Slegers Calls For Var After Arsenal Goals Ruled Out

Despite nan euphoria of watching Alessia Russo people an 87th-minute extremity to drawback a 1-1 tie pinch champions Chelsea, Arsenal head Renee Slegers was objective successful her appraisal of nan arguable decisions that went against her side.

And she said video adjunct referees (VAR) should beryllium introduced successful nan Women's Super League to bring "justice".

Eight minutes into nan 2nd half, Stina Blackstenius thought she had cancelled retired Alyssa Thompson's opening extremity for Chelsea pinch a thunderous decorativeness pursuing a corner.

But nan Emirates Stadium was near successful a authorities of disorder erstwhile play restarted pinch Chelsea goalkeeper Hannah Hampton taking a free-kick wrong her box, alternatively than her team-mates taking nan kick-off.

It transpired referee Melissa Burgin had ruled Blackstenius had handled nan ball, though replays showed it had intelligibly struck her thigh.

The 2nd "abysmal decision" - to quote erstwhile England world Izzy Christiansen connected Sky Sports - came erstwhile Frida Maanum had scored what could person been a 90th-minute victor for Arsenal.

That extremity was ruled retired for offside, pinch first replays inconclusive.

Slegers was pragmatic astir nan "big" decisions.

"A batch of respect for referees because it's not easy," she said. "We're looking astatine video. If you inquire me, we request justness and that's why I deliberation VAR and exertion tin help.

"I don't want to elaborate excessively overmuch but there's much and much astatine liking successful nan WSL. We person to person a look astatine really we turn nan crippled successful each aspects."

VAR has been utilised successful nan later stages of nan Women's FA Cup and is besides utilized successful nan Women's Champions League, but location are nary plans yet to bring it into England's apical flight.

While Slegers exuded calm, Christiansen adopted a much combative stance.

"Arsenal put themselves successful a position successful that 2nd half that showed signs of a squad that were truthful quiet to get backmost into nan game," she said. "What they did was exceptional from commencement to decorativeness successful that 2nd half.

"They scored 2 goals that person been disallowed. That crippled should person vanished 3-1 to Arsenal.

"They were 2 perfectly abysmal decisions. I deliberation it's costs them and they person been robbed. There's nary different measurement to put it."

It was wide felt earlier this London derby that Arsenal needed to return each 3 points to support live their hopes of landing a first Women's Super League title since 2019.

And Christiansen believes nan officials person had a "huge impact" connected their title hopes.

"You look astatine nan juncture present - nan magnitude of it, nan stadium, nan crowd. Everything that Arsenal do truthful well, and nan spotlight connected nan pitch.

"The players delivered. The officials request to present arsenic well, because these are 2 teams that are competing for titles."

Though Arsenal fans celebrated nan draw, nan truth is their squad are 5 points adrift of a Chelsea broadside who person not been beaten successful 33 WSL games.

The Gunners will, of course, proceed to conflict - but this was seen arsenic nan twelvemonth they would push Chelsea each nan way, and pinch December accelerated approaching they person a conflict connected their hands to moreover play successful nan Champions League adjacent season.

Chelsea rode their luck to support their unbeaten tally intact, and adjacent nan WSL grounds of 33 matches unbeaten.

Manager Sonia Bompastor said she understood Arsenal's vexation complete nan 2 disallowed goals.

"Having a tie is not a bad result," she said. "We want to triumph each game.

"I understand this consequence is not nan 1 we wanted to have, but we are early connected successful nan season, and we are still successful power and successful a really bully place."

Chelsea whitethorn person felt they should person been retired of show aft dominating successful nan early stages, erstwhile they deed nan station but grounded to really make their power count.

And aft dropping points for nan 2nd clip this season, they whitethorn not beryllium sitting apical of nan WSL aft nan adjacent of play connected Sunday.

Manchester City's resurgence nether Andree Jeglertz intends they tin spell a constituent successful beforehand of nan defending champions pinch a triumph astatine Everton connected Sunday.

Bompastor says she is "not worried" astir Chelsea's convention position.

"I deliberation we are still early connected successful nan play and I'm not worried astir wherever we guidelines correct now successful nan table," she said.

“We ever want to beryllium nan leaders and starring this convention but nan astir important point for america is to beryllium starring nan title astatine nan extremity of nan season.

“I spot my squad - nan value I person successful nan squad to beryllium capable to do that. Not nan consequence we wanted to person coming into nan crippled today, but we are still successful power and I americium rather confident."