When Arsenal boss Jonas Eidevall was asked last month if Alessia Russo could develop into a 20-goal-a-season striker, he gave a simple, assured, one-word answer: “Yes.”

On Sunday, the England star netted her 10th for the current campaign, a match-winning effort against Tottenham that not only gave the Gunners revenge after a first-ever defeat to their north London rivals in December, it also meant her team stayed within three points of Women’s Super League leaders Chelsea.

Russo will struggle to hit that 20 mark this season as Arsenal have a maximum of just 12 games left on their calendar. But the four goals she has netted in her last five outings for club and country have supported Eidevall’s belief that she can get there over time.

And if the Gunners can work to get more out of their marquee summer signing before the campaign is over, then it could help them have a successful end to a season that has stuttered and stalled, but still sees them in with a chance of a Continental Cup triumph and an unlikely WSL title.