Arsenal Women 4-1 Chelsea Women: Hosts run riot at the Emirates as goals from Beth Mead, Amanda Ilestedt and Alessia Russo see London rivals go joint-top of the WSL

If Emma Hayes is to end her time at Chelsea with a fifth straight Women’s Super League trophy, Arsenal have decided they are not going to make it easy. 

Jonas Eidevall had said wanted to make Hayes’ last year in the job as ‘difficult and unpleasant as possible’. In their first title showdown of the season, it was certainly that for the Chelsea boss.

Her side were out-played and out-fought as Arsenal inflicted a worst league defeat in five years in front of a record 59,042 crowd at the Emirates. Chelsea looked lost in defence without captain Millie Bright but were no better going forward, with Sam Kerr managing just four touches in Arsenal’s box.

The Gunners have been ahead of Chelsea for some time when it comes to off-the-pitch areas like attendances. But on it, Hayes’ team has been superior for the last four years. You can not yet rule out both Manchester clubs from the title race, but Arsenal look like the biggest threat to Chelsea’s domination.

A victory for the Blues would have taken them six points clear and, even at this early stage, they would have looked out of sight. But goals from Beth Mead, Amanda Ilestedt and a brace from Alessia Russo means the Gunners are now level with one game to go until the Christmas break.

Mead has been growing into the season after making her return from a serious knee injury in September. The forward now has four goals in her last three games for club and country and she gave Arsenal the lead here in the eighth minute.

Chelsea failed to clear their lines and the ball dropped to Victoria Pelova in the box. She laid it back to Mead, who took the ball round Charles and fired into the top left corner.

But Arsenal’s lead lasted just five minutes. Chelsea won the ball back in their own half and broke forward at speed. Jessie Fleming played in Rytting Kaneryd down the right and the forward cut in on her left to fire past Manuela Zinsberger at the near post. The goalkeeper should probably have done better, but there was a question of whether Sam Kerr, who was in an offside position, was blocking her view.

Chelsea’s equaliser had come against the run of play but they failed to build any momentum as Arsenal continued to dominate.

Hayes had cut a frustrated figure for much of the first half, regularly berating her players and turning around to the rest of her coaching staff in anger. Her mood did not improve when two goals in two minutes put Arsenal 3-1 up before half-time. 

The first was a gift. Chelsea goalkeeper Ann-Katrin Berger tried to come and collect a corner but got nowhere near the ball, leaving Ilestedt with an empty net to head into. The second was Arsenal at their best. 

Zinsberger played the ball out to Lotte Wubben-Moy, who sent it out wide to Lia Walti. The full back then played a pass over the top of the Chelsea defence which Russo ran onto before sending a powerful finish past Berger.

Chelsea improved in the second half but still struggled to threaten Arsenal’s back-line. But with 16 minutes to go, any chance of a comeback was taken away with a poor refereeing decision. Rebecca Welch awarded Arsenal a penalty when Russo stumbled over Berger, but replays showed that Jess Carter had played the ball before the forward lost her footing and fell over the goalkeeper. 

It was a poor decision which killed off the game, as Russo converted the spot-kick emphatically. Just before that, Lauren James had been lucky to escape with just a yellow card after deliberately leaving a foot in on Walti. Hayes, perhaps wisely, decided to take the forward off just after the penalty was scored.

This was not Chelsea’s day and by the end of the game Arsenal were running through them at will. Stina Blackstenius should have two more but blasted over from close range before sending a header wide.