ARSENAL midfielder Jordan Nobbs warned their rivals today that this team wants to be “challenging for this title.”

The Gunners were made to work hard for their 2-1 victory over West Ham as they started their defence as Women’s Super League champions.

Nobbs, who is returning from a 10-month knee injury which cost her a place in England’s World Cup squad, narrowly missed the opportunity to put the game to bed after coming on with just over 20 minutes to go.

Speaking about her return to first-team action and the team’s ambitions this season, she said: “It’s been amazing putting on the Arsenal shirt again.

“We have high standards, we have a very competitive team and I want to be on this pitch and be back fit, and we want to be challenging for this title.

“It’s been nine months, I’m not where I want to be yet but hopefully the club will get me as fit as possible.

“We have strengthened our squad so we have options.

“But we have to look at the Champions League and perform week in, week out with top quality players.”

It looked to be plain-sailing for the home side after Beth Mead and Jill Roord, on her debut, had put Arsenal two goals in front before the break.

Martha Thomas pulled one back for the Hammers after the interval and struck the woodwork twice late-on to nearly leave with a point.

The Gunners held on to move to the top of the WSL table and midfielder Kim Little admitted that Arsenal were far from their best on the day, saying: “We turned up today but not as well as we would have liked. West Ham put up a great fight but we came out on top.”