Sky Sports provided 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 – a win that finally broke their winless start to the campaign. Both clubs had failed to secure three points on the opening weekend, 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 match. Chelsea entered the break with a comfortable lead, thanks to clinical finishes from Sjoeke Nusken and the ever‑reliable Keira Walsh, who curled a beautifully struck shot from the edge of the box into the top corner.
The second half saw the Blues maintain their dominance, adding three more goals to the tally. Lauren James, who was later named player of the match, extended the lead in the 61st minute, followed by a swift strike from Ellie Carpenter just four minutes later. The final nail in the coffin came with Lucy Bronze’s late‑game finish, sealing a comprehensive rout. United’s quest for their first league win now stretches into a demanding away encounter against Arsenal on Saturday, a test that will likely expose the growing pains of Olid’s side as they try to find consistency.
In other news, Manchester City remained the sole team with a perfect record after a convincing 4-1 triumph over Aston Villa. Villa had managed a respectable 1-1 draw against Chelsea in the opening round, but that resilience evaporated within 14 minutes of the second‑half kickoff. Akane Okuma, the hero of Stamford Bridge, made an uncharacteristic error by mis‑directing 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, however, showed fighting spirit. Just before the break, Amalie Vangsgaard, on her debut, scored to halve the deficit, giving the visitors a glimmer of hope.
The second half saw Villa create chances, including a near‑miss that struck the post. Khadija Bunny Shaw then displayed her predatory instincts, finishing a slick, dinked ball after winning it high up the pitch.
Lauren Hemp, who celebrated her 100th goal involvement with an assist for Shaw’s strike, added a fourth in stoppage time when her shot deflected off Mathilde Harviken and flew into the far corner. City’s victory kept them two points clear at the summit, the only side still unbeaten. Further down the table, newly promoted Crystal Palace earned a hard‑earned 0-0 draw against Arsenal at the Emirates, thanks largely to an inspired performance from French goalkeeper Pauline Peyraud‑Magnin.
The Gunners launched an astonishing 30 attempts, nine of which were on target, yet they could not breach the Palace net. The most promising chance fell to England striker Alessia Russo just before halftime; a perfectly placed left‑wing cross found her, but she mistimed her shot, sending it wide of a gaping goal. Brighton staged a dramatic comeback against fellow newcomers Birmingham, ending the match 2-2 after Kiko Seike’s last‑minute winner.
Birmingham had taken a 2-0 lead by the 60th minute through well‑executed finishes from Oceane Hurtre and Lily Crosthwaite. The Seagulls pressed relentlessly, and despite goalkeeper Sophie Baggaley’s series of impressive saves that kept Brighton in the game, defensive lapses in the final fifteen minutes proved costly. Olivia Garcia capitalised on a rebound to pull one back, and moments later Seike slipped a tight‑angle shot underneath the out‑of‑position keeper to complete the equaliser and secure a point for Brighton. 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 their opening match, the Addicks showed noticeable improvement against Everton but ultimately succumbed to late pressure. Holly McNamara’s cross was inadvertently turned into her own net by Leighanne Robe, delivering the decisive goal with less than fifteen minutes remaining. The setback came 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 on the field at the final whistle. The loss leaves the newly promoted side second from bottom, marginally 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 against the run of play when Signe Gaupset delivered a cross from the left byline that deflected off Sam Kerr and looped over Liverpool goalkeeper Khiara Keating just before halftime.
Liverpool responded in the second half, with Aurelie Csillag heading in a near‑post effort to level the scores shortly before the hour mark. Although the Reds continued to press for a winner, they were unable to find a breakthrough, settling for a point. Overall, the second round of WSL fixtures produced a mix of dominant performances, hard‑earned draws, and dramatic comebacks, setting the stage for an increasingly competitive season as teams strive for consistency and points in the weeks ahead.