Arsenal 5 Manchester City 0: Gunners go top as Kim Little helps inflicts City’s worst-ever loss in the WSL
KIM LITTLE helped Arsenal avenge a hat-trick of losses to Man City with the Citizens falling to their heaviest ever WSL defeat.
A fierce first-half strike from the retired Scotland ace was among the goals that saw Gareth Taylor’s side lose 5-0.
The result saw the in-form Gunners go top of the table and level on points with Tottenham ahead of their Women’s FA Cup quarters duel.
And it leaves a dent in City’s title hopes with the injury-hit Manchester giants falling to eighth in the table after a third successive loss before their FA Cup clash with Leicester.
City boss Taylor said: “We’re in a difficult moment there’s no doubt about that, but I think we have to fight and will fight.
“I think it feels like a difficult result to take (the 5-0) because it didn’t really feel like that.
“When you look on the face of it with the errors that we made and the fact we didn’t take (advantage of) our good moments, then you’re going to end up with that scoreline.
“I want to see us really up for the game (against Leicester City) on Wednesday night. I am looking for a real response.”
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Ahead of their North London visit, Taylor described his side as a wounded animal with eight first-team regulars currently crocked.
And Arsenal showed little mercy taking the lead in the tenth minute.
They did so after Beth Mead pounced on Alanna Kennedy’s loose pass to tee up Vivianne Miedema to smash in the host’s opener.
It took around 11 minutes more for Arsenal to double their lead with Kim Little getting on the score sheet.
Lia Walti delivered a neat little pass to Miedema who flicked the ball on for Little.
And the Arsenal skipper drove into the box to whack in the host’s second past the outstretched Karima Taieb.
City caused a couple of problems with a corner towards the first-half’s closing stages before Demi Stokes was cautioned for a tug on Miedema.
The second spell saw City attempt to get a foothold in the game with a dangerous cross from Lauren Hemp causing problems for keeper Manuela Zinsberger.
But any chances of them getting back into it were blown away by Katie McCabe rifling in Arsenal’s third in the 60th minute following a long ball from Walti.
Skipper Little picked up her second from the spot with 12 minutes of normal time remaining after Alex Greenwood fouled her in the box.
And a late Leah Williamson headed goal wrapped up a memorable night for the Gunners and a tough one on the road for City.
Arsenal boss Jonas Eidevall said: “We talked about putting pressure on ourselves and how we needed to perform and get better results against the top teams.
“I’m really happy that we’re been able to turn that around but we’re early on in the process and we still have things to develop.
“It’s great for the result but let’s not get carried away.”
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