Arsenal extend lead at top of WSL as first-half flurry sees off Reading

Arsenal moved five points clear of the WSL title holders, Chelsea, with a dominant 4-0 defeat of Reading.

If Arsenal were feeling any pressure with Chelsea breathing down their necks, two points behind them and with a game in hand prior to kick-off, then it did not show at rain-lashed Borehamwood.

Reading could have been a banana skin on their title charge. The Royals sit in sixth having lost their last two games in all competitions but prior to that they were unbeaten in 10 league matches, finding some of the consistency that has eluded manager, Kelly Chambers, in recent campaigns. Before this fixture Jonas Eidevall had praised their impressive season to date.

“Apart from their last two games, Reading have been in amazing form, they have had amazing results,” the Arsenal coach said.

Before kick-off there was a pause as the captains, Kim Little of Arsenal and Reading’s Natasha Dowie, held up a Ukraine flag in a show of solidarity with the invaded country, while Arsenal wore strips of blue and yellow tape side by side to form the flag on their wrists.

It took 22 minutes for a partnership between the Arsenal forwards Stina Blackstenius and Vivianne Miedema, with the latter playing deeper, to bear fruit. Miedema passed back to Blackstenius inside the box and the interception of the Swede’s return ball fell kindly for Miedema who fired into the far corner past Rhiannon Stewart. Two minutes later the Gunners doubled their lead. Caitlin Foord found Blackstenius and the striker’s shot was cleared off the line only for Katie McCabe to fire in the follow up.

The third goal came 10 minutes later when Steph Catley’s corner was powered in by the head of Leah Williamson.

In the second half Miedema and Blackstenius would combine again