Hemp double leads Manchester City past Arsenal in 4-2 comeback

Lauren Hemp scored twice as Manchester City recovered from two deficits to beat Arsenal 4-2 at the Etihad Stadium on Sunday, October 4. The defending Women's Super League champions made it five wins from five league matches, according to City's official match report.

Watch the highlights:

Lisa Baum put Arsenal ahead in the 43rd minute, but Hemp equalised before half-time with a shot that deflected off Emily Fox. Arsenal then regained the advantage four minutes into the second half through Alessia Russo, leaving City to chase the game again after their first comeback.

Andrée Jeglertz turned to his bench just after the hour, and substitute Kerstin Casparij brought City level in the 63rd minute with a curling finish. Hemp scored her second in the 72nd minute, meeting Yui Hasegawa's cross to give the hosts the lead for the first time.

Bunny Shaw added City's fourth in the 84th minute to complete the scoring. The league leaders now have an international break before their next WSL fixture, a home meeting with Brighton & Hove Albion at the Joie Stadium on October 18, City's match report confirmed.

In a separate reaction report published by the club, Hemp credited the team's determination for getting through a difficult contest. Speaking to BBC Sport, she said the players' willingness to compete for every ball had helped them overcome Arsenal, whom she praised for their passing and attacking play. Hemp finished with two goals and an assist, while the victory left City ten points ahead of the Gunners.

The result also followed City's 1-1 Champions League draw with Real Madrid less than three days earlier. The club's reaction report noted that they remain unbeaten across all competitions this season, having drawn their first two European fixtures. Hemp acknowledged that those draws had fallen short of the team's expectations and welcomed the return to winning ways. She said the focus after the international break would be on continuing their strong start, taking each match in turn.