Sam Kerr's Chelsea have suffered a humbling defeat in a top-of-the-table clash with Arsenal as her fellow Matildas Steph Catley, Caitlin Foord and Kyra Cooney-Cross celebrated a record-breaking day for the Gunners.
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In front of a crowd of 59,042 at their Emirates Stadium, a new high for a Women's Super League match in England, Arsenal offered their fellow Londoners a rare hiding on Sunday (Monday AEDT), powering to a 4-1 win featuring a double for England World Cup star Alessia Russo.
Kerr has rarely had such a quiet game for the chastened champs, who were off the pace from the start and were dominated by an Arsenal side who have now moved on to the same amount of points, 22, atop the table and are only adrift on goal difference.
In turn, they're both three points clear of Manchester City, who have two other Matildas, Mary Fowler and Alanna Kennedy, in their ranks.
Foord was a lively presence in a buzzing Arsenal attack that took advantage of a shaky Chelsea rearguard clearly missing their England colossus Millie Bright through a knee injury.
The Aussie was involved in the build-up to the first goal as England forward Beth Mead fired in after just eight minutes and although Chelsea responded quickly against the run of play to level through Johanna Rytting Kaneryd, who evaded Catley to fire home left-footed, the home side kept on the front foot..
Chelsea keeper Ann-Katrin Berger then made a mess of trying to collect a Catley corner, allowing Amanda Ilestedt to peel off and head home Arsenal's second, before Russo then also struck superbly on the counter within the space of three minutes.
Russo scored again from the penalty spot in the second half and the scoreline could have been even more damaging with Kerr finally getting her first and only real chance of the day, which resulted in a tame header on goal, deep into stoppage time.
Substitute Cooney-Cross, who's beginning to show her value in recent matches for the Gunners, got a brief cameo at the end of the match.
Before Kerr's quiet day, manager Emma Hayes had explained why the Matildas' captain had needed a break from last week's international duties in Canada.
"People need to understand that Sam played through the World Cup with a significant calf injury and came back injured and has been carrying that injury throughout, plus an issue within her foot," Hayes told the BBC.
"What she's done for her club and country over the past four, five years is nothing short of remarkable - but her body couldn't withstand much more, so she's needed the time to get herself right, because she hasn't been 100 per cent."
In other matches, Liverpool's Australian keeper Teagan Micah made a fine save from Abi Harrison to ensure they escaped with a point in their 1-1 draw with Bristol City.
Australian Associated Press
