Everton climbed off the bottom of the Women’s Super League table courtesy of a controversial penalty in their slender 1-0 victory over rivals Liverpool.
It was the first win of Brian Sorensen’s side’s injury-hit league campaign and came much to the frustration of their Merseyside neighbours, who could scarcely believe their eyes when the hosts were awarded a first-half spot-kick for a foul on the Japan midfielder Honoka Hayashi that replays showed had taken place outside of the box. Katja Snoeijs converted the penalty in the 41st minute.
Liverpool’s exasperation was only added to in the second half when they were not awarded a penalty of their own when they felt Sara Holmgaard had pushed the Wales international Ceri Holland in the box. Their manager Matt Beard could be seen slamming his arms against his body in disbelief.
Aston Villa picked up their first league win thanks to a 94th-minute goal from the England striker Ebony Salmon in a five-goal thriller against Crystal Palace at Villa Park.
Salmon fired into the top corner to give the Aston Villa manager, Robert de Pauw, his first WSL win at the eighth time of asking, shortly after Annabel Blanchard appeared to have earned Crystal Palace a point. The promoted visitors slipped to the foot of the table on goal difference but the bottom six are separated by only two points.
Leicester, now 10th, are out of the relegation zone on goal difference after they lost 2-0 at home to Manchester United. The Norway internationals Elisabeth Terland and Celin Bizet scored as Marc Skinner's team continued their unbeaten start before their game in hand at the leaders, Chelsea, next Sunday.
But United were dealt a blow the England midfielder Ella Toone sustaining a calf injury in training on Saturday: "She [Toone] was running and felt something in her calf," Skinner said. "She will miss the next two games – Everton [League Cup] and Chelsea and then we will see what the extent of the injury is after that. We are hopeful she will be available for England – we don’t know the extent yet." Tom Garry
Earlier in the second period, the visitors’ Fuka Nagano was denied by a remarkably-good double save from goalkeeper Courtney Brosnan, as the team in blue claimed the bragging rights in the final WSL Merseyside derby to be staged at Goodison Park. Aside from any cup meetings later in this campaign, the two sides will not meet again on this ground, which holds huge historical importance in women’s football after playing host to one of the most iconic women’s matches in history on Boxing Day 1920, when the trailblazing Dick, Kerr’s Ladies beat St Helens in front of a sold-out crowd.
Beard’s team applied significant late pressure but were unable to find a leveller and they suffered their third defeat from their opening eight WSL games of the season, but they remain sixth. They created a glorious chance to equalise, deep into second-half stoppage time, but Gemma Bonner fired straight at Brosnan. Liverpool remain without an away victory over Everton since September 2017.
It was the third season in a row in which Everton’s first league win of the campaign had come against Liverpool, but the previous two had come at Anfield, and the joy for the hosts was clear for all to see as they celebrated at full-time.
