Joe Montemurro promised there is “plenty more to come” from Lotte Wubben-Moy after the 22-year-old centre-back scored the second goal against Manchester United to calm Arsenal nerves and breathed life into their fight for a place in next season’s Champions League, despite her side playing half an hour with 10 after Beth Mead’s red card.
The win means Arsenal cut their deficit on third-placed United to three points, with the London side having played a game fewer as the pair battle it out for the new third European spot available to Women’s Super League teams. The United manager, Casey Stoney, said she was bitterly disappointed with the defeat and that the game had been won and lost in both boxes. “They were clinical in their chances, we weren’t,” said Stoney.
A player of the match performance from Wubben-Moy, who rejoined Arsenal from the University of North Carolina in the summer, marshalling the rookie defence and taking the edge off the game with a goal, would help inspire Arsenal to the win without her fellow fan Leah Williamson, a more seasoned centre-back.
Williamson’s absence was not just a concern from a defensive point of view, but also because the England international is key to the way Arsenal build from the back. “[Leah’s absence] made things difficult in terms of options but we’re proud of Lotte and what she does, and the way she represents the club,” said Montemurro. “She’s true Arsenal. But the thing I’m loving is that every training session, and every game, she’s just growing and growing and growing.”
Arsenal fielding an attacking midfield and forward line was partially enforced, but it paid off early on as an electric start was rewarded with a goal three minutes in. The Netherlands forward Jill Roord drove into the box before lashing a shot in, having taken a heavy deflection off the centre-back Millie Turner on the way.
Drawing first blood did not settle the nerves, though. United welcomed back former Arsenal youth player Lauren James and the US World Cup winner Christen Press from injury and the pair slotted into a potent front three with Ella Toone. James would be the focus of Arsenal’s attentions, an almost visible fear rippling across the pitch whenever the forward received the ball and turned towards goal.
Both sides pressed hard and high resulting in a feisty opening, and both teams tried to gather themselves too, to calm the game and settle things when in possession. “Let’s settle this down, calm down,” an exasperated Montemurro could be heard shouting across the pitch. The United captain, Katie Zelem appealed to her teammates to “help each other”; “We’ve got time,” she implored.
Frustrated with the persistent fouling from Toone on Katie McCabe, who at one stage hooked the Ireland international around the neck, and of Mead in particular, Arsenal players protested but the referee Amy Fearn, who struggled to control the game, brushed away the pleas saying: “How many have you done on James as a team? It works both ways.”
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Six women's football clubs receive survival grants
Six women's football clubs will benefit from £680,000 in funding from the latest round of Sport Winter Survival Package grants. Birmingham City Women, Blackburn Rovers Ladies, Bristol City Women, Lewes FC Women, London Bees and London City Lionesses will all receive an injection of cash to help them stay afloat, bringing the total support provided to women’s football to £2.9m. The funding will cover essential survival costs due to the lack of spectators and will allow these clubs to complete their seasons. It will also help to support the continued visibility of women’s football, as England prepares to host the Uefa Women’s Euro 2022 tournament. Suzanne Wrack
Stoney complained afterwards about the first-half treatment of James and “atrocious” refereeing. “I’m probably going to get fined anyway so I’ll tell you, if you have a 19-year-old getting fouled time and time and time again and you say you can’t do anything because it’s different players it’s poor,” she said.
Mirroring a blistering start to the game, Arsenal ramped up the intensity early on in the second half. The reward for the pressure came quickly. Vivianne Miedema won a corner on the left and, swung in by McCabe, it was headed through the arms of Earps by Wubben-Moy.
Arsenal continued to dominate, but Mead would hand United a lifeline with 30 minutes to play by scything down the substitute Jess Sigsworth, in her own half and when United looked to break, and picking up a second yellow in the process. Toone would get the ball in the back of the net for United with less than 10 minutes remaining but she was offside as Sigsworth headed on to her.
As United hopes seeped away there was a buoyancy in Arsenal’s defending that almost made up for their reduced numbers. Now they just need to maintain their record against teams outside the top four: they have not lost to such opposition since 2018.
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