Beth Mead scored a first-half headed winner as title-chasing Arsenal claimed a nervy 2-1 Women’s Super League victory over Everton to move level on points with leaders Chelsea.

Caitlin Foord had given the Gunners an early lead which was cancelled out by Katja Snoeijs. Mead restored Arsenal’s advantage just before half-time, with the home side guilty of wasting numerous chances to finish the game.

The win sees Arsenal move level on 25 points with league leaders and reigning champions Chelsea, with the Blues – who face Manchester United in Sunday’s early kickoff – having played a game fewer than their London rivals.

Also on Sunday, Manchester City, who are third and three points behind the top two, take on Liverpool at home while West Ham United meet Tottenham Hotspur and Brighton & Hove Albion face bottom side Bristol City.

The Arsenal head coach Jonas Eidevall said his team must be more ruthless and believed the Gunners should have won by a far greater margin.

“I said to the players, the first 70 minutes I am really happy with our performance – the only thing that is missing is to have a bigger goal margin. I think if Everton would have scored at the end we would have been really kicking ourselves for the way we played the last 15 minutes.

“We think way too much about the scoreline and not enough about the football we want to play and we lose that bravery and collective understanding of how we want to act in situations. It was a game in two different episodes. One until the 70th minute that we can be really pleased about and then the last 20 minutes which we need to learn from.

“If we do that too many times we will concede a goal. Today, luckily we didn’t. That is the best thing, if you can learn without paying the consequence you should always try to take that in life.”