Sky Sports delivered a comprehensive recap of Sunday’s Women's Super League fixtures, highlighting Chelsea’s emphatic 5-0 victory over Manchester United at Leigh Sports Village – the first win of the season for the Blues and a stark illustration of the difficulties faced by United’s new manager, Eva Olid, in her inaugural home match. Both sides entered the weekend without a win after the opening round of the campaign, yet it was Chelsea who seized control from the opening whistle. The visitors imposed their rhythm early, creating chances and testing United’s defensive organization.
The first half saw Chelsea comfortably ahead thanks to a well‑crafted strike from Sjoeke Nusken and a superbly executed finish by the ever‑reliable Keira Walsh, who curled a powerful drive from the edge of the box into the top corner. By the break, the scoreline reflected Chelsea’s dominance and United’s mounting concerns. The second half offered no respite for Manchester United.
Lauren James, who was later named player of the match, extended the lead in the 61st minute with a composed finish that showcased her pace and technical ability. Just four minutes later, Ellie Carpenter added another goal, capitalising on a swift counter‑attack and demonstrating why she is considered one of the league’s most dynamic midfielders. The final nail in the coffin came in stoppage time when Lucy Bronze, the seasoned England captain, slotted home a calm, low‑driven shot, sealing a 5-0 rout. Olid’s side now faces a daunting challenge as they travel to Arsenal for their next fixture, hoping to secure their first league points of the season.
The loss underscores the steep learning curve for the new United coach, who must quickly adapt her tactics and motivate a squad that has struggled to find cohesion. In other WSL action, Manchester City remained the sole unbeaten side after a convincing 4-1 triumph over Aston Villa. Villa had impressed on the opening weekend by drawing 1-1 with Chelsea, but their resilience faded within the first 14 minutes of this match.
Akane Okuma, the hero of Stamford Bridge the previous week, made an uncharacteristic error when she mis‑directed a corner, allowing defender Jade Rose to head the ball home for City. Mary Fowler doubled the lead shortly after with a thunderous strike from the edge of the area. Villa managed to pull one back before halftime when debutant Amalie Vangsgaard found the net, offering a glimmer of hope. However, the visitors’ hopes were quickly extinguished when Khadija Bunny Shaw displayed clinical finishing, deftly dinking the ball into the far corner after regaining possession high up the pitch.
Lauren Hemp, who celebrated her 100th goal involvement with an assist for Shaw’s goal, capped the scoring in stoppage time. Her shot deflected off Mathilde Harviken and flew into the far corner, completing a dominant performance for City under Andree Jeglertz’s guidance. The victory kept the defending champions at the top of the table, two points clear, and the only team with a perfect start.
Further down the table, newly promoted Crystal Palace earned a valuable point by holding Arsenal to a 0-0 draw at the Emirates. France’s goalkeeper Pauline Peyraud‑Magnin delivered an inspired performance, making several crucial saves despite Arsenal unleashing a staggering 30 attempts, nine of which were on target. Arsenal’s most promising opportunity came from England international Alessia Russo, whose powerful left‑wing cross set her up for a one‑on‑one chance nine minutes before halftime, but her shot sailed wide of the far post, underscoring the difficulty of breaking through Peyraud‑Magnin’s reflexes. Brighton staged a dramatic comeback against fellow newcomers Birmingham, salvaging a 2-2 draw thanks to a last‑minute strike from Kiko Seike.
Birmingham had taken a 2-0 lead by the 60th minute through well‑timed finishes from Oceane Hurtre and Lily Crosthwaite. The Seagulls applied relentless pressure, and although former Palace goalkeeper Sophie Baggaley kept Birmingham in the game with a series of impressive saves, defensive lapses in the final minutes proved costly. Olivia Garcia reacted quickest to Baggaley’s initial save to reduce the deficit, and Seike’s opportunistic finish from a tight angle slipped under the goalkeeper, completing the comeback.
Charlton Athletic endured a harsh night at Goodison Park, reduced to nine players and ultimately losing 1-0 to Everton. After a heavy 4-0 defeat to Liverpool in the opening weekend, Charlton showed signs of improvement but were undone by a late own‑goal. Holly McNamara’s cross was inadvertently turned into her own net by Leighanne Robe after Charlton had already been reduced to ten men following a straight red card for Ashleigh Neville’s high challenge on Ruby Mace. The situation worsened when Hawa Cissoko received two yellow cards in quick succession during stoppage time, leaving the Addicks with just nine players as the final whistle blew.
The loss leaves Charlton second from bottom, ahead of Manchester United only on goal difference. At the Totally Wicked Stadium, Liverpool were held to a 1-1 draw by Tottenham Hotspur despite dominating possession and creating numerous chances.
Tottenham took the lead just before half‑time when Signe Gaupset delivered a cross from the left byline that deflected off Sam Kerr and looped over goalkeeper Khiara Keating. Liverpool responded in the second half, with Aurelie Csillag heading in a near‑post finish to level the score shortly before the hour mark.
Although Liverpool pressed for a winner, they could only settle for a point. These results illustrate the early narrative of the 2024‑25 WSL season: Chelsea’s resurgence, Manchester City’s continued dominance, and the fierce battles for survival among newly promoted clubs. As the league progresses, each team will look to refine tactics, integrate new signings, and capitalize on the momentum generated in these opening fixtures.