Sky Sports recapped 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 campaign for the Blues. Both sides had failed to secure points over the opening weekend, but the visitors imposed their will from the opening whistle, delivering a harsh lesson for new United manager Eva Olid in her inaugural home match. Chelsea entered the break with a comfortable lead after goals from Sjoeke Nusken and a superb strike by Keira Walsh, who curled a powerful drive from just outside the box into the top corner. The second half saw the dominance continue, with Lauren James earning the player‑of‑the‑match award after netting in the 61st minute, followed by Ellie Carpenter’s finish at 65 minutes.
The final nail in the coffin came when Lucy Bronze tapped in the last kick of the game, sealing a comprehensive win. United now must wait for another opportunity to claim their first league points, with a daunting away fixture against Arsenal looming on Saturday. In other WSL action, Manchester City remained the sole unbeaten side after a 4-1 triumph over Aston Villa, extending their perfect start. Villa had impressed with a 1-1 draw against Chelsea in week one, but their resilience unraveled within 14 minutes of the second‑week clash.
Akane Okuma, the hero of Stamford Bridge, mis‑controlled a corner, allowing Jade Rose to slot home for City. Mary Fowler doubled the lead with a low drive from the edge of the area.
Villa fought back before halftime when debutant Amalie Vangsgaard scored to halve the deficit. The second half saw Villa create chances, including a shot that struck the post. Khadija Bunny Shaw then showcased her clinical edge, finishing a beautifully dinking ball after winning it high up the pitch. Lauren Hemp, who celebrated her 100th goal involvement with an assist for Shaw, later added a fourth in stoppage time; her effort deflected off Mathilde Harviken and curled into the far corner, completing a flawless display orchestrated by manager Andrée Jeglertz.
City now sit two points clear at the summit as the only team with a flawless record. Further down the table, newly promoted Crystal Palace earned a 0-0 draw against Arsenal at the Emirates, thanks largely to an inspired performance from French goalkeeper Pauline Peyraud-Magnin.
The Gunners registered a staggering 30 attempts, nine on target, yet could not breach the Palace net. The most promising chance fell to England forward Alessia Russo nine minutes before the break; a superb left‑wing cross found her, but her shot sailed over the bar, leaving the visitors frustrated. Brighton staged a dramatic comeback against fellow promoted side Birmingham, ending 2-2 thanks to a last‑minute strike from Kiko Seike.
Birmingham had taken a 2-0 lead by the 60th minute through goals from Oceane Hurtre and Lily Crosthwaite. The Seagulls applied relentless pressure, and former Brighton keeper Sophie Baggaley produced a series of crucial saves to keep her side in the game. However, defensive lapses in the final fifteen minutes proved costly. Olivia Garcia recovered quickly from Baggaley's initial save to pull one back, and moments later Seike slotted a tight‑angle finish that slipped beneath the goalkeeper, completing the comeback.
At Goodison Park, Charlton Athletic were reduced to nine players in a 1-0 loss to Everton. After a heavy 4-0 defeat to Liverpool on opening day, the Addicks showed marked improvement but ultimately fell victim to late pressure. Holly McNamara’s cross was inadvertently turned into her own net by Leighanne Robe, conceding the decisive goal with less than fifteen minutes remaining.
The red card to Ashleigh Neville for a high challenge on Ruby Mace had already left Charlton a man down, and Hawa Cissoko’s double yellow cards in stoppage time reduced them to nine. The result leaves newly promoted Charlton second from bottom, just ahead of Manchester United on goal difference. In London, Liverpool were held to a 1-1 draw by Tottenham Hotspur despite dominating possession at the Totally Wicked Stadium.
Tottenham took the lead against the run of play when Signe Gaupset delivered a cross from the left byline that deflected off Sam Kerr and looped over goalkeeper Khiara Keating just before halftime. Liverpool fought back in the second half, with Aurelie Csillag heading in a near‑post equaliser shortly before the hour mark. Although the Reds pressed for a winner, they settled for a point.
These results illustrate the early narrative of the 2024‑25 WSL season: Chelsea reasserting their attacking pedigree, City maintaining an unbeaten march, and several promoted clubs experiencing the growing pains of top‑flight football. As the calendar progresses, the battle for European places and survival will intensify, with each team looking to build momentum from these opening fixtures.