Arsenal interim manager Renee Slegers said she believes the Gunners' 5-0 victory over Brighton releases some pressure on the side ahead of crucial fixtures but she is not interested in taking the head coach role permanently.
Arsenal secured their biggest win of the Women's Super League (WSL) season so far on Friday night, securing an emphatic 5-0 victory over third place Brighton, featuring five different goal scorers.
After a slow start to the season, only picking up five points in their first four games, Slegers, who took the role at the helm of Arsenal after Jonas Eidevall resigned last month, believes the result will spur the team on ahead of big games against Juventus in the Champions League and the blockbuster WSL north London derby with Tottenham.
"I think [it does relieve pressure], it looks like that on the outside," she said after the match. "We know for a long time that we have been doing things really well. We've been outperforming our opposition the whole season, apart from Bayern Munich, on XG.
"Success creates momentum so it is very good for us. How the game plays out, the first half is more controlled from our side and in the second half, we have a couple of turnovers and the space gets bigger and that is what we think we are going to face against Juventus as well -- bigger spaces, transitional, player-for-player press.
"In some sense we said there were good lessons to be learned today because things might look similar on Tuesday."
Last weekend, after Arsenal conceded late to forfeit all three points in a 1-1 draw with Manchester United, Slegers admitted that the team needed more intention in the final third and she said the adjustments they made during training were the key to unlocking the emphatic victory.
Beth Mead struck in the opening ten minutes before Caitlin Foord and Frida Maanum added to Arsenal's tally in quick succession. Substitute Lina Hurtig netted in the in the 76th minute before Brighton, who suffered their first loss this season, were dealt another blow when Alessia Russo scored from the spot its stoppage time.
Slegers said it was "very good" for the team to have five forwards score during in the victory.
"Credit to them because they have been working really hard and taking things on board," she added. "Essentially what we focused on the last two days was how we attack and defend the boxes, it has been a big theme in our last couple of days and I am really happy we see that in the game.
"It is not always going to be that easy, you train things for two days and all of a sudden it happens. It is part of a process over a longer time obviously you want to get the rewards when you keep on doing that, so I am happy for the girls."
Arsenal's hunt for a replacement for Eidevall is still ongoing however, Nick Cushing, NYCFC head coach was Arsenal's initial main target. However, he ruled himself out of the running.
While Slegers' undefeated spell as interim has put her in a great place to lead the side permanently, the Dutch coach does not seem interested in the role in a full-time capacity.
"No, I am really not," she said when she was asked if she would consider the role permanently. Some fans even brought a "In Renee we trust" banner to express their desire to appoint Slegers full time.
"I enjoy the role, I want to help the team go forwards, to develop individuals which was my role before and now to try to help develop the team as well.
"Whoever comes next, I work hard to create a good setup so that is really important but what is also important is that we are in the moment now in this block and doing all we can to get results."