Chelsea stay unbeaten as Arsenal ‘robbed’ of goals

Amid the howls of anger and against the fury of Arsenal's comeback at the Emirates, Chelsea survived to extend their unbeaten Women's Super League record under Sonia Bompastor to a 30th game.

- JAMIE BRAIDWOOD

But were it not for two major refereeing decisions that went against the hosts, leading Arsenal head coach Renee Slegers to voice her support for the introduction of VAR in the women's top-flight, then the reigning champions could have suffered a defeat that brought the Gunners back into the title race.

"I think we deserved to win and I think some of the goals we scored were wrong decisions," said Alessia Russo, whose late finish, squeezed past Hannah Hampton, rescued a point for Arsenal to keep themselves within five of Chelsea. “I know the referees have a tough job, [but] it’s a high-level we’re in now, so I’m frustrated.”

Arsenal were incensed when the referee Melissa Burgin disallowed Stina Blackstenius’s equaliser for handball early in the second half; replays showed that Blackstenius had controlled the ball with her upper thigh and had safely moved her arm away before thumping her finish into the roof of Hampton’s net.