Mary Fowler helped Manchester City take the lead with an assist for Bunny Shaw. ( Getty Images: Lewis Storey )
Manchester City was held to a 1-1 draw in the derby by Manchester United.
Ellie Carpenter played the full 90 minutes as Chelsea came from a goal down to beat Crystal Palace 3-1.
Emily van Egmond's Charlton remains pointless after a 1-0 defeat at Birmingham City.
Manchester United striker Elisabeth Terland scored a late equaliser to knock visitors Manchester City off top spot in the Women's Super League table on Sunday evening as a hotly contested derby finished 1-1 at the Leigh Sports Ground.
Matildas star Mary Fowler slid the ball to Bunny Shaw to open the scoring for the champions in the 66th minute.
Making her 100th WSL appearance, Shaw brushed off the challenge of Dominique Janssen and powered a shot into the far corner to break the deadlock and silence the home fans, who booed and heckled her throughout.
However, Norway international Terland was on hand to blast the ball into the net to grab a point for her side in the 89th minute of the game.
It was the first time that City has dropped points this season, allowing Ellie Carpenter's Chelsea to go top on goal difference after it came back from a goal down to beat Crystal Palace 3-1 earlier in the day.
Ellie Carpenter had to battle hard for Chelsea. ( Getty Images: WSL/Tom Dulat )
Chelsea and City both have 19 points, with London City Lionesses third on 16 and Manchester United fourth on 11.
On Merseyside, Liverpool's Jana Fernandez Velasco struck deep into stoppage time to snatch a 2-2 draw at home to London City.
Aston Villa raced out to a 3-0 lead over Everton by the 50th minute with Amalie Vangsgaard scoring twice, but the home side scored twice late on to ensure a nervous finish as Villa held on for a 3-2 win.
Charlton Athletic's miserable run continued as it slumped to its seventh straight defeat.
Substitute Wilma Leidhammar scored the only goal of the game for Birmingham City in the 68th minute to leave Charlton, who counts Matildas veteran Emily van Egmond among its ranks, still firmly rooted to the bottom of the table and searching for its first point of the season.
