Alessia Russo has hit on a rich run of scoring form under Renee Slegers
Alessia Russo scored for a fourth consecutive Women's Super League game as Arsenal beat Aston Villa to stretch their unbeaten run to eight games under Renee Slegers.
Injury deprived interim head coach Slegers of her preferred midfield duo of Lia Walti and Kim Little, but two goals from Russo and one each from Beth Mead and Stina Blackstenius earned Arsenal a seventh win since Jonas Eidevall stepped down in October.
Russo gave the hosts a 17th-minute lead when she produced a glancing header to direct Kyra Cooney-Cross' inswinging free-kick from the left into the right corner.
The England striker has now scored in four WSL games in a row for the first time in her career, with this hot streak of form coinciding with the change of coach.
Only a superb double save from Villa goalkeeper Sabrina D'Angelo prevented Arsenal from quickly adding to Russo's opener, with the Canada international denying Mariona Caldentey before blocking Frida Maanum's follow-up.
But D'Angelo could do nothing to stop Mead scoring Arsenal's second of the afternoon, the England attacker reacting quickest when Maanum's flick rebounded off the post.
Almost an hour had gone when Villa mustered their first shot of the game, but Chasity Grant delayed after running behind the defence and saw her effort blocked.
Russo had the ball in the Villa net less than a minute later but was denied by a belated offside flag.
Villa were not spared a second time though as substitute Blackstenius beat the offside trap and steered Katie McCabe's clever through ball past D'Angelo.
The Sweden striker should have scored another but hit the post when one-on-one with D'Angelo.
In injury-time Russo curled a sumptuous strike into the top corner for her second goal of the afternoon and Arsenal's fourth.
A third shutout league victory in a row moved Arsenal back up to third in the table, ahead of Manchester United who thrashed Liverpool 4-0 earlier on Sunday. Sleger's side are nine points behind league leaders Chelsea.
Villa have taken just six points from their opening nine games under Robert de Pauw and sit a point above the relegation zone.
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