Aston Villa 0-0 Manchester City: WSL leaders held after sloppy display after international break

Manchester City’s march to the Women’s Super League title was slowed as they were held to a goalless draw by Aston Villa.

The result extends City’s lead at the top to nine points, having played a game more than nearest challengers Manchester United and Chelsea, but it was a sloppy display from Andree Jeglertz’s side at Villa Park.

Villa were much the better side in the first half with City goalkeeper Khiara Keating forced to make a number of smart saves to keep the scores level.

Keating, starting a league game for just the third time this season, was grateful when Chasity Grant’s shot beat her but came back off the post.

The visitors improved after the break and largely kept Natalia Arroyo’s home side penned inside their own half.

However, the usual incisiveness from City around the box was still sorely lacking, with far too many loose passes and heavy touches in the first league game for a month for both sides.

Centre-back Rebecca Knaak had City’s best chance with a back-post header from a corner that was kept out by Villa keeper Ellie Roebuck, and another Alex Greenwood corner was going straight in before Grant chested it off the line.

The league leaders were perhaps also unfortunate not to be awarded a penalty after Lucy Parker kicked the boot of Khadija Shaw and then bundled over Laura Blindkilde Brown after being dispossessed on the corner of her own penalty area.

Pressure grew late on with Vivianne Miedema heading just over the bar, but City had to settle for a point – not what they came for, but a small step closer to a first league title since 2016.

For Villa, a spirited display halted their run of five straight losses in all competitions.