Stina Blackstenius was the saviour as Arsenal came from a goal down with 10 players to secure a vital point against Manchester United in the WSL title race. They could have had all three but familiar failings in defence denied them the chance to really put some distance between themselves and their closest challengers, Chelsea.
The Gunners were missing two first-choice defenders in Leah Williamson and Lotte Wubben-Moy, with Jen Beattie and Steph Catley replacing them in a rigid back four. Both found it difficult to stifle United’s interchangeable front three, and it seemed as if the United manager Marc Skinner had planned it that way, with his team set up in a 4-3-2-1. There was an obvious target in all this: Katie McCabe, who was facing Alessia Russo on the left flank.
