Arsenal 4 Chelsea 1

Chelsea striker Lauren James escaped a red card after stamping on Lia Walti during her side’s 4-1 defeat to Arsenal.

James stepped on Arsenal midfielder Walti after giving away a free-kick in the 70th minute of the match at The Emirates, as Chelsea slumped to their first defeat of the Women’s Super League season.

James, who was seemingly frustrated by her lack of goal-scoring opportunities, went in with her studs on Walti, who immediately went down in pain clutching her foot.

The 22-year-old was shown a yellow card by referee Rebecca Welch, who had a busy afternoon in the middle after dishing out six yellow cards - five of which were for Arsenal - as tempers boiled over in an occasionally heated match.

James was substituted five minutes after the incident, which had echoes of her reckless stamp on Michelle Alozie during the Women’s World Cup, when she was sent off during England’s last-16 clash against Nigeria.

James received a two-match ban for that incident, but returned in time for the World Cup final, where England were edged out 1-0 to Spain.

Both managers would not be drawn on the stamp after the match. “I saw it but I don’t think I can really comment on it,” said Jonas Eidevall, the Arsenal manager. “We had six yellow cards, they had one in a game where it’s very even from a foul perspective. It is what it is.”

When pressed on the incident, Emma Hayes, the Chelsea manager, replied: “No, I didn’t see anything.”

Report: Mead and Russo spark demolition of Chelsea

Arsenal drew level on points with title rivals Chelsea at the top of the Women’s Super League table after sealing an emphatic victory over the defending champions in front of a record crowd at the Emirates.

Alessia Russo scored twice – including from the spot – as Jonas Eidevall’s side completed a demolition job on the defending champions, who slumped to their first defeat of the season.

Beth Mead continued to show that she is back to her clinical best since returning from a serious knee injury after putting the hosts ahead with an explosive close-range finish.

Chelsea, who are on a mission to land a fifth-straight domestic title in Emma Hayes’ final season before she takes over as manager of the United States’ national women’s team, equalised almost immediately through Johanna Rytting Kaneryd.

The Swedish striker arrowed a low shot into the bottom corner to beat Manuela Zinsberger to silence the 59,042-strong crowd in north London, bettering by some distance the previous WSL attendance record of 54,115 Arsenal set in October.

But the reigning champions endured a nightmare end to a frantic first-half in which they were made to pay for their sloppiness at the back as Arsenal, who are major contenders to upset Chelsea’s hegemony this season, seized upon the west Londoners’ defensive frailties.

Eidevall’s side retook the lead through Amanda Ilestedt’s thumping header – with Mead providing an inch-perfect delivery – as the hosts turned up the heat on a grey day.

Minutes later, Russo, who spent most of the game terrorising Chelsea’s backline with probing runs, stretched Arsenal’s lead with a clinical low finish shortly before the break.

Hayes, who cut a frustrated figure on the touchline for most of the match, made a triple change at half-time – with Fran Kirby thrown on for Sjoeke Nusken to add more attacking edge – but Chelsea only endured more misery at the back.

Arsenal were awarded a penalty when keeper Ann-Katrin Berger flew out and barged into Russo, who converted from the spot to add extra gloss to her side’s performance and dent Chelsea’s title hopes.

Match details

Arsenal (4-3-3-1) Zinsberger; McCabe, Ilestedt, Wubben-Moy, Catley (Maritz 75); Pelova (Cooney-Cross 93), Walti; Mead (Lacasse 75), Little (Maanu 61), Foord; Russo (Blackstenius 75).
Booked: McCabe, Foord, Maanum, Maritz, Pelova.
Subs not used: D’Angelo (g), Beattie, Miedema, Codina.
Chelsea (4-2-3-1) Berger; Perriset (Lawrence 45), Mjelde (Buchanan 45), Carter, Charles; Nusken (Kirby 45), Cuthbert; Rytting-Kaneryd (Reiten 64), Fleming, James (Fishel 75); Kerr.
Booked: James.
Subs not used: Musovic (g), Hampton (g), Ingle, Beever-Jones.
Referee: Rebecca Welch.
Attendance: 59,042.