Sky Sports delivered a comprehensive summary of Sunday’s Women's Super League fixtures, highlighting a dominant performance by Chelsea who secured their first victory of the campaign with a resounding 5-0 win over Manchester United at Leigh Sports Village. The match marked a stark contrast to the opening weekend, where both sides had failed to claim three points, but it was the visitors who imposed their will from the first whistle, delivering a harsh lesson to new United manager Eva Olid in her inaugural home game. Chelsea entered the break already in a comfortable position, thanks to a well‑crafted strike from Sjoeke Nusken and a superb finish by the ever‑impressive Keira Walsh, who curled a powerful drive from the edge of the penalty area into the top corner.
The first half showcased Chelsea’s tactical discipline and attacking flair, leaving United scrambling to find any foothold. The second half saw the Blues extend their dominance even further. Lauren James, who was later named player of the match, added her name to the scoresheet in the 61st minute, followed shortly by Ellie Carpenter in the 65th.
The final nail in the coffin came from veteran Lucy Bronze, who slotted home the last goal of the game with a composed finish. United’s quest for their inaugural league win now stretches ahead of a demanding encounter with Arsenal on Saturday, a match that will test their resilience after such a heavy defeat. In other news, Manchester City remained the sole team with a perfect record after a convincing 4-1 triumph over Aston Villa.
Villa had impressed by holding Chelsea to a 1-1 draw in the season opener, but their resolve crumbled within the first 14 minutes of the City game. A critical error by Akane Okuma, who mis‑directed a corner, allowed defender Jade Rose to tap in the opening goal for the visitors. Mary Fowler then doubled the lead with a thunderous strike from the edge of the box.
Villa managed to restore some hope before the break when debutant Amalie Vangsgaard scored, narrowing the deficit to 2-1. The second half saw Villa push for an equaliser, but a shot that struck the post early on signalled their misfortune.
Khadija Bunny Shaw then displayed clinical composure, finishing a beautifully weighted pass to restore City’s two‑goal cushion. Lauren Hemp, who celebrated her 100th goal involvement by assisting Shaw, later added a fourth goal in stoppage time when her shot deflected off Mathilde Harviken and flew into the far corner. City’s victory extended their lead at the summit, leaving them two points clear as the only side unbeaten.
Further down the table, newly promoted Crystal Palace earned a point at the Emirates after a goalless draw with Arsenal, thanks largely to an inspired performance from French goalkeeper Pauline Peyraud-Magnin. The Gunners bombarded Palace with 30 attempts, nine of which were on target, yet the French shot‑stopper, who joined the club on loan last summer, kept her side in the game. Arsenal’s best chance came when England striker Alessia Russo missed a clear opportunity nine minutes before halftime, firing wide after a superb left‑wing cross.
Brighton staged a dramatic comeback against fellow promoted side Birmingham, salvaging a 2-2 draw with a last‑minute winner from Kiko Seike. Birmingham had seemed poised to claim their first three points after Oceane Hurtre and Lily Crosthwaite put them two goals ahead by the 60th minute. However, Brighton applied relentless pressure, and despite goalkeeper Sophie Baggaley’s string of saves, Birmingham’s defence faltered in the final fifteen minutes. Olivia Garcia capitalised on a quick rebound to pull Brighton level, and Seike’s precise finish from a tight angle slipped beneath Baggaley to seal the equaliser.
Charlton Athletic endured a painful defeat at Goodison Park, losing 1-0 to Everton after being reduced to nine players. After a 4-0 loss to Liverpool in the opening weekend, the Addicks showed improvement against their Merseyside rivals but ultimately succumbed to late pressure.
Holly McNamara’s cross was inadvertently turned into her own net by Leighanne Robe, a goal that came less than fifteen minutes from the final whistle. Earlier, 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 within two minutes of stoppage time, leaving the team with just nine players at the end. The defeat leaves newly promoted Charlton 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 in an unusual fashion when Signe Gaupset delivered a cross from the left byline that deflected off Sam Kerr before looping over goalkeeper Khiara Keating just before half‑time. Liverpool fought back in the second half, with Aurelie Csillag heading in a near‑post finish to level the score shortly before the hour mark.
Though Liverpool pressed for a winner, they were unable to break the deadlock, settling for a point. These results illustrate the early narrative of the 2024‑25 WSL season: Chelsea’s resurgence, City’s continued dominance, and the fierce battles for survival among newly promoted clubs. As the calendar progresses, teams will look to build on these foundations, with upcoming fixtures against traditional powerhouses promising further excitement and drama for fans across the league.