Sky Sports recapped 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 illustration of the difficulties facing new United manager Eva Olid in her inaugural home match. Both sides had failed to secure points during the opening weekend, but the visitors imposed their will from the first whistle, delivering a comprehensive performance that left United reeling. Chelsea entered the break already in complete control, thanks to a well‑timed strike from Sjoeke Nusken and a superbly executed shot by Keira Walsh, who curled a powerful drive from the edge of the box into the top corner. The halftime score reflected their dominance, and the second half only amplified the disparity.
Lauren James, who earned player‑of‑the‑match honors, added her name to the scoresheet in the 61st minute, followed shortly thereafter by Ellie Carpenter in the 65th. The final nail in the coffin came when Lucy Bronze, one of the game’s late‑stage heroes, slotted home the last goal as the referee blew the final whistle. United’s quest for their inaugural league win continues, with a demanding away fixture against Arsenal looming on Saturday. The defeat underscores the steep learning curve for Olid, whose side must regroup quickly if they hope to stay competitive in a league that is already proving unforgiving.
In other WSL action, Manchester City remained the sole team with a perfect record after a 4-1 triumph over Aston Villa. Villa had shown resilience in their opening‑week draw against Chelsea, but that resolve evaporated within 14 minutes of the second match. Akane Okuma, the hero of Stamford Bridge, mis‑controlled a corner, allowing defender Jade Rose to head the ball home and give City an early lead.
Mary Fowler doubled the advantage with a precise strike from the edge of the box. Villa managed to pull one back before halftime when debutant Amalie Vangsgaard found the net, halving the deficit and offering a glimmer of hope. The second half saw Villa press for an equaliser, even striking the post early on. However, Khadija Bunny Shaw displayed clinical composure, finishing a deftly dinking ball after winning it high up the pitch.
Lauren Hemp, who celebrated her 100th goal involvement by assisting Shaw, later added a fourth for City. Her shot deflected off Mathilde Harviken before rattling the far corner, sealing a dominant display for the defending champions and extending their lead at the top of the table to two points. Further down the standings, 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. Arsenal battered the Palace goal with 30 attempts, nine on target, yet the French shot‑stopper, who joined the Gunners on loan last summer, kept a clean sheet.
The most promising chance fell to England forward Alessia Russo just before halftime; a superb left‑wing cross left her one‑on‑one with the keeper, but her finish sailed over the bar, highlighting the fine margins that defined the match. Brighton staged a dramatic comeback against newly promoted Birmingham, salvaging a 2-2 draw thanks to a last‑minute strike from Kiko Seike. Birmingham had taken a 2-0 lead by the 60th minute through goals from Oceane Hurtre and Lily Crosthwaite, appearing poised to claim their first three points.
Brighton, however, applied relentless pressure, and although goalkeeper Sophie Baggaley made several crucial saves to preserve her side’s hopes, defensive lapses in the closing stages proved costly. Olivia Garcia capitalised on a rebound to halve the deficit, and Seike’s tight‑angle finish slipped under the bewildered Baggaley, completing the turnaround. Charlton Athletic endured a turbulent evening at Goodison Park, reduced to nine players and ultimately succumbing 1-0 to Everton. After a heavy 4-0 loss to Liverpool on opening day, Charlton showed improvement against their Merseyside rivals but were undone by late drama.
A cross from Holly McNamara was inadvertently headed into her own net by Leighanne Robe, sealing the defeat with less than 15 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 accumulated two yellow cards within stoppage time, leaving the Addicks with just nine players at the final whistle.
The loss leaves the newly promoted side second from bottom, narrowly 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 just before halftime when Signe Gaupset delivered a cross from the left byline that deflected off Sam Kerr and looped into the net over goalkeeper Khiara Keating. Liverpool responded in the second half, with Aurelie Csillag heading in a near‑post finish to level the scores shortly before the hour mark.
Although the Reds continued to press for a winner, they were unable to break through, settling for a point in a match that highlighted both teams' attacking potential. Overall, the second round of WSL fixtures delivered a mixture of dominant performances, hard‑earned draws, and dramatic comebacks, underscoring the competitive depth of the league as the season progresses.