Sky Sports provided a comprehensive recap of Sunday’s Women's Super League fixtures, highlighting a spectacular 5-0 victory for Chelsea over Manchester United at Leigh Sports Village. The win marked Chelsea’s first triumph of the campaign and underscored the difficulties faced by United’s new manager, Eva Olid, in her inaugural home match.
Both sides had failed to secure a win during the opening weekend, but it was the Blues who imposed their will from the opening whistle, delivering a lesson in both tactical discipline and attacking flair. Chelsea entered the halftime break already comfortably ahead, thanks to a well‑crafted goal from Sjoeke Nusken and a striking finish by the ever‑impressive Keira Walsh, who curled a powerful drive from just outside the penalty area into the top corner. The first half showcased Chelsea’s fluid midfield play and their ability to create high‑quality chances against a United side still adjusting to a new defensive system. The second half saw the visitors maintain their dominance, 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 with a composed finish after receiving a swift pass inside the box. Ellie Carpenter followed just four minutes later, tapping in a low shot that left the United goalkeeper with no chance.
The final blow came in stoppage time when Lucy Bronze, a veteran of the England national team, slotted home a tidy finish after a well‑executed corner routine. The result leaves Manchester United still searching for their first league win, with a demanding away fixture against Arsenal looming on Saturday.
In other WSL action, Manchester City remained the only team with a perfect record after a convincing 4-1 win over Aston Villa. Villa had shown resilience in the opening weekend, drawing 1-1 with Chelsea, but their resolve crumbled early in this encounter. Akane Okuma’s mis‑judged attempt to clear a corner allowed defender Jade Rose to head the ball into the net, giving City an early lead. Mary Fowler doubled the advantage with a powerful strike from the edge of the box, while Villa managed to pull one back before halftime thanks to a debut goal from Amalie Vangsgaard.
The second half saw Villa fight for an equaliser, striking the post before Khadija "Bunny" Shaw displayed her clinical finishing with a beautifully timed dink that slipped past the goalkeeper. Lauren Hemp, who celebrated her 100th goal involvement, provided the assist for Shaw’s goal and later added a fourth for City with a deflected shot that flew into the far corner. City’s victory extends their lead at the top of the table, putting them two points clear as the sole team to maintain an unbeaten start. Further down the table, newly promoted Crystal Palace earned a valuable point against Arsenal after a goalless draw at the Emirates.
French goalkeeper Pauline Peyraud‑Magnin, on loan from the Eagles, delivered an inspired performance, thwarting thirty Arsenal attempts, nine of which were on target. Despite Arsenal’s dominance in possession and a flurry of shots, they could not find a way past the resolute French shot‑stopper.
The most promising chance fell to England forward Alessia Russo, who missed a golden opportunity nine minutes before halftime, firing over the bar after a precise left‑wing cross. Brighton staged a dramatic comeback against fellow newcomers Birmingham, salvaging a 2-2 draw after being two goals down.
Birmingham had seemed poised to claim their first three points when Oceane Hurtre and Lily Crosthwaite scored before the hour mark. However, Brighton applied relentless pressure, and goalkeeper Sophie Baggaley kept the Blues in the game with a series of impressive saves.
In the final minutes, Olivia Garcia capitalised on a quick reaction to Baggaley’s initial save, reducing the deficit. A defensive lapse allowed Kiko Seike to net a tight‑angle finish that slipped under the goalkeeper, completing Brighton’s remarkable turnaround. 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, Charlton showed improvement but ultimately succumbed to late pressure. Holly McNamara’s cross was inadvertently turned into her own net by Leighanne Robe after Charlton had already been reduced to ten men when Ashleigh Neville received a straight red card for a high challenge on Ruby Mace.
The situation worsened when Hawa Cissoko collected two yellow cards in quick succession during stoppage time, leaving Charlton with just nine players at the final whistle. The defeat leaves the newly promoted side second from bottom, ahead of Manchester United only on goal difference. Liverpool were held to a 1-1 draw by Tottenham Hotspur at the Totally Wicked Stadium despite dominating possession. Tottenham took the lead just before halftime when Signe Gaupset’s cross 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 match shortly after the hour mark. Although Liverpool pressed for a winner, they were unable to break through, settling for a point.
Overall, the weekend’s WSL fixtures highlighted the early season form of the league’s top contenders, the challenges faced by newly promoted clubs, and the impact of managerial changes. Chelsea’s emphatic win underlines their attacking prowess, while Manchester City’s continued perfection solidifies their position as favourites. Meanwhile, teams like Manchester United, Aston Villa, and Charlton must regroup quickly as they face a demanding schedule ahead.
The league remains tightly contested, promising an exciting remainder of the season for fans and players alike.