As the Gunners search to keep their title dreams alive, an unforgiving Chelsea outfit would be eagerly looking to put a hinderance on Arsenal’s Friday night plans.

The stage was set in West London, as Stamford Bridge played host to a highly anticipated clash between Chelsea and Arsenal. Emma Hayes’s Blues would be searching to solidify themselves at the table’s summit, as the race for the league begins to reach maximum temperature. Hayes’s Blues face injury woes, as both Nathalie Björn and Mayra Ramirez fall out of the match day squad.

As for Jonas Eidevall’s Gunners, Arsenal would be hungry to swallow the deficit separating themselves from the cream of the crop. Eidevall makes two changes from Arsenal’s emphatic league cup victory over Aston Villa, as both Kyra Cooney-Cross and Alessia Russo make way for Victoria Pelova and Caitlin Foord, respectively.

CHE: Hampton; Périsset, Buchanan, Carter, Cuthbert, Leupolz, Nüsken, Kaneryd, Reiten, James

ARS: Zinsberger; Catley, Williamson, Wubben-Moy, McCabe, Wälti, Little, Pelova, Mead, Blackstenius, Foord

An unusual commencement to proceedings saw kick-off delayed, as Arsenal warmed up in their usual white home socks- consequently leading to a kit clash. The Gunners would be certain to raise eyebrows, as they took to the field in Chelsea’s black and blue away socks.

Half an hour later, and proceedings were underway in West London. It would be the hosts that would strike first, as Lauren James worked brilliantly to evade her markers. Despite the promising position that she found herself in, James’s strike was fired ambitiously over the wood work.

Chelsea combined brilliantly through the field’s central areas, as James located Rhytting Kaneyrd down the right side. It looked like there would be immediate danger for the Gunners, before Katie McCabe saw the searching cross cleared of any danger.

Despite looking on the down side of the momentum, it would be the visitors who would strike next. Cross-field brilliance from Lotte Wubben-Moy found Beth Mead in the width, before the English footwork located her skipper on the cut-back. A striking effort from Kim Little looked hopeful for the Gunners, before a stretching Hannah Hampton palmed away the danger.

At 14 minutes the deadlock was broken, as a moment of brilliance from Lauren James would cause Stamford Bridge to erupt. James found herself with minimal time, though a stellar display of footwork would see her evade Steph Catley with ease. Manuela Zinsberger looked to pull of the heroics, before her save looped in to the back of the net.

Erin Cuthbert proved vital to the lead up to Chelsea’s first on the occasion, allowing Victoria Pelova and Lia Wälti no breathing room when in possession.

It wouldn’t be long before the hosts would deliver another blow, as Cuthbert sent a driving knuckle ball inside of the danger area. A striking instinct saw Sjoeke Nüsken sick her foot out and deliver a well timed tap-in to double Chelsea’s advantage inside twenty minutes.

Pleas from Leah Williamson saw the England captain call for the offside flag to be raised, though her call was unanswered as Chelsea received their 2-0 advantage. Despite the possibility of her pleas remaining within factuality, Williamson’s allowance of goal side space to Nüsken proved to be a detrimental blunder that went punished.

Catley found herself in no man’s land as Rhytting Kaneryd catalysed another attack down the right side. Her strike would come under no pressure, as another deflective effort from Nüsken sent the net rippling as the Gunners were found with their jaws on the ground.

Arsenal looked dishevelled in all areas, as the visitors failed to prove threatening in even a slight glimpse throughout the remainder of the opening half.

Jonas Eidevall made three changes to his struggling side, as Steph Catley, Victoria Pelova, and Stina Blackstenius all found themselves sidelined at the break. Emily Fox, Frida Maanum, and Alessia Russo all made their way into the side for the second half of proceedings.

The hosts looked to another strike to their tally, as Rhytting Kaneryd stormed the area with conviction. Despite the Swedish forward’s pressing efforts, Zinsberger’s advance saw her shot blocked at the death.

Another effort would arrive at the hands of Chelsea, as Guro Reiten involved herself in proceedings to move past Fox down the left side. Her searching cross was delivered with pin point brilliance before Zinsberger denied Rhytting Kaneryd once again.

Lauren James continued to display her dominance by delivering a brilliant searching ball into the heat of the danger zone. Nüsken’s run was mistimed, as the Gunners cleared the ball away from danger.

The clock ran down in to its final ten minutes, as the Gunners failed to provide any hopeful glimpse at chipping away at the deficit brought on by the home side’s first half heroics.

Making something out of nothing did the skipper, as a deflected corner saw Kim Little send an outside of the boot curler into the bottom right corner to bring the deficit to a brace. Little’s strike took to a deflection from Catarina Macário on the way through, as the net rippled for Arsenal’s first.

Despite the late score, the Gunners would fail to complete the farfetched comeback, as Rebecca Welch’s whistle blew to finalise the score at 3-1 here at Stamford Bridge.

The victory in West London sees Chelsea widen the gap between themselves and their London rivals out to six points, as Arsenal’s uninspiring performance may have discounted themselves from the title race completely.