Ella Toone made a welcome return but Manchester United's Champions League hopes were dealt a huge blow as they were held to a goalless draw at Tottenham.
Hosts Spurs dominated at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, bossing possession and raining shots on Phallon Tullis-Joyce's goal, but could not make their superiority count.
United have managed just one win in their past eight games, and this result meant they fell four points behind second-placed Chelsea with just two Women's Super League games remaining.
Although they returned to the top three, a point above Arsenal, the Gunners have three games in hand on United.
England midfielder Toone was back for this game having been absent since December with a hip problem. She came off the bench midway through the second half as United struggled.
Tottenham ended a run of four defeats with the point and remain fifth, just two points shy of their best ever WSL return.
Despite missing leading scorer Beth England, Spurs made the brighter start in sun-drenched north London and pinned the visitors back for much of the opening half with Signe Gaupset, Olivia Holdt and Maika Hamano particularly influential.
Gaupset's 20-yard effort deflected narrowly wide, the first of 22 goal attempts by Tottenham, 17 of which failed to hit the target.
Spurs' Cathinka Tandberg looped a header over, while Jess Park sliced a volley off target on a rare United foray into the Tottenham half.
Tullis-Joyce did well to punch a couple of corners clear under pressure and held Tandberg's header just before the break, when Melvine Malard was sent on by Marc Skinner and made an immediate impression as United upped the tempo.
Spurs keeper Lize Kop was called on for the first time after 55 minutes to beat away a Malard effort at her near post, while the substitute nodded wide after Jayde Riviere stood up a cross soon after.
Holdt's bouncing effort from the edge of the area was shovelled round the upright by Tullis-Joyce, and the same player had another low shot blocked in the goalmouth.
After more than four months out, Toone made her comeback after 63 minutes, but it was Tottenham rather than United who initially raised their level after her introduction.
A free-kick from Matilda Vinberg was miscued by Gaupset with the goal at her mercy before Ella Morris sent the rebound inches wide, while Tullis-Joyce diverted Vinberg's angled effort past the upright moments later and Drew Spence almost glanced the subsequent corner home.
Kop denied Park and was forced into a sprawling save from Toone's 25-yard curler as United finished strongly.
However, Spurs substitute Lenna Gunning-Williams spurned a golden chance to win it in added time, shooting tamely at Tullis-Joyce after getting in behind Le Tissier.
United's Skinner is the WSL's longest-serving current boss, and he has watched his side register one win in eight in all competitions at a crucial point of the season.
There have been defeats by Chelsea in the FA Cup fifth round and League Cup final, home and away losses in the Champions League quarter-final against Bayern Munich, a derby thumping by Manchester City and now a second domestic goalless draw in five weeks.
The only goals United have scored in their past four WSL games came in the 2-1 win over Everton on 21 March.
Whether it was rustiness in their first match for 25 days since their Champions League exit in Germany, or tired legs and minds towards the end of a long season which looks like ending on a low note, Skinner recognised his team were off the pace in the first half.
"We weren't at the speed of the game we needed to be - the pressing wasn't good enough," he said. "We need to start games more effectively than we did today."
United's European destiny is no longer in their hands.
