Women's Football Weekly: VAR in Crisis as Arsenal and Aston Villa Stun Manchester United
A dramatic weekend of Women's Super League action left fans stunned, with several high-profile matches marred by controversy. The topic that dominated the discussion on this week's podcast was VAR - or rather, the lack thereof.
Arsenal's 1-1 draw with Chelsea saw yet another disallowed goal and a missed penalty prompt calls for more support for referees in the league. While some argued that VAR-lite or semi-automated offside could be introduced to alleviate the issue, others were adamant that the current system was still far from perfect.
But it wasn't all doom and gloom. Manchester United suffered their first defeat of the season at the hands of a resurgent Aston Villa, while Manchester City capitalized on the win to take top spot in the league table. However, it seemed like United manager Erik ten Hag's patience with VAR was wearing thin.
Meanwhile, London City and Spurs produced an epic six-goal thriller that left fans on the edge of their seats. For West Ham and Liverpool, late heartbreak was the order of the day. And as for Manchester City's new signing Marva, her debut was cut short when she suffered a hair-raising injury - but we're told it won't be long before she gets to trim her locks.
On the international stage, North Korea continued their dominance in women's youth football, winning the U17 World Cup. In the US, Kansas City Current failed to translate their league form into success in the playoffs. And finally, a quick look ahead to the Champions League, where Mary Earps is set to make her Old Trafford debut for Manchester United - a milestone moment that fans can't wait to see.
The Guardian's Women's Football Weekly has been named as one of the top women's football media outlets of 2025. Cast your vote by signing up for our newsletter or searching 'Moving the Goalposts sign up' on your favourite search engine.
As always, support the Guardian by clicking on the link below.
A dramatic weekend of Women's Super League action left fans stunned, with several high-profile matches marred by controversy. The topic that dominated the discussion on this week's podcast was VAR - or rather, the lack thereof.
Arsenal's 1-1 draw with Chelsea saw yet another disallowed goal and a missed penalty prompt calls for more support for referees in the league. While some argued that VAR-lite or semi-automated offside could be introduced to alleviate the issue, others were adamant that the current system was still far from perfect.
But it wasn't all doom and gloom. Manchester United suffered their first defeat of the season at the hands of a resurgent Aston Villa, while Manchester City capitalized on the win to take top spot in the league table. However, it seemed like United manager Erik ten Hag's patience with VAR was wearing thin.
Meanwhile, London City and Spurs produced an epic six-goal thriller that left fans on the edge of their seats. For West Ham and Liverpool, late heartbreak was the order of the day. And as for Manchester City's new signing Marva, her debut was cut short when she suffered a hair-raising injury - but we're told it won't be long before she gets to trim her locks.
On the international stage, North Korea continued their dominance in women's youth football, winning the U17 World Cup. In the US, Kansas City Current failed to translate their league form into success in the playoffs. And finally, a quick look ahead to the Champions League, where Mary Earps is set to make her Old Trafford debut for Manchester United - a milestone moment that fans can't wait to see.
The Guardian's Women's Football Weekly has been named as one of the top women's football media outlets of 2025. Cast your vote by signing up for our newsletter or searching 'Moving the Goalposts sign up' on your favourite search engine.
As always, support the Guardian by clicking on the link below.
I'm literally living for this Women's Super League right now!!! 
Arsenal and Aston Villa absolutely SLAYING Manchester United, girl power is REAL 
The drama with VAR though, gotta feel for Erik ten Hag 
but still got my eyes on those ladies out there giving it their all 
. I think they should just try out that semi-automated offside thingy already! It can't be that hard, right? 
And meanwhile, Mary Earps getting her Old Trafford debut is giving me LIFE 
. A girl boss moment that's all about empowerment and football 
the refs are having a meltdown 
but let's be real, it's not just the tech that's the issue, it's the humans 
making the calls 
but at the same time, you cant blame em, mistakes happen. maybe they should just give the ref a few more seconds to make sure? idk, sounds like it's a bit of a catch 22 to me 
I feel you, guys! VAR in the Women's Super League is such a stressful topic right now 
But at the same time, I get that it's not easy to sort out. Refs need support, too 
. Maybe they're having a tough weekend too? 
!
It's all about who you know and not about what's right. I mean, think about it, a team gets screwed over by a bad call, but the other team just shrugs it off and keeps on playing? No accountability at all! 
.
... like, I know they're trying to help and all that but it's just so frustrating when you're watching a match and you see a goal get disallowed or something because of a tiny little movement 
. But at the same time, I can understand why refs might need a little extra help - those girls are flying down the pitch at like 20mph! 
Can't wait to see how Manchester United recovers from this loss... but honestly, I'm loving the drama 
. The Guardian is killing it with their Women's Football Weekly podcast - gotta catch up on all the tea 
!