Arsenal 2-1 Manchester City: Katie McCabe gives hosts comeback win in WSL title race

Katie McCabe scored a stunning winner as Arsenal came from behind to beat Manchester City and keep their Women's Super League title hopes alive.

Having already won the League Cup, Arsenal remain in the hunt for a treble.

City were well on top in the first half and took the lead through Khadija Shaw, who found the far corner with a fantastic header to end a flowing move in the fifth minute.

Lauren Hemp had the chance to double the lead late in the half but sliced her shot high over the bar from close range, having been left completely unmarked at the far post.

The miss proved costly as a much-improved Arsenal hit back after the break and Frida Maanum equalised in the 62nd minute after a scramble in the City box.

Both sides pushed for the winner, but with the game in the balance, it was the Gunners who struck the decisive blow as McCabe collected a short corner and rifled a fantastic finish into the far top corner.

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City pushed for an equaliser but Shaw hit their best chance over with five minutes to go as Gareth Taylor's side succumbed to their first WSL defeat in 15 games - a run stretching back to September when they lost to Chelsea.

Jonas Eidevall's side moved level on points with City - three behind leaders Manchester United - but leapfrogged the visitors into second place on goal difference as a thrilling title race took another twist.

Injury woes continue but Arsenal march on

For much of the first half, it looked as though Arsenal's midweek exertions had caught up with them.

Captain Kim Little had been added to a substantial injury list and will be out for at least "a few weeks", Eidevall confirmed before the game.

The Gunners suffered another blow when Caitlin Foord was forced off before the break.

It was a sluggish opening from the hosts and they had some unusually slack finishing from Hemp to thank for the fact they did not go in further behind.

The second half was a different story as Arsenal showed all their resilience and fight to overturn a one-goal deficit for the second time in a week - albeit this time they only needed 45 rather than 90 minutes to do so.

There might not have been the same intricate, attractive football shown by City in the first half, but Arsenal harried and hassled their visitors and forced them back.

Norwegian forward Maanum equalised just when it seemed City had kept them out.

Perhaps it was fitting that McCabe, herself an injury doubt before the game, scored the winner, hitting the shot with the same ferocity she had shown in all aspects of her play throughout the match.

Further injuries may prove too much for Arsenal to overcome but, for now, they continue to defy expectations and remain in the hunt for three trophies this season through sheer force of will.

Shaw shows class but missed chances cost City

Jamaica striker Shaw scored a superb opening goal and was central to so much of what was impressive about City in the first half.

As they dominated, the 16-goal WSL top scorer caused Arsenal endless problems with her clever movement consistently getting her into dangerous areas. When any defenders did get close, Shaw's strength enabled her to shrug them off and wriggle free.

Her link-up play kept her side moving forward and off the ball, the 26-year-old did not give the Arsenal backline a moment's peace as she led a highly effective City press.

For 45 minutes, it was a complete centre-forward's performance.

Arsenal made adjustments after the break and Shaw went from being the game's defining force to a peripheral figure, but City will feel they should have been out of sight by then.

Hemp missed the best of their chances and had another effort well saved by Arsenal keeper Sabrina D'Angelo when Shaw teed her up for another presentable opportunity.

Shaw herself saw an effort stopped by D'Angelo, who also kept out Chloe Kelly's curling shot.

Taylor may be frustrated his side did not deal better with Arsenal's second-half response but the inability to take those early chances was decisive.

Even with defeat, City remain in the title race but they let the chance to thin the field from four to three slip through their fingers.