Arsenal hat-trick hero Vivianne Miedema fires warning to title rivals: We were strong against Liverpool

Arsenal Women beat Liverpool Women 5-0 at Boreham Wood. CREDIT ARSENAL FC (Image: Archant)

The 22-year-old striker opened the scoring on six minutes after she slotted home from close range following Katie McCabe’s cross to put Joe Montemurruo’s impressive Gunners 1-0 ahead.

The former Bayern Munich attacker forward then turned provider to set up Lisa Evans to make it 2-0 eight minutes later.

The 5ft 9in forward was the architect as Kim Little showed composure to finish past shellshocked Reds keeper Anke Preuss ten minutes before half-time before Miedema scuffed in the fourth 240 seconds later as Arsenal went into the break 4-0 up.

She then completed her treble – the first by an Arsenal player in the WSL since Gunners and England legend Kelly Smith four years ago – by aiming a powerful drive into the roof of the net with moments remaining after being teed up by McCabe following an indirect free-kick in the box.

Speaking after the match she said: “It’s very good to start the season like this. We know what we’ve been doing in pre-season, and it’s nice we showed it.

“We played a really good in the first half, second half a bit less, but we were all tired from national team duty. But to record a five-goal win first off, that’s good.

“I feel good, I feel fit again and I think you can see that on the pitch. I just hope that this is going to be a good year, not just for me but for the whole team.

“I think we’re really strong and I just hope we can show that all season long.

“I wasn’t that worried about getting the hat-trick goal, I more just wanted to make sure we all stayed fit, until the end of the game, because you could see we were tired.”

Arsenal were majestic as they showed excellent movement on and off the flair, supplemented with touch, tecnhique and flair allied with a high intensity which never allowed the beleagured visitors to settle.

The scoreline could have been more as the influential Jordan Nobbs fired across the face of goal late on while Liverpool’s best chance was a dangerous long-range shot by Christie Murray’s which was tipped over by keeper Pauline Peyraud-Magnin.

Montemurro’s side face a trip to Sussex to play Lewes in the FA Continental Tyres Cup next and Miedema added: “We need to stay focused – we know that the cup is important for us as well, we need to win trophies, so a game against Lewes is as important as one against Liverpool.

“We have a good team, everyone can see that. It’s important for a club like Arsenal that we get back into the Champions League, that’s got to be our main goal, but the cups are important too.”

Follow Arsenal reporter Layth on Twitter @laythy29