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Arsenal left to fume as refereeing controversy denies them win over Chelsea

Arsenal were left to rue a pair of controversial refereeing decisions which forced them to settle for a 1-1 draw against league leaders Chelsea, who equalled the all-time WSL unbeaten record.

Trailing to Alyssa Thompson's early lob, the Gunners appeared to draw level through Stina Blackstenius' rising effort from a corner shortly after the break.

After a lengthy delay, referee Mel Burgin ruled the Swedish forward had handled the ball - despite replays showing there had been no contact.

"It's so frustrating. It's the midriff, the top of the thigh," said Sky Sports' Courtney Sweetman-Kirk.

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Arsenal are denied a goal after ref howler against Chelsea

Replays of Stina Blackstenius's shot for Arsenal appear to suggest a handball call may well have been the wrong one.

"The hands go back and that's what catches the referee's attention, but there's no excuses. It's a big goal disallowed for no reason."

Alessia Russo did relieve some of the growing tension around the Emirates to bring the hosts level late on when Hannah Hampton fumbled her first-time effort in at the near post, but there was still more drama to come.

After Russo turned provider to feed Frida Maanum behind the visiting defence, the substitute beat Hampton for what looked like a late winner until she was denied by an offside flag, a decision which again appeared as though it may have been wrong.

Usually-reserved Arsenal head coach Renee Slegers was booked for her furious reaction as tempers frayed, with the result extending Chelsea's unbeaten WSL run to 33 games and leaving the Gunners needing to overturn a five-point deficit to catch the league leaders.

'Frustrated' Slegers: I would like to see VAR

Arsenal head coach Renee Slegers to Sky Sports:

"We were very surprised. I don't see any players calling for it, and you watch it back - I've only seen it from one angle, and it doesn't look like a handball. That's frustrating, of course.

"[For the Maanum goal] The angle is really hard to see. For me, in retrospect watching it on video, it's hard for me to see so it's really hard for the referee on the pitch.

"It's a game where you see momentum shift, Chelsea were on top of us at the start of the game but we came back and showed such a good mentality, so much quality.

"It's fine margins, so certain decisions become really big decisions - that's out of our hands. But if you were to ask me now if I was in favour of VAR, I would say yes."

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