• Goalkeeper’s own goal gives Chelsea late win over Arsenal • Liverpool climb to third after 8-0 victory, Manchester City stay top

A late own goal from the goalkeeper Sari van Veenendaal settled a five-goal thriller as Chelsea defeated Arsenal 3-2.

Maren Mjelde opened the scoring in the 23rd minute after Arsenal failed to clear a corner, allowing the Norwegian to turn home from close range, before a deflected Vivianne Miedema shot beyond the Chelsea goalkeeper to level the scores.

Chelsea were back ahead after 59 minutes when Ji So-Yun’s effort was adjudged by the assistant referee to have crossed the line, after making the most of great work from Fran Kirby and Ramona Bachmann.

Arsenal responded again minutes later when Dominique Janssen stabbed home a corner to make it 2-2. The Gunners failed to hold on to the point as a cross from the Chelsea debutant Jonna Andersson was turned into her own net by the experienced Van Veenendaal with just seven minutes to go.

The league leaders Manchester City secured a 5-2 win at Reading, with Nadia Nadim scoring just six minutes into her City debut. Claire Emslie doubled the lead after 32 minutes but Reading pulled one back soon after through Remi Allen and the hosts were level four minutes before the break thanks to Brooke Chaplen. City went in ahead, though, as Izzy Christiansen fired home a cross from Nikita Parris. After half‑time City controlled the game and were out of sight when Jill Scott scored twice in three minutes to make it 5-2.

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Bethany England struck four goals as Liverpool stayed in Women’s Super League title contention with an 8-0 victory against the bottom club Yeovil Town at the Select Security Stadium.

An own goal by Ann-Marie Heatherson began the rout, the Yeovil defender deflected Caroline Weir’s shot past the goalkeeper Megan Walsh. England scored twice to send Liverpool in 3-0 up at half-time. Yeovil have yet to pick up a point or score a goal in the league this season and were blown away in the second half. Weir added a fourth goal five minutes after half-time with a fine strike from the edge of the area.

That began a 10-minute spell during which the hosts scored four goals. England added her third after lifting the ball over Walsh, and then tapped home Alex Greenwood’s cross after Jess Clarke had got on the scoresheet. Laura Coombs added the eighth after 75 minutes.

“We were ruthless and the scoreline reflected that,” England told the WSL’s official website. “We’ve all been on the end of batterings but it was good for us because it gives us confidence.

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“You can’t take your foot off the pedal and you have to be ruthless, as tough as that is on the other team,” she added. “This is a great start to 2018 for us and now we’ve got to push on because it’s the games against the big teams that will count more.”Sunderland moved up to fifth with a 3-0 victory against Birmingham City, who dropped to ninth.

After a quiet first half at Mariners Park, Dutch midfielder Dominique Bruinenberg lashed the ball past Hannah Hampton to put the hosts ahead. Rachael Laws denied Birmingham an equaliser with a fine double save, before late goals from Hayley Sharp and Abbey Joice secured victory.

Bristol City climbed to seventh after beating Everton 2-1, thanks to two goals from the 17-year-old Lauren Hemp. The England youth international opened the scoring from Yana Daniels’ low cross, and added a second from the penalty spot after 65 minutes. Georgia Brougham scored a consolation for Everton, who drop to eighth place.