Arsenal recorded their first Women's Super League win since the opening day of the season as they came from behind in contentious circumstances to beat Tottenham 2-1 in the north London derby.

Alessia Russo's 56th-minute penalty, awarded after Cathinka Tandberg's clearance smashed into the raised arm of substitute Ella Morris, completed the turnaround.

It was the first time in 31 matches -- stretching back to March 2023 -- Spurs had lost in the league having scored the opening goal and the hosts' woes were also compounded by a serious-looking injury to Alice Sombath.

Arsenal's win eased some of the pressure on head coach Renee Slegers, who had come under scrutiny having overseen just one victory in the previous seven matches in all competitions.

She will have been pleased with the character shown by her side after a terrible opening phase in which her side struggled to string passes together.

It was that slackness in possession which led to the opening goal with former Gunner Victoria Pelova seizing on a loose ball to counter and win a 13th-minute corner.

From the set-piece Tandberg out-jumped the trio of Stephanie Catley, Georgia Stanway and Emily Fox to head home corner.

But they were ahead for just four minutes before Russo's cut-back saw Stanway shoot from the edge of the area and although Lize Kop got a hand on the ball she could not prevent it from going in off the underside of the crossbar.

Early in the second half Sombath was carried off in tears on a stretcher after injuring her knee and her replacement Morris was to feature in the game's most contentious decision.

Kop brilliantly stopped Russo's first-time shot and from the corner Lisa Baum's shot against the post created some panic in the Spurs defence, with Tanberg blasting the rebound into Morris at close quarters.

Referee Phoebe Cross pointed to the spot and Russo sent the goalkeeper the wrong way for just her second goal of the season.