The boos rang out at the Emirates Stadium as the officials exited the pitch at the final whistle, the result of two disallowed Arsenal goals – one for handball and one for offside – the second of which would surely have turned a 1-1 draw into a 2-1 home win if it had stood. Alessia Russo’s late equaliser did at least keep alive the Gunners’ slim hopes of remaining in the title race, the gap between them and Chelsea, the league leaders, remaining at five points.

Renée Slegers had warned that her team would “have to be ready from the get go” against defending Women’s Super League champions, but the message had not stuck. It was Chelsea that stepped on to the pitch with an almost unplayable intensity coursing through them and the Gunners couldn’t cope. The Chelsea press was exceptional, with the players alert to every move, heads up, ready to stifle the home side from stringing passes together over and over again.

That they took the lead was unsurprising and deserved. Thompson was magic and the finish was sublime. The US international, who returned to the starting XI with Aggie Beever-Jones rested as a precaution following the...