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 – 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 opening home match. Both sides entered the weekend without a win after the opening round of the campaign, but it was the visitors who imposed their will from the first whistle. Chelsea surged ahead early, establishing a comfortable lead by halftime thanks to a well‑crafted strike from Sjoeke Nusken and a superb effort by Keira Walsh, who curled a powerful drive from just outside the box into the top corner.
The first half already looked like a one‑sided affair, and the second period only reinforced that impression. Chelsea’s dominance continued with Lauren James, who was later named player of the match, adding a goal in the 61st minute, followed by Ellie Carpenter’s finish three minutes later.
The final nail in the coffin came in injury time when Lucy Bronze tapped in the last goal, sealing a comprehensive rout. United’s quest for their inaugural league win now stretches ahead of a daunting away fixture against Arsenal on Saturday, a match that will test Olid’s tactical adjustments and the squad’s resilience.
In other WSL action, Manchester City remained the sole team with a perfect record after a convincing 4-1 triumph over Aston Villa. Villa had shown promise in the opening weekend, drawing 1-1 with Chelsea, but their resolve crumbled within the first 14 minutes of the second game. Akane Okuma’s errant attempt at a corner allowed defender Jade Rose to capitalize and put City ahead.
Mary Fowler doubled the lead with a precise strike from the edge of the area. Villa managed to pull one back just before halftime when debutant Amalie Vangsgaard scored, offering a glimmer of hope. The second half saw Villa push for an equaliser, but a shot that struck the post early on signalled that the tide was turning.
Khadija Bunny Shaw then displayed clinical composure, receiving the ball high up the pitch and finishing with a deft dink that restored City’s two‑goal cushion. Lauren Hemp, who celebrated her 100th goal involvement by assisting Shaw’s goal, sealed the win in stoppage time when her shot deflected off Mathilde Harviken and flew into the far corner.
The victory extended City’s lead at the top of the table to two points, underscoring their status as the only side still unbeaten. Further down the standings, newly promoted Crystal Palace earned a hard‑fought 0-0 draw against Arsenal at the Emirates, thanks largely to an inspired performance from French goalkeeper Pauline Peyraud‑Magnin.
The Gunners unleashed a staggering 30 attempts on goal, nine of which were on target, yet none could breach the Palace keeper’s resolve. The most promising chance fell to England international Alessia Russo, who missed a golden opportunity just before the break, firing wide after a superb left‑wing cross.
Brighton staged a dramatic comeback at the death, salvaging a 2-2 draw with fellow newcomers Birmingham. Birmingham had taken a 2-0 lead by the 60th minute through strikes from Oceane Hurtre and Lily Crosthwaite, appearing poised to claim their first three points.
However, Brighton applied relentless pressure, and Kiko Seike’s late goal, struck from a tight angle, completed the comeback. Former Palace goalkeeper Sophie Baggaley kept Brighton in the game with a series of vital saves, but defensive lapses in the final minutes allowed Birmingham to equalise before Seike’s decisive finish. At Goodison Park, Charlton Athletic endured a painful 1-0 defeat to Everton after being reduced to nine players.
The Addicks had already been trimmed to ten following a straight red card for Ashleigh Neville, who was dismissed for a high challenge on Ruby Mace. Despite a spirited display after a heavy 4-0 loss to Liverpool in the opening weekend, Charlton’s hopes were dashed when Holly McNamara’s cross was inadvertently turned into her own net by Leighanne Robe in the closing stages. Hawa Cissoko’s two yellow cards in quick succession left the team with just nine men at the final whistle, cementing their position second from bottom, ahead of Manchester United only on goal difference. In London, Liverpool were held to a 1-1 draw by Tottenham Hotspur at the Totally Wicked Stadium, despite dominating possession and creating numerous chances.
Tottenham seized the lead just before halftime when Signe Gaupset delivered a cross from the left byline that deflected off Sam Kerr and looped over Liverpool keeper Khiara Keating. Liverpool responded in the second half, with Aurelie Csillag heading home a near‑post finish to level the scores shortly before the hour mark.
Although the Reds pressed for a winner, the match ended in a stalemate, leaving both sides with a point each. Overall, the second round of WSL fixtures delivered a mixture of dominant performances, surprising comebacks, and hard‑earned draws, setting the stage for an increasingly competitive season as teams jostle for position and seek to build momentum ahead of the upcoming challenges.