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 – a win that finally broke the Blues’ winless start to the campaign. Both sides had failed to secure three points during the opening weekend, yet it was United, under their newly appointed manager Eva Olid, who looked the most vulnerable. From the first whistle, Chelsea imposed their rhythm, controlling possession and creating chances, while United struggled to find any foothold in the match. The first half saw Chelsea comfortably ahead after two well‑executed strikes: a precise finish from Sjoeke Nusken and a strikingly timed drive from Keira Walsh, who curled the ball from the edge of the box into the top corner.
By the interval, the visitors had already built a comfortable lead, leaving Olid’s debut home game looking increasingly bleak. The second half continued in the same vein, with Chelsea adding three more goals to seal the rout.
Lauren James, who was later named player of the match, extended the lead in the 61st minute, followed shortly by a decisive strike from Ellie Carpenter in the 65th. The final nail in the coffin came in stoppage time when Lucy Bronze, a veteran presence in the squad, tapped in the last goal, cementing a 5-0 scoreline.
United’s hopes of salvaging a first league win this season now hinge on a challenging away encounter with Arsenal on Saturday, a fixture that will test Olid’s tactical adjustments and the squad’s resilience. In other WSL action, Manchester City remained the only side with a perfect record after a 4-1 triumph over Aston Villa. Villa had shown promise in the opening weekend, holding Chelsea to a 1-1 draw, but their defensive resolve crumbled early in this match. Akane Okuma’s errant clearance from a corner allowed defender Jade Rose to head home the opening goal for City.
Mary Fowler doubled the lead with a powerful shot from the edge of the area, while Villa managed to pull one back before halftime through debutant Amalie Vangsgaard, who struck from close range. The second half saw Villa fight for parity, hitting the post and then witnessing Khadija “Bunny” Shaw unleash a beautifully timed finish after winning the ball high up the pitch. Lauren Hemp, who celebrated her 100th goal involvement by assisting Shaw, added a fourth for City in stoppage time when her shot deflected off Mathilde Harviken and flew into the far corner.
This victory kept the defending champions two points clear at the summit, maintaining their flawless start to the season. Further down the table, newly promoted Crystal Palace earned a hard‑fought 0-0 draw against Arsenal at the Emirates, largely thanks to an inspired performance from French goalkeeper Pauline Peyraud‑Magnin. Arsenal dominated possession, launching 30 attempts on goal, nine of which were on target, yet they could not breach Palace’s defensive wall.
The most notable chance fell to England striker Alessia Russo, who missed a clear opportunity just before halftime, firing wide after a superb left‑wing cross. The match underscored Palace’s growing confidence in the top flight, despite their modest attacking output. Brighton staged a dramatic comeback against fellow newcomers Birmingham, salvaging a 2-2 draw after trailing by two goals. Birmingham had taken the lead through Oceane Hurtre and Lily Crosthwaite, who scored before the hour mark.
However, Brighton applied relentless pressure, and goalkeeper Sophie Baggaley kept the team in the game with a series of crucial saves. Late in the match, Olivia Garcia capitalised on a rebound to halve the deficit, and Kiko Seike completed the comeback with a low, angled finish that slipped beneath Baggaley’s outstretched hand, leaving Birmingham to settle for a point. At Goodison Park, Charlton Athletic endured a harsh defeat, reduced to nine players after a series of disciplinary setbacks. After a 4-0 loss to Liverpool in the opening week, Charlton showed improvement against Everton but ultimately succumbed to a 1-0 loss when Holly McNamara’s cross was inadvertently turned into her own net by Leighanne Robe.
The goal came after Charlton had already been reduced to ten men following a straight red card for Ashleigh Neville’s high challenge on Ruby Mace. Further compounding their woes, Hawa Cissoko received two yellow cards in quick succession during stoppage time, leaving the team with just nine players on the field when the final whistle blew.
The result left Charlton perched second from bottom, narrowly ahead of Manchester United on goal difference. In London, Liverpool were held to a 1-1 draw by Tottenham Hotspur at the Totally Wicked Stadium despite dominating large portions of the game. Tottenham took the lead just before halftime when Signe Gaupset delivered a cross that deflected off Sam Kerr and looped over Liverpool keeper Khiara Keating.
Liverpool responded in the second half, with Aurelie Csillag heading in an equaliser from close range shortly before the hour mark. Both sides pushed for a winner, but the match ended in a stalemate, leaving Liverpool frustrated but still unbeaten. Overall, the second round of WSL fixtures delivered a mixture of dominant performances, surprising comebacks, and hard‑earned points, setting the stage for an increasingly competitive season as teams adjust tactics and squad dynamics in pursuit of the title and survival.