Arsenal 4-0 Reading: Gunners boost top-four hopes with comfortable win in Women’s Super League

Ruthless Arsenal boosted their Champions League qualification hopes after cruising past Reading at Meadow Park in the Women’s Super League.

Frida Maanum added a second just before half-time and created Arsenal’s third when her cross was turned in by Reading defender Emma Mukandi two minutes after the restart.

Arsenal’s fourth came through Leah Williamson, who tucked home a rebound in the 69th minute.

Victory left Arsenal three points behind Manchester City in third place, having played one game fewer and boasting a superior goal difference.

“I think we have improved [and] developed, today was some of the best attacking football I have seen from us,” Arsenal boss Jonas Eidevall told Sky Sports.

“It’s just three points but I like the way we have been playing the whole week.”

Reading remained in ninth, three points clear of bottom side Leicester City.

Gunners March on after convincing display

Arsenal’s brilliant March continues. The Gunners beat Chelsea in the League Cup final last weekend, before dispatching Liverpool in midweek.

“The [League Cup final] was the catalyst,” added Eidevall.

“I think it helped, it showed ourselves what we are capable of. Why not try to repeat it and even try to go a little bit higher every time we are playing?”

The Gunners started quickly, immediately winning a penalty. Reading goalkeeper Grace Moloney got a glove to Little’s strike from the spot, but was beaten for power diving to her left.

Maanum deservedly doubled Arsenal’s lead, slotting home Caitlin Foord’s cut-back, before the Norwegian’s cross was poked into her own net by Reading defender Mukandi.

England captain Williamson found the net for the first time in more than a year for the Gunners after Stina Blackstenius’ initial shot was saved.

Arsenal created chances throughout and it was only down to smart stops from Moloney that limited the scoreline.

Blackstenius should have added a fifth goal in the closing stages, rounding Moloney but sending her finish wide from a tight angle.

“You know sometimes, where you can’t explain it, you just need it to click?” Williamson told Sky Sports.

“You can just see a shift and a change in everybody and everybody believes.”

Lacklustre Reading’s away struggles continue

Reading are the only side without an away point in the WSL so far this season, losing all eight of their games on the road while conceding 24 goals.

They offered very little after falling behind, not recording a shot in the first half.

Rachel Rowe clipped the top of the bar in the second period after a counter-attack, and fired another effort wide in the closing stages.

Defeat means the Royals have now lost 12 of their 14 WSL meetings with Arsenal, drawing the other two.

They face Chelsea next on Sunday in the FA Cup quarter-finals, while Arsenal take on Bayern Munich in the first leg of their Champions League last-eight tie on Tuesday, 21 March.