Arsenal relieve pressure with Spurs win - can they kick on now?

What the report says

Arsenal ended a five-match winless run in the Women’s Super League by beating Tottenham 2-1 at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium, a result that eased pressure on manager Renee Slegers and lifted a tense mood around the team. The north London derby mattered beyond the points because Arsenal had made a slow start to the season and were well off the pace in the title race.

Tottenham led in a nervy first half before Georgia Stanway quickly equalised for Arsenal. The visitors improved after the break and eventually took the lead when Alessia Russo converted from the penalty spot after a handball decision following a shot that came back off the post. Arsenal then had to see out a scrappy finish under pressure.

The BBC report said Arsenal had gone into the game in the bottom half of the table and only one league win to their name before this match, while Slegers had been facing growing questions over results. After full-time, players celebrated directly with the away supporters rather than using their usual on-pitch huddle, underlining the sense of relief and connection with fans.

The victory may not fix Arsenal’s season on its own, but it gives them a timely lift before a busy spell that includes a Women’s Champions League match against Benfica. Slegers said the team now need to back up the result and build consistency if they are to secure a strong finish and European qualification.