Sky Sports delivered a comprehensive recap of Sunday’s Women's Super League fixtures, highlighting a standout performance by Chelsea who secured their first triumph of the campaign with a commanding 5-0 victory over Manchester United at Leigh Sports Village. Both sides had failed to claim three points during the opening weekend, yet it was the visitors who imposed their will from the opening whistle, delivering a harsh lesson to newly appointed United manager Eva Olid in her inaugural home match.
Chelsea entered the break with a comfortable lead, thanks to well‑crafted strikes from Sjoeke Nusken and the ever‑impressive Keira Walsh, who curled a beautifully struck drive from the edge of the penalty area into the top corner. The momentum did not wane after the interval; Lauren James, later named player of the match, added a goal in the 61st minute, followed by Ellie Carpenter’s strike in the 65th. The final nail in the coffin came from veteran Lucy Bronze, who tapped in the last kick of the game to complete the rout.
United’s quest for their first league win continues, with a demanding away fixture against Arsenal looming on Saturday. The defeat underscores the difficulties Olid faces as she attempts to mould a cohesive unit capable of challenging the league’s elite. In other WSL action, Manchester City remained the sole team to preserve a perfect record after a 4-1 triumph over Aston Villa. Villa had impressed by holding Chelsea to a 1-1 draw in the opening round, but their resilience unraveled within the first 14 minutes of the second‑week encounter.
Akane Okuma, a hero at Stamford Bridge, made a costly error when she mis‑controlled a corner, allowing defender Jade Rose to tap the ball into the net for City. Mary Fowler then doubled the lead with a powerful shot from the edge of the box. Villa managed to restore some hope before halftime when debutant Amalie Vangsgaard scored, halving the deficit. The second half saw Villa push for an equaliser, striking the post early on.
Khadija Bunny Shaw then displayed her clinical finishing, delivering a deft dinked finish after winning the ball 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 when her shot deflected off Mathilde Harviken and flew into the far corner. City’s victory extended their lead at the top of the table to two points, maintaining their unbeaten start.
Meanwhile, at the Emirates Stadium, newly promoted Crystal Palace were held to a goalless draw by Arsenal, thanks largely to an inspired performance from French goalkeeper Pauline Peyraud‑Magnin. The Gunners dominated possession, registering 30 attempts on goal, nine of which were on target, yet they could not breach the Palace net. The most promising opportunity fell to England forward Alessia Russo, who missed a clear chance nine minutes before the break, firing wide after a precise left‑wing cross. Brighton secured a dramatic 2-2 draw against fellow newcomers Birmingham, completing a late comeback with a goal from Kiko Seike in stoppage time.
Birmingham had taken a 2-0 lead by the 60th minute through strikes from Oceane Hurtre and Lily Crosthwaite. Brighton applied relentless pressure, and although goalkeeper Sophie Baggaley made several crucial saves to keep her side in the game, defensive lapses in the final fifteen minutes allowed Birmingham to equalise. Olivia Garcia reacted quickest to Baggaley’s initial save to pull one back, and Seike’s low‑angled finish slipped under the keeper to seal the point for the Seagulls. Charlton Athletic endured a turbulent night at Goodison Park, reduced to nine players and succumbing to a 1-0 defeat at the hands of Everton.
After a heavy 4-0 loss to Liverpool on opening day, the Addicks showed marked improvement but were undone by a late own‑goal. Holly McNamara’s cross was inadvertently turned into her own net by Leighanne Robe with less than fifteen minutes remaining. The situation was exacerbated by a straight red card for Ashleigh Neville following a high challenge on Ruby Mace, and Hawa Cissoko’s double yellow cards in stoppage time left Charlton with just nine men at the final whistle. The loss leaves the newly promoted side second from bottom, only ahead of Manchester United 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 halftime 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 equaliser just before the hour mark. Though Liverpool pressed for a winner, they were unable to find a breakthrough, settling for a point. These fixtures illustrate the competitive balance of the WSL this season, with established powerhouses like Chelsea and Manchester City asserting their dominance, while newly promoted clubs such as Crystal Palace, Brighton, and Birmingham demonstrate resilience and the capacity to challenge the traditional hierarchy.
As the league progresses, the battle for European qualification and survival will intensify, promising further thrilling encounters and opportunities for emerging talents to make their mark on English women’s football.