Arsenal moved into the Women’s Super League’s top three at the expense of Manchester City after emerging with a 4-3 victory from a breathless encounter at the Joie Stadium.

The Gunners raced into a 2-0 lead after Mariona Caldentey pounced on a City mistake in the first minute and Lotte Wubben-Moy added a header in the eighth.

City hit back through Mary Fowler’s 20th-minute header, and an Arsenal error then led to their former player Vivianne Miedema equalising five minutes into the second half.

A minute later Frida Maanum put Arsenal back in front, and after a controversially-awarded Fowler penalty swiftly brought things all square again, Stina Blackstenius then struck what proved the winner with 12 minutes of normal time to go.

It saw Renee Slegers’ side move up from fourth to second in the table, going in front of Manchester United on goal difference and seven points behind Chelsea ahead of those sides playing at Tottenham and Aston Villa respectively later on Sunday.

Gareth Taylor’s City are left two points outside the Champions League spots having suffered a fourth defeat in their last six WSL matches.

While much of the talk in the build-up to the contest had revolved around Chloe Kelly, whose move on loan from City to Arsenal for the rest of the season was confirmed just as Thursday’s transfer deadline passed, the England winger was ineligible for involvement in the fixture.

That also applied to Laura Wienroither after her loan switch the other way, but there was one deadline-day signing among the matchday squads, with United States left-back Jenna Nighswonger named on the Arsenal bench following her arrival on a permanent deal from Gotham FC.

City’s starting line-up included goalkeeper Khiara Keating returning for her first WSL appearance since last month’s 4-2 derby defeat to Manchester United.

That game had seen Taylor’s side punished for sloppiness at the back – and it was a similar story in the opening few seconds of this one as Keating passed the ball to Laia Aleixandri and she was dispossessed by Caldentey, who advanced into the box and curled into the corner.

City then did not have much chance to react before they had conceded again, Wubben-Moy getting to Kyra Cooney-Cross’ free-kick ahead of Keating to nod in.

And it almost got even worse for the hosts moments later with Blackstenius being played in only to be thwarted by a last-ditch Rebecca Knaak challenge.

They then started to find some rhythm, and after Leila Ouahabi fired just off-target, the deficit was reduced when Fowler headed home at the back post from Aoba Fujino’s cross.

Fujino subsequently sent another delivery spinning onto the top of the bar, before Arsenal goalkeeper Daphne van Domselaar dealt with a Miedema strike and did well to keep out a Yui Hasegawa effort, either side of Alessia Russo being denied by Keating.

The second half then began as the first had, with an early mistake yielding a goal, although it was Arsenal guilty this time as they lost possession and Miedema took advantage, smashing past Van Domselaar – but within seconds the visitors had regained the lead as Caldentey fed Maanum and the Norwegian slotted in for 3-2.

A chaotic few minutes then continued with City drawing level again in the 55th minute in contentious circumstances after Fujino went down went down under the attentions of Steph Catley.

While it appeared the challenge may have taken place outside of the box, referee Cheryl Foster pointed to the spot and – with no VAR in use – Fowler converted to restore parity.

There was further frustration for Arsenal moments later as a huge chance fell to Blackstenius but she put her shot wide – but the Swede then made amends when she met Beth Mead’s cross to sidefoot in and give the away side the lead once again.

That proved the decisive moment, with City substitute Khadija Shaw seeing her subsequent appeal that Leah Williamson had handled in the box dismissed by Foster.