Alessia Russo showcased her talent with a stunning 22-minute hat-trick during the north London derby, leading Arsenal to a decisive 5-2 victory over Tottenham in the Women's Super League. Manager Renee Slegers commended Russo's growth, noting her increased communication and leadership on the pitch.

In her post-match comments, Slegers highlighted Russo's evolution:

In training, she is communicating more and instructing more, driving the team by being vocal. You can see that she's stepping up.

• Russo has now joined the leadership group at Arsenal, displaying humility and a desire to perform at her best.

The match saw Russo eliminate Tottenham's threat early on, scoring her first goal within five minutes and securing her hat-trick before the half-hour mark. After the match, Russo expressed her joy:

I love to score goals as much as I can and to do it here at the Emirates in a north London derby is really nice. It's a good three points moving on to the rest of the season.

Following this victory and Manchester United's defeat to Manchester City, Arsenal finds itself in a strong position for a Champions League spot, currently sitting second in the league with three matches remaining and two games in hand over rivals Chelsea and Manchester United.

Kim Little, celebrating her 400th appearance for Arsenal, praised Russo's leadership development since joining the club in 2023:

This year, she has stepped up in terms of leadership. That has brought out even more in her game.

In a week where United struggled to score, Arsenal's offense flourished, netting 10 goals across two matches, with Russo contributing four. She now ranks third in the Women's Super League with nine goals and four assists from 18 appearances, averaging a goal involvement every 1.38 games.