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Arsenal haven't enjoyed the challenge of breaking down defensively-minded teams this season. Liverpool, West Ham and Tottenham have all picked up shock wins because of the Gunners' difficulties in the final third and at times on Sunday, it looked like Spurs might be able to turn that first-ever win against their north London rivals into a maiden league double over them. But there is a reason why those who have played alongside Kim Little wax lyrical about her, and it was the captain's superb pass that unlocked the Spurs defence and allowed Alessia Russo to score the goal that gave Arsenal an important 1-0 win.
It was actually Tottenham who came the closest to breaking the deadlock in the first half. Martha Thomas, whose goal defeated Arsenal back in December, tested Manuela Zinsberger in the home goal in the opening stages before Jessica Naz forced an even more impressive stop out of her, the England youth international seeing her strike tipped onto the bar by the Austrian just before the half-hour mark.
It was the stand-out moment in a rather uneventful affair which saw Arsenal dominate but struggle to turn their possession into chances. That was until a few minutes after half time when Little's picked out Beth Mead and the ball rather fortuitously fell to Russo, who made no mistake with an emphatic finish inside the six-yard box. That proved to be the difference as the Gunners got the revenge they were looking for and a win that keeps their Women's Super League title dream alive, leaders Manchester City are now three points ahead with seven games to go.
GOAL rates Arsenal's players from the Emirates Stadium...