Chelsea retained their hold on top spot in the Women’s Super League despite being held to a 1-1 draw at Arsenal. The defending champions ended up benefiting from their closest chasers, Manchester City, suffering a shock 2-0 defeat at Reading.

Having taken the lead through Fran Kirby just past the half-hour, Chelsea were pegged back by Beth Mead’s leveller in first-half injury-time. They have become the division’s draw specialists, with the 1-1 result on Sunday a fifth sharing of the points from 13 matches played this season.

Kirby’s goal, her 20th of the season in all competitions, came after her strike partner Ramona Bachmann had seized on an error from the Arsenal goalkeeper, Sari van Veenendaal.

Mead’s goal came after concerted pressure from the home team, a period when the Chelsea goalkeeper, Hedvig Lindahl, distinguished herself with fine saves from Mead and Vivianne Miedema.

Lindahl, though, would be beaten at her near post by Mead, who had begun a powerful solo run in her own half. Chelsea pushed for all three points in the second half but Van Veenendaal made amends for that earlier error with a good save from the Chelsea substitute Erin Cuthbert. Having disposed of Montpellier in midweek to qualify for the Champions League semi-finals, Chelsea were short of their best in the London derby.

Joe Montemurro, Arsenal’s manager, was absent from the Meadow Park stands as he was back in Australia following a family bereavement. His team dropped to fourth in the table, though they have two games in hand on third-placed Birmingham, who made easy work of Sunderland in winning 2-0 with goals from Ellen White and Rachel Williams.

Manchester City’s defeat came after Remi Allen volleyed in for Reading in the first half before Kirsty Pearce headed in a 61st-minute second. Reading held on despite having Jo Potter dismissed as City exerted late pressure.

Liverpool easily beat the bottom-placed side, Yeovil, 4-0 after goals from Laura Coombs, Gemma Bonner, Ashley Hodson and Bethany England. Only goal difference separates Arsenal and fifth-placed Liverpool in the table. Yeovil, meanwhile, still cannot break their scoring duck while having conceded 38 goals.