WSL talking points: Shaw gives mixed messages over farewell but era ends for Arsenal

Shaw ‘wants to be in Manchester’

The focus was less on the performance and result and more on Khadija Shaw and her future. Manchester City had wrapped up the title after Arsenal dropped points against Brighton 10 days prior, so the game against West Ham was somewhat irrelevant. That Shaw scored two goals in City’s 4-1 win further highlighted what a huge error it would be for the club to let her go, with her contract expiring this summer. Shaw, though, gave hope to City fans so desperate for her to stay they chanted her name over and over at the club’s title party on Sunday. After the match on Saturday, she told Sky Sports: “I’ve always said Manchester is my home, it’s where I want to be, but there’s a lot of things which go on behind the scenes which I won’t talk about now. But I’ve always been proud of all the girls and everything. Manchester is where I would want to be, but ultimately we’ll see.” Suzanne Wrack

Match report: West Ham 1-4 Manchester City

Arsenal say final farewells

Securing second place and avoiding Champions League qualifiers will be small consolation for Arsenal at the end of a disappointing season. They face a summer of change, their 3-1 defeat of Liverpool a farewell game for Katie McCabe, Beth Mead, Victoria Pelova and Laia Codina. McCabe and Mead showed what the Gunners will be losing, with McCabe providing the assist for Mariona Caldentey’s goal and Mead integral to the second of Alessia Russo’s two strikes. “They are both very vocal and create energy when it is needed, they speak up when it is needed, so that is something we will miss: their energy, their presence and also their football intelligence,” said Slegers. “But football is always like that. Players leave and then there is room for new players to come in and everything changes again.” SW

Kerr says goodbye with a flourish

Sam Kerr bid farewell to Chelsea in fitting style by equalling Fran Kirby’s club goalscoring record with her 116th strike. It was the eighth WSL goal Kerr has scored against Manchester United, more than any other player has accumulated, and secured a 1-0 home victory. United, whose season has ended in poor form, remain winless against Chelsea in 13 WSL meetings and have lost every away WSL fixture against them. Marc Skinner’s team ended without a win in six games in all competitions, nine points adrift of a European place. Tom Garry

Leicester lose again before playoff

Leicester showed much-needed signs of improvement before Saturday’s relegation playoff at Charlton but will still be desperately low on confidence after losing 1-0 to a stoppage-time goal at Goodison Park. The WSL’s bottom side’s 11th consecutive league defeat was inflicted when Maz Pacheco tucked in to round off Everton’s last-gasp passing move. That was the 52nd league goal Leicester have conceded, more than any other side. They have scored only four goals so far in this calendar year, kept out on Saturday by an in-form Courtney Brosnan. TG

Record-breaking London City raise sights

London City Lionesses capped their debut WSL season with a dramatic comeback win over Aston Villa that secured a top-half finish and underlined their progress. Freya Godfrey’s stoppage-time winner completed a 2-1 turnaround after Daniëlle van de Donk cancelled out Lynn Wilms’ opener, moving London City above Brighton into sixth. Their eighth victory also set records for wins and points by a promoted WSL side. There remains work to do for Michele Kang’s ambitious project, particularly after a mid-season managerial change and concerns over their attacking capability, but the foundations are clear. Godfrey, whose winner capped a season of 10 goal involvements, embodies the club’s youthful ambition. “We’ve had a historic season,” she said. “This is just the start.” Mitul Samji

Koga signs off Spurs’ season with stunner

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