Arsenal Women 2-1 Liverpool Women: Stina Blackstenius' late winner seals WSL victory for Gunners 

Here's Laura Howard's on the whistle match report from Arsenal's 2-1 win over Liverpool in the WSL 

Gareth Taylor was left to rue familiar foe as Stina Blackstenius’ late strike gave Arsenal all three points as they beat Liverpool 2-1 at the Emirates Stadium.

In a game full of narratives, Olivia Smith struck the opener in emphatic fashion against her former club, before Beata Olsson took advantage of the Gunners’ failure to harness momentum to level before the break.

Arsenal looked like they would have to settle for a draw as they lacked a clinical edge until Blackstenius’ instinctive finish sealed the points at the death.

Smith looked lively from the off, cutting in from the left to tee Frida Maanum with a shot that was struck straight at Faye Kirby before winning a free-kick just outside the box that was ultimately overhit.

But there were nervy moments as a long ball through to the in-form Olsson caused debutant Anneke Borbe to mistime her sweeping run but she did just enough to disrupt the run of the Liverpool striker.

And it was a warning that seemed to spur the Gunners into action as moments later Lotte Wubben-Moy’s headed effort hit the crossbar.

Then, as if scripted by the Women’s Super League gods, Smith danced through four green shirts before unleashing a low, stinging effort from range to give Arsenal the lead on 16 minutes.

But with Arsenal failing to take the momentum of the opening goal, it was Olsson who stepped up with the goods once again for Liverpool.

As Lily Woodham won the ball back on the halfway line, a quick exchange of passes saw Mia Enderby play the striker through, and having been kept onside by Steph Catley, she slotted past Borbe to level proceedings.

Just four minutes after the restart Alessia Russo was played through in the box and looked primed to score but sent her effort wide of the left post from close-range.

It was uncharacteristic of the Arsenal striker who had the chance to make amends moments later but this time saw an almost identical chance brilliantly tipped wide by Kirby.

And after Russo had seen another palmed wide superbly by Kirby at the back post, it felt like things were just not clicking for Arsenal as substitute Caitlin Foord sent a shot from close range looping over the ball.

Katie McCabe was the second substitute to seek to make an impact, sending a stinging volley fizzing over the crossbar to gasps from the North Stand behind.

But it was Blackstenius who had the pick of the chances among Renee Slegers’ changes in the closing stages as Foord clipped a ball into her path. She rounded the ‘keeper but was stopped by a brilliant block from Gemma Evans.

But if fate had Blackstenius perennially haunting Taylor, it was not resting today as she was once again in position to ‘score the goals’.

Mariona Caldentey’s raking long pass over the top was taken down sumptuously by the Swede who turned to rifle the shot into the top corner on instinct and seal all three points.