Super League: Manchester City 'manhandle' Arsenal

You're confused. Didn't City play Chelsea and Arsenal West Brom over the weekend? Also, Super League? The problem is you don't treat women equal to men.



The fact I'm writing this article is a problem, too. Football is football. Yet, the glass ceiling and gender divide are all too present. Curious, I sat down to watch an entire women's match to test my preconceptions regarding the game.



Full disclosure: I've watched women's football before, just never as astutely as men's.



First thing to notice is it's impossible to escape the double standard. Women is the operative word in the term. Meanwhile, men's football only exists in the Olympics. Everywhere else, it's simply football. We do not define men's football by gender rules. Nobody refers to men as the gender participating in the Premier League or any other. You might comment on how the lads did. That is about connectivity, however, between you and the team. It's not meant to clear up any misunderstanding.



So, let's try again. I sat down to watch a football match. It did not feature any male athletes.

The Women's Super League is the top level for female footballers in England. While the US dominates the female game, its fanbase supports women's leagues even less than Major League Soccer. More than one has folded. Meanwhile, the Lioness' success in the Euros is drawing interest to the Super League.



The general consensus when you invite anyone to watch women's football with you is that it is too slow to watch. In the opening half hour between City and Arsenal, it was hard to disagree. The game wasn't played at any great rush. It wasn't slow because they were women, however. It was no different to a typical Serie A or La Liga clash. The two sides were feeling each other out. If you pitted Watford against West Brom, it would probably begin in a similar fashion.



One thing that isn't different from the men's game is questionable, inconsistent officiating. In the first half, City's Nikita Parris went all WWE on Arsenal's Lisa Evans. Parris' high foot in pursuit of a 50-50 ball caught the Scot just below the eye.

It was almost identical to the Sadio Mane/Ederson collision a few weeks ago. That play resulted in a red card for the Senegalese international. Rules are rules. High foot, whether intentional or not, you're off. Parris, wasn't asked to take the long walk. She wasn't even given a yellow.



While Evans was in a better state than Ederson, the game's law was broken in the same manner. The game's first real debate broke out. In real life, the sentence is the same whether a man or woman steals a car or robs a bank. What did Parris have to do be sent off? Put her in a submission hold? Decapitate her? Who does she think she is? Nigel de Jong? At this point, we realised we were discussing the game no differently than a Premier League match. Than a men's match. Wow. Progress.



The game came to life just before the half. Jane Ross broke the deadlock in the game to put City ahead. What happened next, however, demonstrating the WSL's potential. Two more goals arrived in added time through end-to-end action most men's coaches attempt to avoid. We've all watched enough nil-nil draws and know how boring they can be. This match went into the interval with Manchester City 2-1 up; altogether very exciting.



After the break, the game picked up where it left off, with the same level of appealing football. Heather O'Reilly, the American summer signing for Arsenal put the Gunners back on level terms two minutes after the restart. Yet, the day belonged to the hosts who put three goals away between the 70th and 79th minutes, to wrap up the points. The match ended 5-2 for Manchester City, the Sky Blues featuring five different scorers, including 18-year-old Georgia Stanway's first of the season.

For a television spectator, the only major snag is poor attendance at the ground. It's less appealing to watch any match with empty seats in the background or hearing supporters in full voice throughout. Both the WSL and the FA need to stimulate attendance. This particular game was held at City Group's Academy Stadium. The ground can accommodate 7,000 and was by no means full.



Those who found other things to occupy their time missed a cracking game of football. Any Premier League fan who tuned in would have seen everything they love about their own competition: lots of goals, controversy and an emergent English superstar.



Maybe men are slightly faster and stronger than women on average. The difference is nowhere near as stark as misguided preconceptions, however. With men playing, a game such as this would have dominated Match of the Day and every other television, internet and print media. The only thing keeping women's football from the spotlight is ridiculous prejudice. I'm not sure how to tear down that prejudice other than to tell you what you're missing.