Sky Sports delivered a comprehensive recap of Sunday’s fixtures in the Women’s Super League, highlighting Chelsea’s emphatic 5-0 victory over Manchester United at Leigh Sports Village – the first win of the season for the Blues and a stark reminder of the difficulties facing United’s new manager, Eva Olid, in her inaugural home match. Both sides entered the weekend without a win after the opening round of the campaign, yet it was Chelsea who imposed their will from the opening whistle. The visitors took control early and never looked back, establishing a comfortable lead by the interval thanks to well‑timed finishes from Sjoeke Nusken and the ever‑reliable Keira Walsh, who curled a superb strike from the edge of the box into the top corner.
By halftime the scoreline already read 2‑0, and the momentum was firmly with the Blues. The second half saw the dominance continue unabated. Lauren James, who was later named player‑of‑the‑match, added a goal in the 61st minute, followed shortly thereafter by a strike from Ellie Carpenter in the 65th. The final nail in United’s coffin came in stoppage time when Lucy Bronze, the seasoned England defender, tapped in the last goal to seal a 5‑0 rout.
The result leaves Manchester United still searching for their first league win of the season as they prepare for a challenging away fixture against Arsenal on Saturday. In other WSL action, Manchester City remained the sole team with a perfect record after a 4‑1 triumph over Aston Villa. Villa had impressed on the opening weekend by holding Chelsea to a 1‑1 draw, but their resilience unraveled within the first 14 minutes of this match. Akane Okuma, the hero of Stamford Bridge, made a costly error when she mishandled a corner, allowing defender Jade Rose to tap the ball home for City.
Mary Fowler then doubled the lead with a powerful shot from the edge of the area. Villa managed to halve the deficit just before the break when Amalie Vangsgaard, on her debut, found the net.
The second half saw Villa push for an equaliser, even striking the post early on. Khadija Bunny Shaw then displayed clinical finishing, dinking the ball past the keeper after winning it high up the pitch.
Lauren Hemp, who celebrated her 100th goal involvement by assisting Shaw, capped the night with a fourth goal in stoppage time. Her strike deflected off Mathilde Harviken before rattling the far corner, completing a dominant display for City’s manager Andrée Jeglertz.
The win extends the defending champions’ lead at the top of the table, putting them two points clear as the only side still unbeaten. Further down the table, France’s international goalkeeper Pauline Peyraud‑Magnin shone for newly promoted Crystal Palace, who earned a 0‑0 draw against Arsenal at the Emirates. The Gunners unleashed a torrent of 30 attempts, nine of them on target, yet could not breach the Palace goal thanks to Peyraud‑Magnin’s inspired saves. The most promising chance fell to England striker Alessia Russo just before halftime; a precise left‑wing cross left her one‑on‑one with the keeper, but her shot sailed over the empty net, leaving Arsenal frustrated.
Brighton staged a dramatic comeback against fellow promotion side Birmingham, with Kiko Seike scoring a last‑minute equaliser to secure a 2‑2 draw after the Blues had been two goals down. Birmingham had seemed poised to claim their first three points of the season when Oceane Hurtre and Lily Crosthwaite netted before the hour mark. Brighton applied relentless pressure, and although former Palace keeper Sophie Baggaley kept the visitors at bay for most of the game, a lapse in the defensive line allowed Olivia Garcia to pull one back. Baggaley’s subsequent error permitted Seike to slot a tight‑angle shot under her, completing the comeback and denying Birmingham a win.
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 improvement but ultimately succumbed to late pressure when Holly McNamara’s cross was inadvertently turned into her own net by Leighanne Robe. The own‑goal came less than 15 minutes from full‑time, after Charlton had already been reduced to ten men when Ashleigh Neville received a straight red for a high challenge on Ruby Mace.
Hawa Cissoko compounded the misery, collecting 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. Tottenham Hotspur held Liverpool to a 1‑1 draw at the Totally Wicked Stadium despite dominating possession.
The visitors took the lead just before half‑time when Signe Gaupset delivered a cross 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 finish to level the scores shortly after the hour mark.
Although Liverpool pressed for a winner, the match ended in a stalemate, leaving both sides with a point. Overall, the weekend showcased the competitive depth of the WSL, with established powers like Chelsea and Manchester City asserting their dominance, while newly promoted clubs experienced both heartbreak and moments of resilience.
The league continues to deliver high‑intensity football, and fans can look forward to more thrilling encounters as the season progresses.