A rejuvenated Arsenal enjoyed a fifth win from six games without defeat under the stewardship of their interim head coach Renée Slegers as they coasted to a surprisingly easy victory away at neighbours Tottenham in a disappointingly one-sided north London derby.

It took just under 64 seconds for Arsenal to take the lead, with the England striker Alessia Russo emphatically lashing in a first-time strike with her left foot before Tottenham had scarcely had a chance to touch the ball, and when a neat passing move led to the Norway midfielder Frida Maanum being afforded too much time and space in the box to stroke the ball low into the bottom corner for Arsenal’s second in the 22nd minute, the contest felt as good as over.