MY ACCOUNT
Jonas Eidevall hopes Arsenal take great confidence from their 5-1 thrashing of Tottenham ahead of a season-defining week for the Women’s Super League title contenders.
The Gunners bounced back from Tuesday’s 1-0 defeat at Bayern Munich in the Women’s Champions League quarter-finals with a five-star showing at Brisbane Road.
Caitlin Foord hit a brace with Stina Blackstenius, Kim Little and Frida Maanum also on target for the visitors to ensure Bethany England’s first-half penalty for Spurs was merely a consolation.
It was the perfect preparation ahead of the decisive second leg with Bayern at the Emirates on Wednesday before a home clash with fellow title rivals Manchester City four days later.
Eidevall, 40, said: “Hopefully we go into the game on Wednesday with a good bit of self-confidence and I think we should have that from our performances.
“Our performance against Chelsea in the Conti Cup final was very strong. Then both Liverpool and Reading was good in the league.
“Our second-half performance against Bayern was very good and today was also strong.
“We have built good momentum coming into these two games against Bayern and City. Now it is up to us to execute it.”
Given this fixture was sandwiched between two crucial Champions League ties, Arsenal could have taken their eye off the ball but they put Spurs to the sword to stay in contention for the treble.
Blackstenius’ explosive fifth-minute opener set the visitors on their way before Foord curled home from range.
England reduced the deficit before half-time but Little’s 65th-minute spot-kick made the points safe.
Arsenal refused to let up and Foord grabbed her second from close range while Maanum’s deflected lob was the icing on the cake.
Eidevall added: “You can’t prioritise one or the other because we’re at the stage with this league where it’s so competitive.
“You need to try to do your very best to win these games. Playing here is always going to be a challenge so you need to be on top of your game.”
Spurs interim boss Vicky Jepson was frustrated by her side’s second-half showing.
She said: “When they went 3-1 up, it was probably the nail in the coffin. Then they built momentum and we had to ride the storm.
“We didn’t do it as well as we would like and ended up 5-1 down. It’s just one of those things.
“The first half we showed character, we showed grit and we created opportunities to get us back in the game.
“But as a collective, we’re all disappointed with the second half.
“We feel sorry for the fans because it should never be that scoreline in a North London derby.”
