Jonas Eidevall lauds Arsenal after crushing Lyon in ‘best performance’ in Women’s Champions League

Beth Mead and Caitlin Foord both scored twice while Frida Maanum also got on the scoresheet as Arsenal dismantled the Women’s Champions League holders in France.

Eidevall was impressed with what he saw against the French side who have won six of the last seven Champions League titles.

“I think it’s the best performance that I’ve seen the team give,” he told reporters after the match.

“Both on and off the ball. The belief and the quality that we had in the game plan was very, very high, so I’m really proud of the players.

“We were very efficient in the game, we were effective. But we’ve worked so hard to get those margins.

“We won so many balls in dangerous areas but we also moved the ball very well out from the back under pressure and waited for the right moments to go in behind.

“So all the goals have a special place in my mind.”

Eidevall also praised the performance of Maanum after she produced a fine display in the No. 10 role in her first start of the season.

He said: “We spoke before about the Ajax away game, with Lotte being able to come off the bench and putting on a huge performance.

“I would say the same thing with Frida: she practised so well, trained so hard and prepared so well for when this opportunity would come.

“I’m so happy for those players because they have been doing a lot of work that people haven’t seen. It’s so nice when they play and get to see the rewards.”

Arsenal take on Liverpool in the WSL on Sunday afternoon. Eidevall says his side can take nothing for granted as the Gunners bid to go top of the table.

“We’re not entitled to anything,” the Swede added.

“You always have to put in the work and it starts with preparation. Now, we need to prepare for Liverpool.

“That’s gonna require a huge performance from us in order to get the result there. So now it starts: refresh, recover, prepare, and then we have to do all that over again. You get nothing for free in football.

“We need to put in the work again and again and again.”