Soccer Football - Women's Super League - West Ham United v Chelsea - Chigwell Construction Stadium, London, Britain - March 24, 2024 Chelsea's Erin Cuthbert in action with West Ham United's Shelina Zadorsky Action Images via Reuters/John Sibley
LONDON (Reuters) -An early strike from Chelsea's Agnes Beever-Jones and a late goal from Erin Cuthbert sent the Blues back to the top of the Women's Super League table as they beat West Ham United 2-0 away on Sunday to edge ahead of Manchester City on goal difference.
City took top spot with a 3-1 win over Manchester United on Saturday to reach 43 points but Beever-Jones struck in the second minute to boost the champions in their title defence.
Chelsea did not have it all their own way as West Ham's Honoka Hayashi had a goal wrongly ruled out for offside but an 88th-minute strike from substitute Cuthbert wrapped up the win.
In Sunday's late game, third-placed Arsenal kept up their pursuit of the leaders thanks to a Victoria Pelova strike and late goals from Lotte Wubben-Moy and Stina Blackstenius as they came back from a goal down to win 3-1 away to Aston Villa.
The result leaves the Gunners on 37 points, six points behind the top two with five games of the 22-game season left to play.
Leicester City's game against Brighton & Hove Albion burst into life in the second half, with the home side taking the lead before the Seagulls eventually snatched a 3-2 win thanks to an 85th-minute goal from Elisabeth Terland.
Tottenham Hotspur striker Bethany England netted for a 1-0 win at bottom side Bristol City to become only the second woman after Arsenal's Vivianne Miedema to score 70 in the WSL. Sixth-placed Spurs have 25 points while City are languishing on six.
The Merseyside derby between Everton and Liverpool ended 0-0 to leave the visiting Reds in fourth spot on 29 points, one ahead of Manchester United.
(Reporting by Philip O'Connor; Editing by Ken Ferris and Toby Davis)
