Manchester City produced an incredible comeback to beat Arsenal 4-2 at the Etihad Stadium on Sunday, coming from behind twice to claim all three points in a thrilling Women’s Super League encounter.
The result gives City another huge boost in their title defence, whilst increasing the pressure on Arsenal manager Renée Slegers. With just five matches played, the Gunners now find themselves 10 points behind the defending champions.
It was a game that had everything, with both sides fighting for control before City showed their character and quality to turn the match around.
Arsenal Twice Take the Lead
The afternoon at the Etihad started relatively quietly, with both teams looking to settle into the game. City created opportunities but struggled to make the most of them, with Arsenal also looking dangerous going forward.
The home side thought they had taken the lead just after the half-hour mark when Anneke Borbe spilled the ball under pressure from Khadija Shaw; however, the goal was ruled out for a foul.
Arsenal made the breakthrough just before half-time. Lisa Baum found the back of the net after getting on the end of a knockdown from Lotte Wubben-Moy, putting the visitors 1-0 ahead.
City responded almost immediately. Lauren Hemp brought the home side level in first-half stoppage time, with her effort taking a deflection off Emily Fox before finding the net.
It was an important goal for the team in sky blue going into the break, but there was still plenty of work to do.
Arsenal came out looking to regain their advantage after the restart and did exactly that.
Alessia Russo produced a superb curling finish to put the Gunners ahead, leaving their defending champions with another challenge to overcome.
City continued to push forward, but Arsenal were making life difficult for the home side.
Andrée Jeglertz turned to his substitutes just after the hour mark, bringing on Kerstin Casparij, Iman Beney and Mary Fowler to give some fresh energy, with the changes making an immediate difference.
Casparij, who had only just come onto the pitch, produced a brilliant finish, curling the ball into the net from just inside the area to pull her team level for the second time.
It was another example of how important substitutions can be in changing the direction of a game.
Hemp and Shaw Complete Comeback
City were growing in confidence, and the momentum was beginning to shift towards the home side.
Hemp was once again involved in the action, scoring her second goal of the afternoon. Yui Hasegawa delivered an excellent cross into the area, with Hemp arriving at the far post to guide the ball past Borbe and give City the lead for the first time in the afternoon.
The Etihad had plenty to celebrate, but the home side were not finished yet.
Arsenal desperately tried to find another equaliser, pushing players forward as they searched for a way back into the gam;e however, that also left spaces for City to exploit.
Shaw made sure of the result, turning away from Leah Williamson before firing into the bottom corner to make it 4-2.
It was a brilliant finish from the Jamaican international and the perfect way to round off an entertaining afternoon for the home supporters.
Familiar Faces
Although Manchester City and Arsenal are two of the biggest rivals in the Women’s Super League, there are several familiar faces who have represented both clubs.
One of the biggest connections is Beth Mead, who joined City from the Gunners ahead of the 2026/27 season. The England international spent nine years in North London, winning several major trophies before starting a new chapter in Manchester.
Georgia Stanway is another familiar name. She spent seven seasons in sky blue, making 186 appearances and scoring 67 goals. After leaving City in 2022, she moved to Bayern Munich, where she enjoyed four successful seasons before returning to England to join Arsenal in 2026.
Chloe Kelly also has connections to both clubs. She began her senior career in London before moving to Everton and then City in 2020. After five years in Manchester, including a loan spell back at Arsenal in 2025, she made her move to North London permanent.
Vivianne Miedema is another important connection between the sides. The Netherlands international spent seven seasons in red before leaving in 2024. During her time at Arsenal, she established herself as one of the most prolific goalscorers in the WSL.
Laura Wienroither completes the list. The Austrian defender joined the Gunners in January 2022 before moving to City on loan in January 2025. Following that loan spell, she signed permanently for the Citizens in the summer of 2025.
It is interesting to see how many players have worn both shirts, with some having experienced success at both clubs. These connections add another layer to a rivalry that continues to be one of the biggest fixtures in the women’s game.
What The Result Means
The victory means City maintain their perfect start to the Women’s Super League season, taking 15 points from their opening five matches.
Chelsea remain their closest challengers on 13 points, with London City Lionesses sitting third on 12.
For Arsenal, however, it is another difficult result. They have just five points from their opening five league fixtures and sit 10 points behind the defending champions in the table.
With the international break now approaching, the Gunners will have time to reflect on what went wrong, whilst their opposition can take plenty of confidence from another impressive comeback.
For City, it was not just about the three points. It was about showing the character to keep fighting when things were not going their way.
Coming from behind twice against one of their biggest rivals and still managing to score four goals says plenty about the mentality within Jeglertz’s squad.
With Hemp scoring twice, Casparij making an immediate impact off the bench, and Shaw adding the finishing touch, City showed exactly why they remain one of the teams to beat this season, and to top it all off, they chose my birthday to serve up a 4-2 comeback win!
Safe to say, three points, four goals, and a birthday win made for a pretty perfect day!
