Arsenal v Chelsea LIVE: Women’s Super League result and reaction as Gunners shake up title race
Arsenal 4-1 Chelsea: Rampant Gunners put themselves in the hunt for the WSL title with a superb performance in front of record crowd at the Emirates
Arsenal striker Alessia Russo scored twice as her side hammered Women’s Super League leaders Chelsea 4-1 at the Emirates Stadium on Sunday in front of a league-record crowd of 59,042, blowing the title race wide open in the process.
Arsenal forward Beth Mead opened the scoring in the eighth minute, finishing off a dogged attack by keeping a cool head to cut back inside Niamh Charles and fire into the roof of the net with her weaker left foot.
The lead lasted all of five minutes as Chelsea winger Johanna Rytting Kaneryd netted a similar effort to Mead’s, shifting inside Steph Catley to create a bit of space and scoring with a low shot that flew in at the near post.
Rytting Kaneryd’s Sweden international team mate Amanda Ilestedt headed Arsenal back into the lead in the 36th minute, and Russo added a quick-fire third less than two minutes later as Chelsea’s defence floundered.
Blues coach Emma Hayes made a triple change at the break but it made little difference as they continued to struggle to find any fluency in attack. Any hope of a comeback was snuffed out when Ann-Katrin Berger conceded a penalty for a foul on Russo, who scored from the spot in the 74th minute.
Chelsea striker Sam Kerr had a chance to reduce the deficit deep into stoppage time but her header from Fran Kirby’s cross lacked power as Arsenal comfortably held on to win.
Follow along for all the updates plus get the latest football odds and tips right here:
Alessia Russo leads statement WSL thrashing as Arsenal tear Chelsea apart
These are the days Alessia Russo joined Arsenal for. In front of a new Women’s Super League record crowd of 59,042, the England striker’s double handed champions Chelsea their first defeat of the season and sparked the title race into life. It was a statement win for Arsenal and a momentous afternoon for Russo, following her transfer from Manchester United this summer. Perhaps now the power shift that move represented is starting to unfold, as Arsenal tore through Chelsea to race away with a crucial victory in a breathless, high-speed clash.
The Blues may still be three points ahead in the table but Arsenal, level in second with Manchester City, are coming for them. Russo’s sublime finish before half-time was the moment the Gunners began to ease clear and after a slow start to the season, Jonas Eidevall’s side have now won seven in a row. As Russo added to Amanda Ilestedt’s first-half header and Beth Mead’s composed finish, Arsenal flexed their strength and handed the champions their first league defeat since March. Russo’s late penalty to make it 4-1 also represented Chelsea’s heaviest WSL defeat since 2018.
Read Jamie Braidwood’s full-time report from the Emirates:
Alessia Russo leads statement WSL thrashing as Arsenal tear Chelsea apart
Arsenal 4-1 Chelsea: Russo scored twice in front of a record Women’s Super League crowd to hand the champions their heaviest defeat since 2018
That’s all from us here
That result sees Arsenal leapfrog Manchester City into second place and move level on points with Chelsea. Both clubs are in action in midweek as Arsenal host north London rivals Tottenham in the Conti Cup, while Chelsea take on Hacken in the Champions League.
That’s all for today’s WSL coverage, though...thanks for tuning in!
FULL-TIME: Arsenal 4-1 Chelsea
Beth Mead, Arsenal forward speaking to BBC Sport after the victory: “It was pretty amazing. What a day. What a day to be an Arsenal fan. What a day to be an Arsenal player.”
“Does it get better than that? Scoring in front of 59,000 people, against Chelsea, putting your team ahead at the time. It was pretty incredible.”
On the importance of the win: “I think, as cliche as it sounds, you take one game at a time. We knew we needed to win this game today. Football is a funny game, you never know how it’s going to go.
“I thought that overall the team were incredible today. From minute one, we were so intense and great on and off the ball. I thought that gave us that extra edge, and I scored a goal which always helps.”
On how close Arsenal are to their best: “You’ve seen a very good version of Arsenal today. That is the level we can get to and build on.
“It’s been a long time coming, we’ve been putting the work in while no one was watching, so it was nice to show that on the pitch today. Everybody on the team - from starters to finishers - were incredible.”
FULL-TIME: Arsenal 4-1 Chelsea
Emma Hayes, Chelsea manager, speaking to BBC Sport after the game: “They had four shots and three goals in the first half - they were extremely clinical and I felt like we got bullied in the duals all over the pitch. We were too deep in the first half and invited pressure.”
“They scored from their first chance which is poor form us, the second we got bullied and it was not an area for the keeper to claim it. Then a simple ball in behind and our problems created an uphill problem.
“Then we gave away a silly penalty, but fair play to Arsenal we did not compete anywhere - the whole team was poor.”
On facing Arsenal: “When you play a good team away from home everything is an uphill battle. An extremely difficult game to coach.
“I am not going to make excuses - I will speak to the players tomorrow about it. We were well and truly beaten. We have to get back to our standards because that was not our Chelsea standard and we have to control what we control.”
Elsewhere right now
It may be all over at the Emirates, but there is plenty of live action going on, especially at Kenilworth Road where Luton have taken a shock first-half lead against the reigning Premier League champions Manchester City.
To follow all the second-half updates from that game, click the link below:
Luton vs Man City LIVE: Latest Premier League updates
Manchester City need to win to keep up the pace in a hotly contested title race
FULL-TIME: Arsenal 4-1 Chelsea
Russo was deservedly today’s player of the match. Here’s a look at her second goal from the spot:
FULL-TIME: Arsenal 4-1 Chelsea
Alessia Russo, today’s player of the match, speaking to BBC Two after the game: “I don’t think Sundays get much better than that. A great day - we started the game really well and knew we wanted to come out positively and the crowd got behind us from minute one. We worked hard in the week and we were ready for it.”
On the importance of this win: “Every game is a must-win game. We had a tough start to this season but we know where we want to go as a team and the league is so competitive that you can’t take one game off, especially against a team like Chelsea. It was a massive game and we knew we had to be on our A game.”
FULL-TIME: Arsenal 4-1 Chelsea
Jonas Eidevall, Arsenal manager, speaking to BBC Two after the game: “I think it was a really strong performance, especially in the first half where I think we killed the game. This is the best we have played so far this season and we’ve shown the potential that we have. We haven’t really played at that level yet so it was really pleasing to see.
On the return of Mead and other key players: “It’s coming step by step. She came on late against Aston Villa for ten minutes but she still had an impact. Now she can start games and we can see the old Beth Mead where she counter presses and is great in her one-versus-one ability. It’s a joy to see her back.
“Leah Williamson is progressing really well so she has started to come into the lighter parts of team training so it’s good. We are in a good place right now and only getting more momentum with players coming back.”
On the importance of the win: “It’s great that e won today and I’m really proud of the performance but let’s not get carried away with it. It doesn’t get for anything if we don’t win on Saturday against Tottenham.”
FULL-TIME: Arsenal 4-1 Chelsea
The perfect afternoon for the Arsenal fans in attendance...
FULL-TIME: Arsenal 4-1 Chelsea
Jonas Eidevall gathers his team into a huddle in the middle of the pitch. It looked like an impassioned speech from the Swede who must be buzzing with his side’s performance.
The look on Emma Hayes’s face, meanwhile, tells a very different story. Her Chelsea side were second-best for almost the entirety of that game.
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