We're back under way at the Joie Stadium.

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Ellen White
Former England striker on Football Focus

It is amazing that we are getting world class players coming to the WSL with the likes of Naomi Girma and Keira Walsh. I think it is a bit of a kick up the bottom for other clubs to invest more in the women's game, to go out there and compete. Chelsea are years ahead of the competition at the moment, so other clubs need to take a look at themselves and catch up.

Manchester United boss Marc Skinner is pleased to see extra investment in the women's game, but believes Chelsea's spending in the January transfer window "skews the market".

Women's Super League leaders Chelsea signed United States defender Naomi Girma for £900,000, making her the most expensive female footballer in the world.

On Friday they confirmed a deal for Barcelona's England midfielder Keira Walsh.

"I am happy the investment has come in," said Skinner. "Does it widen the gap? It definitely skews the market a little bit"

Everton boss Brian Sorensen said: "They spend [on one player] what we spend on our squad in an entire year. So that's a gap, right? They are number one in this country and they are that for a reason."

Leicester boss Amandine Miquel, who previously managed French side Reims for seven years, hopes other clubs take note and up their investment.

West Ham boss Rehanne Skinner said a marquee signing like Girma could be the difference in Chelsea winning the Women's Champions League, which would be a good thing for women's football domestically in England.

"It is important to say the money that has been spent on two transfers for two players is more than half of the WSL's whole budget," Skinner said.

Ellen White
Former England striker on Women's Football Weekly

[Naomi Girma] is 24 years old which is absolutely mental.

She was the first pick for the NWSL drafting in 2022, made her full international debut in 2022, was rookie of the year in the NWSL in her first season. She was defender of the year in 2022/23 in the NWSL, USA’s female player of the year in 2023. She won the Olympics and I think her attributes are unbelievable.

I think with American players we always say they’re athletic but I think she’s technically very gifted with both feet. Great defensive intelligence, a great passer of the ball, her speed is phenomenal.

I remember watching her when England played USA at Wembley and you think you’ve got away from her but no in a flash she’s there. She stays on her feet a lot which is quite unheard of with defenders.

She’s really smart and I think she’ll fit into that Chelsea team along side Millie Bright because she can use both feet, which is really hard for a defender because if they’ve got a weak foot that’s the foot you show them to which is tricky, but she can play in a back 3, 4 or 5 so I think that’s really exciting for Chelsea.

I think pace is a big one for me and she’s just so quick and she’s able to read the game very well. She’s just a really exciting player to have in the WSL and I’m sure Chelsea are really excited to have her in the team.

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Jen Beattie
Former Scotland defender on Women's Football Weekly

It felt like [Chelsea] are unstoppable right now. It was a huge day for the club [Arsenal match].

They almost had 34,000 at the game and to beat Arsenal to continue that unbeaten run not just for Chelsea but for [Sonia] Bompastor and then go and announce on the same day that you’ve just signed the best centre back in the world.

It was a huge standpoint of what the club want to do, they don’t want to be stopped, they’re going to go on and achieve absolutely everything.

Naomi Girma is unbelievable. I’ve played with her a bit her in the NWSL and she’s the most humble person, fully deserves it, doesn’t even know how good she is.

You never really know what goes down in negotiations. I have no doubt that every top team in Europe would’ve been after Naomi Girma, every Champions League team that is trying to compete to win it. At her calibre, at her quality, she would’ve had the pick of the bunch and that’s a privilege that not many players have.

I think it’s credit to Chelsea and what they’ve done this season so far, that winning mentality and how they’ve steamrolled everyone so far. Chelsea have edged out for so many reasons and Girma wants to go on and achieve huge things and Champions League is always at the forefront.

The narrative over here for US national team players is that they go to Europe to win the Champions League so she’ll want to do that with Chelsea.

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Steph Houghton
Former Manchester City and England captain on The Monday Night Club

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For Chelsea to be able to attract Naomi Girma, she’s 24, a starter for USA, she is renowned as one of the best defenders in the world, and to be able to get her in this league is huge.

My worry is that it is going to be two or three teams that are buying the best players, so what happens to the rest of the league? This is a lesson for all the other clubs that they need to start investing, they need to put their money to make this as competitive as possible.

It's not just Chloe Kelly who's been the subject of the media headlines this week.

Chelsea have been busy in the later stage of this transfer window with England midfielder Keira Walsh and American defender Naomi Girma joining for a world record fee of around £900,000.

Brilliant for the league? Or widening the gap between Chelsea and the rest even further?

Emma Sanders
BBC Sport women’s football news reporter at Joie Stadium

After the rollercoaster week Manchester City have had, it will be a big blow to lose this but they have bounced back from that terrible start.

Aoba Fujino has been brilliant and looks threatening every time she has the ball.

Arsenal, though, have come to City and gone about their business. There is more to come from them so it's there for the taking.

Laura Bassett
Former England international on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra

Credit to Manchester City for the way they rectified the situation, have gotten back into the game and they certainly finished the strongest.

That's the last action of the first half.

Manchester City have looked the better side after a disastrous start. Can they get back on level terms in the second half?

Laura Bassett
Former England international on BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra

Normally Arsenal have the outlet for Blackstenius but because she's having to defend so deep, for so long, it's impossible for her to stay connected with her team and be an outlet for Arsenal.

They just keep getting deeper and deeper.

Aoba Fujino does really well, cutting inside and weaving through the Arsenal defence. She gets the shot off and forces Daphne van Domselaar into a save down to her right.

Yui Hasegawa loops over a hopeful ball but it's met by an Arsenal shirt. It's pinging round in the box and the visitors struggle to clear.

We're into two minutes of added time.

Emma Sanders
BBC Sport women’s football news reporter at Joie Stadium

Leah Williamson wants to play it out from the back but she hasn't got many options on. She shouts "move" before sending it down the line for Stina Blackstenius to chase.

Joshua: I understand the logistics and reasoning behind it - but I’d have loved to see Chloe Kelly playing against Man City today. I can see her being a great addition for Arsenal & enjoying her football again. Perfect timing before the Euros to get her back at it.

It's all gone fairly quiet at the Joie Stadium.

Particularly given that frantic first 10 minutes.

We haven't had a goal for 22 minutes. Scandalous.

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Emma Sanders
BBC Sport women’s football news reporter at Joie Stadium

The confidence from Aoba Fujino is so obviously sky-high. She flicks the ball past Steph Catley and spins away for a nice one-two before she's eventually stopped. It gets a few "ooh"s from the crowd.

A good bit of defending from Leah Williamson prevents Manchester City building another attack.

Just less than 10 minutes plus added time to go in this half, can City get to the break on level terms?

Arsenal win a corner and Khiara Keating does well to get a hand to the ball and parry away in a packed six-yard box.