Arsenal 4-1 Chelsea: Player ratings as Gunners blow WSL title race wide open

FROM EMIRATES STADIUM — Arsenal dominated against Chelsea to seal a 4-1 victory at in north London, moving level on points with the reigning champions in the WSL table.

In the biggest game of the WSL so far this season, a brace from Alessia Russo on top of goals from Beth Mead and Amanda Ilestedt saw Arsenal thrash a dreary Chelsea, who suffered their first defeat of the 2023/24 WSL campaign.

The Gunners set a new WSL record attendence of 59,042 fans, who saw Mead opened the scoring eight minuntes in. Chelsea's Johanna Rytting Kaneryd added a reply, levelling the score five minutes later, but two goals in two minutes from Russo and Ilesedt gave Arsenal a healthy lead.

With Chelsea struggling and failing to counter the aggressive hosts, Russo converted from the spot in the second half to seal the emphatic victory that keeps Arsenal still in contention for the WSL title.

With the rain tearing down on the Emirates Stadium, it was all out attack from both sides as this game held the power to determine the trajectory of the rest of the WSL season.

The hosts broke the deadlock after a well-worked attack on the break, Lia Walti played through to Caitlin Foord, who tore down towards the final third. Kim Little and Victoria Pelova did well to turn and maintain possession, before Mead executed a spectacular finish to take the lead.

Five minutes later, however, another expert use of the counterattack brought the sides level as Rytting Kaneryd netted an equally well-worked team effort past a flailing Manuela Zinsberger.

Evenly matched, both teams were tussling for possession and control — nervous moments from the host's defence nearly gifted golden opportunities to the Blues. However, Arsenal went on to capitalise, scoring twice in as