Georgia Stanway couldn't stop Manchester City from suffering their first Women's Super League defeat of the season, as they went down to a 1-0 loss against champions Arsenal.

The 20-year-old Barrovian was making her first league appearance since returning from a hamstring injury, but it was a second straight defeat for Nick Cushing's side, after their Continental League Cup reverse against Manchester United the previous week.

City had won their previous four league outings, but couldn't find a response to Vivienne Miedema's first half goal for the Gunners, in what was a game of few chances at Meadow Park.

Arsenal began the game the brighter, with Lisa Evans firing a shot from the edge of the area just over the bar halfway through the first half.

Just when a mostly uneventful first 45 minutes looked set to end goalless, the deadlock was broken by the hosts when Kim Little slipped through a lovely pass for Miedema, who finished clinically past Ellie Roebuck.

City handed a debut to the joint-top scorer at this year's Women's World Cup, Ellen White, who was brought on as a substitute for Janine Beckie after 66 minutes.

However, her new team continued to huff and puff as time ran out, not just in the game, but on their time as league leaders.

Arsenal should have had a second goal late on when Jordan Nobbs dragged horribly wide after being set up by Miedema.