Arsenal boss taunted with P45 at Emirates as Chelsea extend dismal season start

Chelsea moved to the top of the Women’s Super League with a 2-1 victory over Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium that increased the pressure on Gunners head coach Jonas Eidevall, who was taunted with a P45 in the stands.

Mayra Ramirez’s looping overhead kick and Sandy Baltimore’s header in the opening 16 minutes ultimately ensured Sonia Bompastor’s side followed their midweek Champions League triumph over Real Madrid by making it three wins from three in the WSL.

Caitlin Foord brought Arsenal back into the game immediately before the break when she beat Lucy Bronze to net from a tight angle but Eidevall’s side were unable to conjure an equaliser despite a late onslaught, when Stina Blackstenius hit the bar.

Defeat capped a difficult seven days for the Gunners who were held to a scoreless stalemate by bottom club Everton before suffering a heavy 5-2 defeat at Bayern Munich on Wednesday.

And with just one win from their opening four league games, this loss only added to the problems confronting Eidevall, although the Arsenal boss will draw positives from his side’s improved second-half display.

On criticism from supporters, Eidevall said: "I think we should see how much character and heart the players have for the club and that, I hope, gives supporters belief. And then I fully understand that people are disappointed when we don’t win football matches.

"We are also really disappointed when we don’t win, I am really hurting, the players are really hurting. We want to do better, I fully understand. Just as you are allowed to show emotion when you win, you are allowed to show emotion when you lose because they invest everything, they travel, they support us, they give us absolutely everything so I totally understand their frustration that we don’t win football matches."

Eidevall added that he was disappointed with the nature of the goals his side conceded.

"It is extremely disappointing, we got off to a really poor start. We have conceded four goals from corners in two games, that is not sustainable if you want to be a top team," he said.

"The way we defend the cross on their second goal is not good enough either. It’s particularly frustrating because it is not how the pattern looks in the game, it is a one-off situation in the game. But of course, when you are playing against a top team that is enough to make that mistake for them to punish it.