Vivianne Miedema's double helps Manchester City edge closer to the Women's Super League title with a comfortable derby win over neighbours United.

Emma Sanders
BBC Sport women’s football news reporter at Old Trafford

Image source, Getty Images

Vivianne Miedema's double helped Manchester City edge closer to the Women's Super League title with a comfortable derby win over neighbours United.

Andree Jeglertz's side need just two more victories to confirm their first league title in a decade and their fans left Old Trafford in a party mood. Netherlands international Miedema went off to a standing ovation in the second half with her side 3-0 up after she had scored twice in as many first-half minutes.

It was another impressive display by the champions-elect as they capitalised on a ruthless start with Miedema's headers. City were in complete control when Kerstin Casparij dealt another blow to United, following up at the back post to score their third goal within 49 minutes.

It was the second time this week United had suffered defeat at Old Trafford, having lost 3-2 to Bayern Munich in the Champions League on Wednesday. But this was even worse as City toyed with United, showing them up in their own backyard, and it was barely a contest.

Marc Skinner's side face a battle to remain in the top three - securing European football next season - and could drop to fourth on Sunday.

Ten-player Liverpool held on for their first Women's Super League away win of the season with a hard-fought victory over local rivals Everton at Goodison Park.

Jess Anderson
BBC Sport

Image source, Getty Images

Ten-player Liverpool held on for their first Women's Super League win on the road this season with a hard-fought victory over local rivals Everton at Goodison Park.

Three first-half goals had put Liverpool well on their way to a comfortable victory, but a second-half fightback from Everton left the Reds clinging on to the three points. Gareth Taylor's side took a deserved early lead after Inma Gabarro gave away a penalty when she handled the ball in the box and Ceri Holland calmly slotted down the middle from the spot.

The visitors doubled their lead on 20 minutes as persistent pressure paid off and Martina Fernandez could only head Alejandra Bernabe's cross into the back of her own net. That goal sparked Everton into life and they had opportunities of their own before Holland tore through the middle of the park then curled a sweet strike into the top corner to give Liverpool a three-goal cushion at half-time.

But Everton were much improved in the second half and received a stroke of luck when Aurora Galli's free-kick took a heavy deflection off the Liverpool wall, leaving goalkeeper Jennifer Falk stranded as it dropped into the back of the net.

That kick-started a lively final 30 minutes where Grace Fisk was shown a second yellow card for rashly tripping Zara Kramzar off the ball after the Everton midfielder had barged into her. Scott Phelan's side proceeded to pepper the Liverpool goal as Maz Pacheco went close with an audacious volley, then Kramzar clattered off the bar before setting up a tense finale when she slotted past Falk in the 91st minute.

But Liverpool clung on for their first away win in what has been a difficult season and the result distances them further from the drop with eight points now separating them from Leicester in the relegation place.

Plenty more build-up to come, but first a quick look back at what happened in yesterday's three games.

Last season's champions Chelsea still have a mathematical chance of winning the title, but would need to win every game with Manchester City losing all of theirs, Arsenal regularly dropping points and Chelsea also overturning a goal difference that is 23 worse than City's.

More realistically, Chelsea will be aiming for a top-three place to earn Champions League qualification and Arsenal's 5-2 win over Spurs bumped the Blues out of the top three.

The bottom two are among the six sides in action today.

West Ham boss Rita Guarino makes two changes from the side which lost 5-0 at Arsenal in the WSL last time out.

Riko Ueki returns to the side after helping Japan to win the Asian Cup while fellow forward Seraina Piubel is handed a first start since the opening game of the season.

Yu Endo and Katie Zelem are the players to make way with the latter ineligible to face her parent club.

West Ham XI: Szemik, Wandeler, Hansen, Nyström, Cascarino, Belloumou, Siren, Tennebø, Ueki, Piubel, Martinez

Subs: Walsh, Endo, Zadorsky, Asseyi, Brasero, Gorry, Morgan, Hanshaw, Houssein

London City Lionesses coach Eder Maestre makes four changes to the side which drew 1-1 with Chelsea last weekend as striker Isobel Goodwin is handed a place in attack.

Japan international Saki Kumagai is back from the Asian Cup to captain the side while Lucia Corrales Julia Roddar are all also recalled.

Grace Geyoro, Nikita Parris, Danielle van de Donk and Kosovare Asllani are the players to miss out.

London City XI: Lete, Fernandez, Pattinson, Corrales, Kumagai, Linari, Godfrey, Roddar, Goodwin, Sangare, Marcetto

Subs: Orman, Kardinaal, Goldie, Pérez, Asllani, Partido, Franssi, Rofiat, Kennedy

Sam Kerr is back from the Asian Cup and straight into the Chelsea team as Sonia Bompastor makes three changes to the side that started the Champions League loss at Arsenal in midweek.

Kerr's Australia team-mate Ellie Carpenter also comes in, as does Wieke Kaptein, with Sandy Baltimore, Kadeisha Buchanan and Erin Cuthbert dropping to the bench.

Niamh Charles is back in the squad after injury.

Chelsea XI: Hampton, Carpenter, Girma, Bronze, Buurman, Walsh, Nusken, Kaptein, Thompson, James, Kerr

Subs: Peng, Spencer, Buchanan, Baltimore, Charles, Potter, Cuthbert, Shooter, Sarwie

Image source, BBC/ Opta

Aston Villa are without Lucy Parker as Natalia Arroyo makes just one change to the XI that started last weekend's win at Leicester.

Oceane Deslandes replaces Parker in the backline, while Maya Hijikata is on the bench after returning from a victorious Asian Cup campaign with Japan.

Ebony Salmon was crucial to the turnaround at Leicester last week but must make do with place among the substitutes again.

Aston Villa XI: Roebuck, Wilms, Patten, Deslandes, Nighswonger, Jean-Francois, Taylor, Grant, Kendall, Maritz, Hanson

Subs: D’Angelo, Maltby, Scott, Seymour, Lea, Hijikata, Salmon

Image source, BBC/ Opta

Hello and welcome to BBC Sport's coverage of today's matches in the Women's Super League.

This is what is coming up...

• Chelsea v Aston Villa (12:00 BST)
• West Ham v London City Lionesses (12:00 BST)
• Leicester v Brighton (15:00 BST)

The Chelsea v Aston Villa game is on BBC Radio 5 Live, with Leicester v Brighton on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra 2 - and you can listen to both of those in this very page.

Last season Chelsea were invincible in the Women's Super League as they won the title without losing a game.

It has been a miserable title defence and a failure to win today would end their extremely slim chances in 2025-26.

But Sonia Bompastor's side could still secure a place in next season's Women's Champions League and a victory puts them back in the top three.

Image source, Getty Images