Arsenal Women End Five-Match Winless Run With Tottenham Win

What changed

Arsenal Women beat Tottenham Women 2-1 at Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Saturday, ending a five-match winless run in the Women’s Super League.

Tottenham scored first. Georgia Stanway equalised four minutes later, and Alessia Russo converted Arsenal’s winning penalty after a handball decision involving Ella Morris.

Why it matters

This was a pressure release, not a title-race rescue. Arsenal began the day four points behind fourth-placed Tottenham and 12 points behind leaders Manchester City, with manager Renee Slegers facing growing questions after a poor start.

The first half showed why the pressure had built. Arsenal made misplaced passes, poor clearances and sloppy errors before improving after the break. The win was scrappy, but that may be exactly what Slegers needed: a result earned through second-half pressure and late game management rather than a polished performance.

The immediate change is emotional as much as positional. Arsenal’s players ran to celebrate with supporters who had sold out the away section and backed them through the rain. Slegers said the team played for those fans and wanted to build on the feeling.

Whether that becomes a genuine revival will depend on what Arsenal do next. One derby win restores belief; it does not yet restore their title challenge.