After a delay to proceedings due to Arsenal’s late arrival in Birmingham, the stage was set at Villa Park for the final Barclays Women’s Super League clash of Women’s Football Weekend.

Looking to bounce back from league demolition in last week’s London derby at Stamford Bridge, Jonas Eidevall’s Arsenal side would be hungry to make it three in a row against the Birmingham side. Exciting news for Gunners fans sees Laura Wienroither back in the match day squad after 328 on the sidelines. In less optimistic news for Arsenal, Lia Wälti is seen missing from the side, as Frida Maanum takes her place in the starting eleven. Stina Blackstenius, Steph Catley, and Caitlin Foord all make way, as Emily Fox, Alessia Russo, and Cloé Lacasse join the starting side.

As for Carla Ward’s Villans, the hosts would look to capitalise on the league momentum gathered in their last league victory, as they scraped 2-1 victory over Everton on the road. Kirsty Hanson falls out of the match day side due to injury concerns, though Aston Villa remain unchanged since their last league outing.

AVL: Leat; Mayling, Patten, Maritz, Pacheco, Dali, Nobbs, Turner, Leon, Daly, Salmon

ARS: Zinsberger; Fox, Williamson, Wubben-Moy, McCabe, Little, Pelova, Maanum, Lacasse, Russo, Mead

The hosts kicked off proceedings from the centre spot, as both sides looked hungry for victory under the lights in Birmingham. Lia Wälti’s absence saw Arsenal captain Kim Little sit deeper inside of the midfield triangle, adopting the defensive pivot role on the occasion.

The first chance would come from the visitors, as Frida Maanum found an opportunity to get a strike off inside of the area. The Norwegian striker’s attempt was overhit, and flew to the left side of the goalposts.

Beth Mead’s delivery from a corner saw the ball land in an opportunistic scuffle inside of the penalty area, before a marginal clearance saw Little given an opportunity within range. The Gunners captain failed to convert, as her strike fell behind for a corner.

It was the visitors who controlled the tempo in the opening ten minutes, as Aston Villa failed to graft a real opportunity in the first stages of the fixture. It would be Little to strike next once again, as she liked her chances from the edge of the 18-yard box. Despite her best efforts, the attempt would provide minimal stress for Anna Leat between the goalposts.

A brilliantly worked passage saw the hosts awarded their first real opportunity of the evening, as Rachel Daly and Ebony Salmon combined cleverly down the wide area. Salmon looked promising to send a cross into the danger zone, before Lotte Wubben-Moy’s tracking run saw the strike blocked inside of the area. A deflection from the Arsenal defender saw the strike make contact with her hand on the way through, but despite the outcry from the home fans, no penalty was awarded by Sally Pearson.

Aston Villa began to look alive as the clock ran down on the opening half, as Carla Ward’s side started to break down the gaps in the Gunners last line. Exploiting the gap down the right side did Jordan Nobbs, as she found an advancing Adriana Leon in space. Leon’s cross was brilliant, as she picked out an unmarked Salmon near the penalty area. As Wubben-Moy and Leah Williamson failed to provide the pressure, Salmon’s strike slotted expertly into the bottom-left corner to give her side the lead in the 35th minute.

Emily Fox looked hungry to take matters into her own hands as the clock ran down, as she found herself in possession on the edge of the area. Backing her strike, the American flew her shot over the woodwork in desperation.

Salmon’s strike would be the difference heading into the interval, as Arsenal hung their heads after a disorganised opening half of proceedings.

As the second half commenced, Arsenal looked desperate to gain the back the momentum that they began to lose sight of the victory in Birmingham. The Gunners pushed on in the opening ten minutes, as Alessia Russo had her first true look from distance. The Gunners number 23 struck with conviction, though Leat would do enough to palm away entry for the English striker. Though the Villans would not escape danger for long, as the deflection landed to the feet of Victoria Pelova, who finished her chance with no mistake.

It would be the visitors who would look to break the deadlock, as Maanum found herself handed a golden opportunity inside of the scuffle of the 18-yard box. She struck cleanly with her left foot, only narrowly denied by the left post, as Russo sent the deflection over the woodwork in a mistimed attempt to clean up the scraps.

A newly substituted Steph Catley sent her corner brilliantly into the danger zone, as Williamson’s header only narrowly floated off-target. The deflection saw the ball sent to the back post, as Wubben-Moy’s headed effort was narrowly tipped over the woodwork by Leat.

The Gunners continued to knock on the door, as a blunder at the back saw Beth Mead’s pressure act trickle over to Russo inside of the area. The English striker found the feet of Maanum, who sent the ball over the crossbar by a mere amount of millimetres.

Arsenal’s pressure continued to mount, as Caitlin Foord claimed the wide area with composed authority. The Australian winger located Russo with her pass inside of the area, before a well-timed lay off allowed Little to shoot from distance. Failing to test the Villa keeper did Little, as Leat collected the strike with little sweat on her brow.

A blunder at the back saw Mead send a brilliant cross in the direction of Caitlin Foord at the back post, before a Leat spectacular saw the Australian’s strike denied. It would be two in a row for the Aston Villa goalkeeper, as Pelova let a flying strike fly toward the top corner, before a stretching effort from Leat allowed the deadlock to play on.

Russo was anywhere and everywhere as the second half continued, once again claiming possession down the left side. Sending a beautiful cross into the danger area, her look would be headed home by Wubben-Moy to provide the Gunners the advantage.

The spirits of the home side would be further flattened, as Stina Blackstenius stormed the area with conviction. Slipping over her own feet, before a scuffle saw a potential handball at play, the Swedish striker managed to find the back of the net amidst the chaos to send the Gunners up by a brace.

Despite a valiant first half effort from the Villans, a dominant final fifteen minutes saw the Gunners victorious as the whistle blew at Villa Park to finalise a 3-1 victory to Arsenal.

The Halfway Line Player of the Match: Alessia Russo