Match report and highlights as Arsenal put five past Spurs with Stina Blackstenius, Caitlin Foord (2), Kim Little and Frida Maanum all on the scoresheet; Beth England netted a consolation from the penalty spot; the Gunners rose to second in the WSL table, two points shy of Chelsea
Saturday 25 March 2023 18:32, UK
Slick Arsenal maintained their WSL supremacy over bitter rivals Tottenham after winning their eighth consecutive north London derby 5-1 thanks to goals from Stina Blackstenius, Caitlin Foord (2), Kim Little and Frida Maanum.
After three league games without a win between January and February, the Gunners have returned to form triumphantly, dispatching Liverpool, Reading and now Spurs in scintillating style.
Arsenal's resurgence, epitomised by another dazzling Little masterclass in midfield, has forced a re-entry into the WSL title race, with a treble still a possibility for the Continental Cup-winning Gunners ahead of Wednesday's Champions League last-eight second leg tie at the Emirates.
Blackstenius opened the scoring in emphatic fashion, rifling an effort beyond Tinja-Riikka Korpela from a tight angle inside the first five minutes, before Foord finished a surging run by tucking the ball neatly inside the post (29) - the Aussie forward has been directly involved in more league goals (10) than any Arsenal team-mate this season, scoring or assisting in her last three appearances.
Beth England netted a consolation from the penalty spot for the hosts (39), won by Ash Neville after her shot struck the arm of Katie McCabe, but Arsenal's creativity and purpose outweighed that of Spurs in the second period, who remain winless in this fixture.
Little added to the scoreline from the spot (66), before Spurs' resistance unravelled further as Foord scored her second of the afternoon and Maanum put the gloss on a ruthless attacking display with 13 minutes remaining.
Having scored just five goals in their last seven home encounters ahead of kick-off, Spurs knew the task of breaking down an Arsenal side who boast the best defensive record in the league was going to be tough.
So it proved.
Eidevall's side played smarter, with more urgency and intensity as well as being clinical, which had been absent against Bayern Munich in the week.
Blackstenius set the tone, tucking away a stylish sixth league goal of an ever-improving campaign, before another moment of solo quality from Foord had Arsenal cruising.
They hit a brief stumbling block when England halved the deficit with a well-taken spot-kick but the second period proved to be all plain sailing, underlining Arsenal's desire to remain in the WSL title hunt.
Little eased any lingering nerves with a characteristically composed penalty kick after the break, smashing the ball into the roof of the net after McCabe was upended, forcing the floodgates to open.
Victoria Pelova's tenacity then gifted Foord a deserved second, as she turned home at the back post, before more misery came Tottenham's way when Maanum saw her lobbed shot take a deflection off Molly Bartrip to loop over Korpela.
Spurs will be looking tentatively over their shoulder for the remainder of this disappointing season, but don't face another top-four side until May, and should have enough to avoid any suggestion of slipping irreversibly towards relegation.
Arsenal forward Caitlin Foord:
"Spurs seem to be the team I can put a few away against. I'll do anything to win and to get on the scoresheet is always a bonus.
"I'm always happy to see those ones go in, that's something I practice quite a lot on the training pitch and to see it pay off, I'm always pleased with that.
"We know we have a big stretch ahead. We know we need to win games and we want to fight for the top of the league and we've got the Champions League as well. I think we're just playing really well at the moment and we want to keep building on that."
Arsenal manager Jonas Eidevall:
"Every game poses its different challenges but I think Stina [Blackstenius] gave us everything we needed from the start with her runs in behind. It's very nice to see her taking that finish with her first touch.
"It starts with the way we attack. We were well positioned. We constantly overloaded them. We were always facing forward with the ball, and we're good at arriving into the box with pace. We didn't stop doing it."
"I couldn't care less," he added, speaking about the supposed advantage of playing before other title challengers.
Tottenham caretaker manager Vicky Jepson:
"I'm disappointed. We're all disappointed together. We should never concede as many goals as we have in a north London derby. Apologies to the fans because that isn't acceptable.
"Six games left and we always knew that this was not going to define us, we were underdogs, but what I can't excuse is the way we've conceded goals today.
"At 2-1 we were still in the game, but once the third goes in that was the nail in the coffin that deflated us. We still worked until the final whistle but it just wasn't enough."
Arsenal are next in action on Wednesday, hosting Bayern Munich in the second leg of their Champions League tie at the Emirates, before meeting Manchester City in the WSL on April 2, while Tottenham travel to Everton on the same day.
