Matildas star Mary Fowler of Manchester City. Photo: Getty Images
Manchester City may be a club in turmoil but Mary Fowler and her teammates have helped offer the beleaguered UAE-bankrolled operation a hint of a smile as England’s Women’s Super League champions continue to roll on in dominating fashion in the WSL.
Matildas star Fowler came on as a second-half substitute and helped inject some gusto as champions City – mired in the biggest scandal English football has ever seen – went on to hammer one of their biggest rivals Arsenal 4-2 on Monday (AEDT) to stay perfect after five matches and still lead the WSL table by two points from Chelsea.
But it’s proving a tough time for Arsenal and their three Australian European champion players from 2025 as the Gunners slipped 10 points off the pace in lowly 10th position.
Lauren Hemp scored twice for City as they twice came from behind to prevail, with the real spark coming when Fowler – who was honoured pre-game for her 100 City appearances – was introduced amid a triple substitution alongside Kerstin Casparij and Iman Beney with the home side 2-1 down just after the hour mark.
Within a minute, Casparij had equalised before Hemp put them in front for the first time nine minutes later and the league’s top striker Bunny Shaw made it four with her fifth goal of the season.
It meant Arsenal, without a win since the opening day of the season, suffered a second straight defeat after losing 1-0 away to Chelsea last week.
It’s a difficult time for the Aussie international trio at Arsenal, with Kyra Cooney-Cross – who was the only Matilda to start – just returning to the team on her comeback, Steph Catley having been struggling with injury and Caitlin Foord yet to score this season while being played mainly as a substitute.
It was Foord’s foraging in the box that forced the mistake which gifted Arsenal’s second goal to Alessia Russo.
Yet the Gunners could have no complaints about slipping further adrift as, elsewhere, Chelsea, driven along by Ellie Carpenter in her more attacking vein this season, defeated West Ham 3-0.
Melvine Malard, Keira Walsh and Maika Hamano all scored for the Blues on a day when London City Lionesses, without the injured Alanna Kennedy, who will miss the Matildas’ upcoming internationals against Germany and Haiti, handed out a 6-1 thrashing to Spurs, including a double for Spanish great Alexia Putellas.
London are now third on 12 points, but Emily van Egmond could do nothing to help Charlton avoid a 5-1 hammering at Brighton as they seek in vain to eke out their first point since promotion.