Leicester City Women 0-5 Arsenal Women: Vivianne Miedema shines as Gunners go top

2 years ago 29
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Arsenal manager Jonas Eidevall insists he is only focusing on his own side as they battle it out with Chelsea for the Women's Super League title.

The Gunners bounced back from their Champions League exit to Wolfsburg on Thursday by thrashing Leicester to return to the top of the league.

Chelsea, who trail Arsenal by two points, host Reading at 18:45 BST on Sunday.

"What Chelsea do doesn't matter at all," Eidevall said on BBC Two.

"We can prepare for the games we are playing, we can control our own performances. I'm just as motivated if we're on top at the moment or if we're number two.

"We need to keep on believing, keep on preparing, keep on performing, and who knows where it takes us in the end. But we can only do whatever we can do."

Beth Mead opened the scoring in the first half with a volley before Arsenal ran riot after the break at the King Power Stadium.

Vivianne Miedema swept home a second and stabbed in a third before Ashleigh Plumptre turned a cross into her own net.

Tobin Heath bundled in a fifth late on to complete the perfect response to Arsenal's 2-0 defeat at Wolfsburg in midweek, which saw them exit the Champions League at the quarter-final stage with a 3-1 aggregate loss.

That means their focus can now switch to winning their first WSL title since 2018-19, and they made a statement to second-placed Chelsea with a resounding win.

Vivianne Miedema scores against LeicesterFour of Arsenal's goals came in the second half

"We have shown during the season that we're a very strong side," Eidevall said. "We score a lot of goals, we concede few goals - it's a very good recipe for winning football matches. We will believe in ourselves."

Arsenal could have won by an even bigger margin, but Esmee de Graaf produced a stunning goal-line clearance from Mead's shot early in the second half.

The size of the victory was also a boost for the Gunners' title hopes if goal difference comes into play, moving them level with the Blues on +40 before Emma Hayes' side play later.

"We needed that after Thursday night," said goalscorer Miedema. "But we just need to win all our games from now on - and hopefully Chelsea slip up and we can win the league."

Line-ups

Leicester City Women

Formation 4-5-1

  • 1Lambourne
  • 14de Graaf
  • 15Howard
  • 22Plumptre
  • 23Purfield
  • 12Goodwin
  • 3TierneyBooked at 38mins
  • 18Barker
  • 27O'BrienBooked at 57mins
  • 16Gregory
  • 7FlintSubstituted forBailey-Gayleat 71'minutes

Substitutes

  • 6Brougham
  • 10Devlin
  • 17Bailey-Gayle
  • 24Boddy
  • 32Baker
  • 34Smith
  • 40Robinson
  • 48Harris

Arsenal Women

Formation 4-4-2

  • 1Zinsberger
  • 26Wienroither
  • 6Williamson
  • 3Wubben-MoyBooked at 12mins
  • 15McCabeBooked at 15minsSubstituted forCatleyat 62'minutes
  • 9Mead
  • 13Wälti
  • 10LittleSubstituted forMaanumat 62'minutes
  • 19FoordSubstituted forHeathat 80'minutes
  • 11MiedemaSubstituted forNobbsat 80'minutes
  • 25BlacksteniusSubstituted forParrisat 71'minutes

Substitutes

  • 5Beattie
  • 7Catley
  • 8Nobbs
  • 12Maanum
  • 14Parris
  • 16Maritz
  • 18Williams
  • 20Boye
  • 77Heath

Live Text

  1. Match ends, Leicester City Women 0, Arsenal Women 5.

  2. Second Half ends, Leicester City Women 0, Arsenal Women 5.

  3. Foul by Frida Maanum (Arsenal Women).

  4. Paige Bailey-Gayle (Leicester City Women) wins a free kick on the right wing.

  5. Corner, Arsenal Women. Conceded by Sophie Barker.

  6. Attempt blocked. Jordan Nobbs (Arsenal Women) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Tobin Heath.

  7. Foul by Beth Mead (Arsenal Women).

  8. Sophie Howard (Leicester City Women) wins a free kick in the defensive half.

  9. Attempt missed. Jordan Nobbs (Arsenal Women) right footed shot from outside the box is high and wide to the right. Assisted by Frida Maanum.

  10. Corner, Arsenal Women. Conceded by Esmee de Graaf.

  11. Attempt blocked. Jordan Nobbs (Arsenal Women) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Beth Mead.

  12. Attempt blocked. Beth Mead (Arsenal Women) right footed shot from outside the box is blocked. Assisted by Leah Williamson.

  13. Corner, Arsenal Women. Conceded by Esmee de Graaf.

  14. Attempt saved. Tobin Heath (Arsenal Women) right footed shot from the left side of the box is saved in the bottom left corner. Assisted by Leah Williamson.

  15. Goal! Leicester City Women 0, Arsenal Women 5. Tobin Heath (Arsenal Women) with an attempt from very close range to the bottom left corner.

  16. Attempt blocked. Nikita Parris (Arsenal Women) right footed shot from a difficult angle on the right is blocked. Assisted by Beth Mead.

  17. Substitution, Arsenal Women. Tobin Heath replaces Caitlin Foord.

  18. Substitution, Arsenal Women. Jordan Nobbs replaces Vivianne Miedema.

  19. Own Goal by Ashleigh Plumptre, Leicester City Women. Leicester City Women 0, Arsenal Women 4.

  20. Goal! Leicester City Women 0, Arsenal Women 3. Vivianne Miedema (Arsenal Women) left footed shot from the centre of the box to the bottom right corner. Assisted by Nikita Parris.

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