Arsenal scored twice in stoppage time as England forward Beth Mead, playing her first game for 11 months after a serious knee injury, helped the Gunners grab a dramatic win over Aston Villa.

Mead came on in the 88th minute and set up the winning goal, scored by her Lionesses team-mate Alessia Russo to spark scenes of celebration for the majority of a crowd of more than 35,000 at Emirates Stadium.

The Gunners had been heading for their second successive home loss before Katie McCabe fired into the roof of the net in the 92nd minute to set up the incredible finish.

Villa had taken a first-half lead against the run of play when Maz Pacheco was left unmarked and powered in a header from Lucy Staniforth's superb corner in the 25th minute.

But, in a frantic finale that also saw Arsenal's Stina Blackstenius hit the post and have a shot cleared off the line, Villa could not hold on for what would have been their first win of the season.