LONDON — Chelsea restored their resilience with a 1-0 victory over rivals Arsenal on Sunday to extend their Women's Super League unbeaten run to 12 games and move within two points of leaders Manchester City. The result capped three straight wins after an opening 1-1 draw with Aston Villa at Stamford Bridge and left Arsenal in seventh, seven points behind City.
Sonia Bompastor's side delivered a defensive masterclass to secure a third successive clean sheet, now 315 minutes without conceding, after preparing to control the game without the ball and defend with composure under pressure. "In this league, you have so many different opponents and you have to be able to adjust and do something different," Bompastor said. "We came into this game well prepared. We knew we would have moments in the game where we were not in control. We prepared for those moments. We were really strong mentally and physically." She said her players were prepared to "mentally fight" and able to "adjust" in a way they did not last season, when their six-year stranglehold on the WSL ended despite an unbeaten domestic treble in her first season in charge.
England midfielder Keira Walsh was the standout performer, her strike parried into the path of match-winner Alyssa Thompson for the only goal. Thompson called the victory "amazing for team morale," while Bompastor described the 29-year-old Walsh as "a boss on the pitch" whose flourishing partnership with 20-year-old Lexi Potter has allowed her to get further forward and give the team "better foundations." Summer signing Melvine Malard, who missed the opening two matches with a minor injury before scoring on debut against Birmingham City, led a higher press that caused havoc against Arsenal. "She's massive for us. She puts in work off the ball and sets off the press," Walsh said of the French striker. "She's an incredible striker and she will be very good for us."
Full-back Ellie Carpenter continued to overlap dangerously, while Katie McCabe — who joined Chelsea from Arsenal in the summer — has brought leadership and bite that was lacking at times last season. The display contrasted with a toothless Arsenal side with one victory in their first four WSL games and just two goals scored. "We've got both sides to our game and we showed that tonight in spells. Everyone was fighting for each other. Every first and second ball was ours," Walsh added. The win, detailed in Thompson's strike gives Chelsea 1-0 win over Arsenal at the Bridge, could prove a catalyst as Chelsea look to put pressure on City, who face Arsenal next on Sunday at 16:30 BST.