Beth Mead’s late effort spared Arsenal of an opening day WSL defeat as Jonas Eidevall’s side came from behind to draw 2-2 with Manchester City in a pulsating game at the Emirates Stadum on Sunday.

The returning Vivienne Miedema should have given the Citizens an early lead after Kim Little’s loose touch was pounced on by the former Gunners star, but her effort agonisingly trickled past the post having beaten the back peddling Manuela Zinsberger in the Arsenal goal.

Eidevall’s side responded after just eight minutes with a brilliantly worked opening goal to take the lead as Caitlin Foord’s phenomenal cross found the feet of Stina Blackstenius, whose deft touch laid the ball off perfectly for Frida Maanum to fire home.

The Gunners continued to turn the screw on City and should have extended their lead after 15 minutes when Blackstenius found space in behind the Citizens defence.

The Swede, who had come into the starting line-up in place of Lioness Alessia Russo, did well to round City keeper Ayaka Yamashita but her prodded effort rolled harmlessly outside the post to keep the score at 1-0.

Gunners star Katie McCabe made two excellent last-ditch blocks to deny City’s Jess Park and Khadija Shaw midway through the first half, but Miedema’s technical quality came back to haunt her former club as the Dutch international drew Gareth Taylor’s side level on 42 minutes.

Little was slow to react to Miedema’s poor touch, giving the all-time WSL top scorer a chance to regain her composure on the edge of the Gunners box, nutmegging Lotte Wubben-Moy in the process and firing a deflected effort in off Laia Codina to make it 1-1.

Despite some promising moments for City to go into the break ahead, it was Arsenal who should have regained their lead moments before the half-time whistle.

The lively figure of Blackstenius latched on to an excellent through ball from goal scorer Maanum, although her tame effort was easily saved by Yamashita as the two teams went into the break on level terms.

The second half began much like the first with immediate intent from Eidevall’s side to break beyond the City press.

Some tidy footwork from Little and Maanum saw the Norwegian find herself in clear space down the left flank, but her low cross for Blackstenius’ finish was ruled out for an offside in the build-up.

As City insisted on playing through Arsenal’s steely, out of possession, mid-block, Australian midfielder Kyra Cooney-Cross dispossessed Miedema on the halfway line to launch a counter attack just seven minutes into the second half.

Last season’s winter signing beat two City defenders with good feet to open up space inside the box and would have put the Gunners back in front were it not for Alex Greenwood’s outstanding sliding block.

The outstanding McCabe continued to cause issues in transition for Taylor’s side as she occasionally inverted to offer an extra body in midfield, although the Citizens managed her presence well by bringing Miedema further back to cover the vacant space.

On 58 minutes, City turned the game on its head through an astonishing strike from Park.

A seemingly harmless long ball found the head of Miedema whose knockdown landed in front of Park on the edge of the Arsenal penalty area. An excellent piece of control allowed her time and space to fire a half-volleyed effort in off the crossbar from 25 yards to give City a deserved 2-1 lead.

The away side then continued to produce some excellent chances as Gunners captain Little was muscled off the ball in the centre of the park by Jamaican forward Shaw, but her controlled pass into the feet of Lauren Hemp was wasted as the England forward fired her effort over the bar.

Eidevall made the decision to bring on Mead and Russo late on and was nearly rewarded instantaneously as the latter broke away from the Manchester City backline with just Yamashita to beat.

The Lioness was denied however with a poor strike straight into the arms of the Japanese goalkeeper as a collective groan reverberated around the Emirates.

The former Manchester United striker later had England colleague Mead to thank as summer signing Rosa Kafaji’s late surging run down the left flank found the unmarked Mead, who spared Russo’s earlier blushes to bring her WSL opening day tally to eight goals.

A fiery finish to the match that saw referee Abi Byrne hand out numerous cautions, most notably to Gunners’ boss Jonas Eidevall for seemingly waving an imaginary yellow card, ended with a flurry of Man City chances, none of which were converted as the two WSL title hopefuls left the Emirates with a point apiece.