Arsenal’s Mariona Caldentey battles Bayern Munich’s Pernille Harder on a challenging night in Germany [Daniela Porcelli/SPP]

THE Arsenal players will be looking to a raucous home crowd to help cheer them on to a much-needed victory tomorrow (Saturday) when they return to Women’s Super League action against Chelsea at the Emirates.

Jonas Eidevall’s side go into the London derby off the back of Wednesday night’s bruising encounter away to Bayern Munich in the Women’s Champions League.

The Gunners started that game on the front foot and took a deserved lead on the half-hour mark when Mariona Caldentey volleyed Katie McCabe’s cross beyond keeper Maria Grohs.

Bayern battled back to go 2-1 up courtesy of a looping header from Glodis Viggosdottir and a strike from Sydney Lohmann.

Arsenal, though, still looked capable of taking something from the tie and pulled the scores level when Laia Codina rose highest in the box to head home McCabe’s in-swinging corner.

But the celebrations were short-lived as former Chelsea forward Pernille Harder spoiled Arsenal’s return to European competition by banging in a 13-minute hat-trick to guide Bayern Munich to a thumping 5-2 victory.