Joe Montemurro described his team’s tough 3-2 victory over Liverpool as a “big, big win” after a thumping header from Vivianne Miedema helped a makeshift Arsenal stay in the Women’s Super League title race.

“All the big teams find a way. It shows the character and belief that this team has,” said Montemurro.

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With the bit between their teeth it looked like Liverpool would take a valuable point off the champions but Miedema, who is struggling with a back injury, headed home her 16th league goal of the season to deny them a chance to move clear of bottom-placed Bristol City.

“I’m just glad I could even play tonight,” said Miedema when asked whether she had been worried about having gone four league games without a goal.

“We just need to keep going. I’ve got a sore back, hopefully it would solve itself soon, the pitches we play on don’t help sometimes.”

Having not played in 18 days as three of their last four home games were postponed due to the state of the Prenton Park pitch, the visit of Arsenal was switched from Tranmere’s home to Chester’s Deva Stadium, which is likely to be their home for the remainder of the season.

“It’s tough because you prep to play Birmingham and then you turn up and it’s off, and then you do the same for Everton and it’s off,” said the Liverpool manager, Vicky Jepson. “But we are a professional group with a positive culture and everybody digs deep. Chester have been incredible. The groundsmen are already out looking after the pitch for us, we’re not used to that.

“This stadium is perfect for us, people laugh because it’s in Wales, but it’s incredible, it’s got grass on it, what more do you want?” said Jepson with a grin.

Facebook Twitter Pinterest Vivianne Miedema celebrates her winner. Photograph: Lewis Storey/Getty Images

Liverpool may have had only one win from their 12 outings and been level on points with bottom-placed Bristol before kick-off but look more closely at the league table and the potential that exists in Jepson’s side is clear. They have a superior goal difference to the three clubs above them and their defeats have been narrow.

Arsenal are not without problems of their own. With Kim Little having undergone surgery on a foot injury, Lia Wälti still absent and Jill Roord suspended, Montemurro was forced to push Leah Williamson forward into the midfield and to field a bench with just four outfield players on it – two 16-year-olds, one 17-year-old and a returning Jen Beattie. “I’m getting hammered everywhere, it’s fine,” said Montemurro of criticism of his decision to stick with a small squad.

“We’ve been stretched for a while. I’m not going to make any excuses.

“I’m not going to sign a player saying ‘you might play when player number six or seven gets injured’ that’s just not the way I do things. We’ve had a lot of unfortunate situations and that’s the reality.”

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Needing a win to stay in the title race, Arsenal began brightly but were wasteful with their chances and, with close to 15 minutes played, a sublime one-touch Rachel Furness through-ball set Rinsola Babajide free in a race against Louise Quinn. The Ireland international was no match for the forward’s pace and Babajide slipped the ball low past Pauline Peyraud-Magnin in the Arsenal goal.

Babajide continued to cause problems but Liverpool seemed to play their way into trouble a little too easily, with a determination to play out from the back struggling under the Gunners’ high press. Two goals in two minutes was the punishment.

A Jordan Nobbs ball from the right was deflected away but Miedema beat everyone in the middle to push the ball past Anke Preuss. Then, Nobbs was on hand to head in from close range after a pinpoint cross from Lisa Evans on the left. The impressive Thursday night crowd fell silent but on the stroke of half-time they roared back into life as Furness’s first-time finish, after an Evans clearance was headed to her feet, drew Liverpool level.

Arsenal though, have a game-changer in Miedema and a powerful header from the Dutch forward ended the renaissance. “It was a good performance for us,” reflected Jepson. “We’ve had two weeks of not playing. It’s broken our momentum.We’ve got to learn from the mistakes but for the full 90 minutes our standards were high and if we keep them like that for the rest of the season we’ll be alright. There’s nine games left in the league, nine games.”