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Arsenal defeat Liverpool with late winner from Blackstenius

Stina Blackstenius (right) celebrates her winnerGetty Images

At a glance

Olivia Smith opens scoring for Arsenal against her former club

Beata Olsson equalises to become first player to score in first four WSL starts

Stina Blackstenius scores in 87th minute to lift Arsenal back into top three

Ciara Fleming

BBC Sport journalist

Substitute Stina Blackstenius scored a late winner against Liverpool to send Arsenal back into the top three of the Women's Super League.

The Sweden forward broke free of a tired Liverpool defence to latch on to a through ball before cutting on to her left foot and arrowing a finish into the top right corner at Emirates Stadium.

Liverpool remain winless after nine league games. This was their seventh defeat under manager Gareth Taylor.

Arsenal started the game strongly and were denied a first-minute Frida Maanum opener by a sprawling stop from goalkeeper Faye Kirby, before Lotte Wubben-Moy headed against a post and Mariona Caldentey was denied by another Kirby save.

Olivia Smith broke the deadlock for Arsenal, dazzling her former Liverpool team-mates with a jinking run inside from the left before arrowing a long-range shot into the bottom left corner.

Having offered little in the face of a heavy attacking storm from Arsenal, Liverpool levelled with their first shot on target.

Beata Olsson's cool, low finish meant she set a WSL record of scoring in her first four starts since a summer move from Kristianstads.

The attack-versus-defence battle continued after the interval, with Arsenal bringing on Caitlin Foord and joint top scorer Blackstenius.

Blackstenius came close after latching on to a poor backpass from Gemma Evans to round Kirby, before Evans atoned with a last-ditch interception.

Eventually the Gunners' pressure told as Blackstenius struck to earn the three points that lift them above Manchester United in the table.

Arsenal analysis: Blackstenius bails out wasteful Gunners

Saturday's game at the Emirates was a familiar tale for head coach Renee Slegers and her side as they struggled to see off relegation candidates Liverpool.

While it should be taken into account that Liverpool held champions Chelsea to a 1-1 draw last time out, the Gunners enjoyed the lion's share of possession (60%) and shots (19 to 3) in this game, yet they had to rely on two standout individual moments to secure victory.

The first came from Smith, who was maybe destined to mark her first appearance against her old team with a meaningful contribution. Although the Canadian did not celebrate her opener, relief on her face and around the Emirates was palpable when the ball arrowed in for her second league goal of the campaign.

Chance after chance went begging as Sleger's side failed to make the game safe when in the ascendancy, before they were pegged back by Olsson's neat leveller before half-time.

Yet again Slegers was made to use her 'get out of jail free' card in Blackstenius.

The hero of the Champions League final in May came off the bench to score her fifth goal of the season to rescue victory and keep Arsenal's slim title hopes alive.

Blackstenius could even have had two or three goals, but for some superb last-ditch Liverpool interceptions and an incorrect offside flag in stoppage time.

Arsenal made sure there was no way back for Liverpool for a second time, but Slegers, having had to rely on a late flash of inspiration, will have growing concerns about her team's continuing struggles to put games to bed. Next time they might not be so lucky.

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Player of the match

A. Russo

7.97

Arsenal

Liverpool

23A. Russo

7.97

25S. Blackstenius

7.81

15O. Smith

7.77

9B. Mead

7.52

11K. McCabe

7.41

3L. Wubben-Moy

7.39

7S. Catley

7.23

19C. Foord

7.14

10K. Little

7.09

32K. Cooney-Cross

7.05

2E. Fox

7.00

8Mariona Caldentey

6.66

24T. Hinds

6.50

12F. Maanum

6.48

5Laia Codina

6.08

28A. Borbe

5.52

Back to team tabs

11B. Olsson

6.38

22F. Kirby

6.33

3G. Evans

6.17

13M. Enderby

6.17

7C. Kapocs

5.88

2L. Parry

5.64

17J. Clark

5.58

34H. Silcock

5.38

16L. Woodham

5.17

15S. Lundgaard

5.00

9L. Kiernan

4.88

19K. MacLean

4.77

8F. Nagano

4.69

29Alejandra Bernabé

4.17

Back to team tabs

After the opportunity to rate players has closed, the score displayed represents the average from all the submissions by BBC Sport users.

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