Arsenal passed up the chance to go top of the Women’s Super League table as they fell to a late equaliser to draw 1-1 with Aston Villa at the Emirates Stadium on Saturday afternoon. Frida Maanum scored her third league goal of 2025-26 as the Gunners looked destined to climb to the summit, but substitute Lucy Parker netted late on to secure a deserved point for the visitors.
Villa boss Natalia Arroyo predicted Arsenal would carry “revenge vibes” into the affair following the 5-2 victory over Renee Slegers' side last season, and that looked to be the case when the hosts took the lead after just 10 minutes through Maanum. As Villa looked to build from the back, Missy Bo Kearns was quickly closed down by Mariona Caldentey, with the ball finding its way through to Maanum who showed great composure to stroke home from close range.
However Villa, so often a tough nut to crack on the road, started to look after the ball better and they came close to an equaliser when Lynn Wilms forced Daphne van Domselaar into a good save from a free kick. Arroyo’s side continued to huff and puff but captain Rachel Daly – making her 100th WSL appearance – was starved of service up top. Arsenal then started to grow back into things, with driven crosses from first Olivia Smith and then Katie McCabe forcing the Villa defence into action. And the European champions really should have gone 2-0 up when Beth Mead set up Maanum at the back post, but the midfielder failed to stab the ball home with the goal at her mercy.
In a second half which started with Arsenal duo Smith and Steph Catley suffering knocks they were able to shake off, Villa almost scored when Chasity Grant latched onto substitute Kirsty Hanson’s cross but her effort trickled just past the post. The visitors continued to press forward and Hanson soon went close with a long-range strike from distance. With the game on a knife edge, the newly-crowned Women’s Club of the Year responded as Mead set up Emily Fox but the defender’s shot was well blocked by Villa’s Wilms. McCabe then forced goalkeeper Sabrina D’Angelo into a good save with a powerful drive before Villa forced one last chance, with defender Parker finding the back of the net from a deep corner to break Arsenal hearts late on.
GOAL rates Arsenal's players from the Emirates Stadium…
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Daphne van Domselaar (5/10):
Made two good saves from Wilms free-kicks but her distribution was rather shaky.
Emily Fox (6/10):
Collected an early yellow card for a rough challenge on Ebony Salmon, but otherwise she was superb on the ball.
Katie Reid (7/10):
Showed a great turn of pace on a number of occasions to shepherd the ball back to Van Domselaar.
Steph Catley (5/10):
She closed down Salmon really well for the most part, giving the Villa forward no room to breathe. The Australia international struggled after the break, though.
Katie McCabe (6/10):
Drove forward when she could but her crosses were well snuffed out by the Villa defence. The left-back also made a few important blocks to prevent Villa counter-attacks.
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Kim Little (8/10):
An excellent midfield performance from the skipper, whose reading of the game was terrific.
Mariona Caldentey (7/10):
Played a key role in Arsenal's opener by winning possession from Villa's Bo Kearns.
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Olivia Smith (5/10):
Defended dutifully up against the young Villa full-back Rachel Maltby, and she was tidy in possession too.
Frida Maanum (8/10):
Often dropping deep to link the midfield to the attack, Maanum was then calmness personified as she coolly slotted past Villa goalkeeper D'Angelo.
Beth Mead (7/10):
Unlucky not to register a fourth assist for the WSL season after she set Maanum up with a lovely header, but the Norway international failed to divert the ball home.
Alessia Russo (7/10):
Brilliant as always at peeling away from her markers, whether she was dropping deep or working the channels. The striker was unable to test D'Angelo often enough, though.
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Lotte Wubben-Moy (N/A):
She was introduced too late into the affair to make her mark.
Taylor Hinds (N/A):
She didn't have enough time to make an impact from the bench.
Victoria Pelova (6/10):
Brought on for Maanum in the second half and she put herself about, bringing her team-mates into play as they searched for a second.
Caitlin Foord (6/10):
Replacing Smith just after the hour mark, she had the chance to test D'Angelo from a Caldentey cross but she couldn't sort her feet out.
Chloe Kelly (N/A):
A late substitute, she didn't earn enough minutes to star.
Renee Slegers (6/10):
Brought Maanum and Mead into her starting XI and both calls were successful, with the former producing a first-rate performance in particular. However Villa's substitutions were better and that ultimately cost Arsenal all three points.