Alessia Russo: ‘I had to get out of my comfort zone to make the next step’

Striker on leaving Manchester United, feeling at home at Arsenal and the England colleagues she regards as big and little sisters

The Manchester United fans couldn’t quite believe what they were hearing. There were double-takes all around, but it was happening: the Arsenal away supporters bounced and sang: “Here we goooo, Lotte and Lessi Russo!” The song United fans had sung to the tune of Rockin’ All Over the World for two of their favourites – diehard United supporters Ella Toone and Alessia Russo – was being sung by one of their biggest rivals. “How dare theys” were etched across faces in the crowd. Now, it is the Arsenal duo Lotte Wubben-Moy and Russo whose names are in the song, a playful teasing of United fans, after the Gunners’ recruitment of Russo in the summer on the expiry of her contract.

“I didn’t even know that,” says Russo, a half-sheepish, half-embarrassed smile on her face. Sitting in a red leather chair at Arsenal’s training ground before their top-of-the-table clash against Chelsea, with more than 57,000 tickets sold for the Emirates Stadium on Sunday, she adds: “When you’re in the game, you don’t really feel the banter between fans as much.”

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