Arsenal kept the pressure on the Women’s Super League’s top two – Chelsea and Manchester City – with an important 1-0 win over Liverpool ahead of the winter break.
The Gunners move within a point of second-placed Man City, who lost to Everton earlier in the day, but still trail leaders Chelsea by seven points, as Renee Slegers’ unbeaten run as interim boss stretches to 10 games.
Alessia Russo scored the only goal of the game via a clever corner routine – to mirror their male counterparts’ success from set-pieces – as Katie McCabe’s front-post delivery was poorly cleared by Gemma Bonner, allowing Russo to tap home.
Injury-hit Liverpool had their chances but were equally let off the hook by Arsenal as Mariona Caldentey wasted her opportunity from the penalty spot and Frida Maanum ballooned a good second-half opening over the crossbar.
Arsenal were far from their flowing best – Slegers acknowledged as much post-match – but did enough to edge out a fragile Liverpool side on a consecutive run of four straight loses, with injuries continuing to blight their campaign.
Russo: Slegers makes me feel confident
Arsenal striker Alessia Russo:
“Set-plays are a massive part of football, they can win and lose you games, so I’m really happy to score and get three points.
“I’m feeling good, I play my best when I’m happy. We’re finding good connections on the pitch and Liverpool away is a tough game, so the three points is most important.
“(Renee Slegers) has been great, making me feel confident. We know how good we are as a squad and we’re keeping our heads down. We’re happy as a squad, it’s a club decision (whether Slegers makes her interim role permanent), but she’s stepped up and we’re really enjoying it.”
Slegers: We played into Liverpool’s hands
Arsenal interim head coach Renee Slegers:
“This is not one of our best performances. I think Liverpool gets the game where they want it to go, lots of set-pieces, it’s scrappy, it’s duels. I think we gave them the game they wanted.
“I’ll have to review the game, there’s so much emotion from the end, but we need to be more clinical, even though we’ve been doing well.”
Analysis: Slegers proving readiness for permanent role
All the noises from the Arsenal camp are positive, and recent results back that up. Slegers has done a wonderful job since taking over from Jonas Eidevall in October. Smiles are back on faces and the football is equally beaming.
Arsenal’s squad is packed with quality so it is no surprise they are unbeaten in 10 in all competitions, but the real upturn has been in performance.
Slegers told Sky Sports this week that she is not viewing her role as temporary, and, on evidence, nor are her players. Fluency has returned, goals are flowing, and the football is entertaining – all things Arsenal are renowned for.
Slegers’ side have even taken a leaf out of the Mikel Arteta playbook and become wizards at set-pieces, scoring from a corner again, predictably via Russo. The striker has now scored in five consecutive WSL appearances.
You wonder why club decision-makers are still hesitating over the head-coach vacancy – because a ready-made replacement is right under their nose.
