side all season.Credit: AP
“They’re [Arsenal] a team that deals with the details well and we aren’t,” the Australian said.
The advantage in the title race is still with City, who will clinch a fourth-straight title if they win their remaining games. They responded to Arsenal’s win with a victory of their own at relegation-fighting Forest.
They were always favourite to beat a Forest team fighting for survival but, without Phil Foden, who was ill, and Erling Haaland on the bench, coach Pep Guardiola was missing two of his big match winners in the starting 11.
An injury to goalkeeper Ederson also forced City into a change at half-time.
Manchester City’s Julian Alvarez dribbles the ball past Nottingham Forest’s Willy Boly.Credit: AP
But Guardiola’s team looks in unstoppable form and a 2-0 win extended an unbeaten record in the league to 19 games, dating back to a 1-0 loss to Aston Villa at the start of December.
Haaland stepped off the bench to score the goal that effectively killed off Forest’s challenge after Josko Gvardiol had headed City in front in the first half.
Among those in the crowd to watch were his father, Alf-Inge, and rock star Noel Gallagher. The goal saw Haaland move clear of Cole Palmer as the league’s top scorer with 21 goals.
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“It’s an important win, it does not matter how we do it, and it is good to be back,” Haaland said. “We knew it was going to be a fight, and the pitch was not the easiest to play on but we cannot complain, it is about winning and that is exactly what we did.”
Without a win in their first nine league games this season, Bournemouth are now in the top half of the table after setting their own Premier League points record.
A 3-0 win against Brighton moved Andoni Iraola’s team up to 10th on 48 points. Bournemouth’s previous best in the top flight was 46 points in the 2016-17 season under former manager Eddie Howe.
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