Manchester United broke their early‑season slump in the Women's Super League by edging out West Ham United 2-1 at Leigh Sports Village, marking the team's inaugural win of the 2026/27 campaign. Eva Olid's side had managed just a solitary point from their opening three fixtures, but the match offered a clear turning point. Within the first ten minutes, United took the lead when Elisabeth Terland expertly directed Anna Sandberg's corner into the net, heading past the Hammers' defense without any challenge.
The score could have been doubled before halftime, but West Ham goalkeeper Constance Picaud produced a vital intervention, deflecting Hanna Lundkvist's powerful header over the bar in the dying moments of the first half. Buoyed by the early advantage, United pressed forward with renewed vigor.
In a three‑minute burst they created three clear chances: Andrea Medina struck the crossbar, Jess Park saw her effort sail wide, and Terland forced another fingertip save from Picaud. West Ham, on the other hand, struggled to find rhythm, not registering a shot on target until the hour mark. Their breakthrough came when Estelle Cascarino burst down the centre unmarked, unleashing a dipping drive that forced United keeper Phallon Tullis‑Joyce to tip the ball over the bar. The decisive moment arrived with 18 minutes remaining.
Medina, who had already tested the keeper earlier, collected a perfectly weighted pass from Jess Park and, after her initial strike was blocked, slotted home a low‑driven finish that restored United's two‑goal cushion. The celebration was short‑lived, however, as Arsenal forward Viviane Asseyi earned a penalty when she was brought down by Sandberg inside the box.
Asseyi calmly placed the spot‑kick into the bottom left corner, narrowing the margin to 2-1 and ensuring United would not keep a clean sheet. In other WSL action, Chelsea continued their impressive run, extending their unbeaten streak to 12 matches with a 1-0 victory over Arsenal at Stamford Bridge.
The win, secured by a solitary goal from Alyssa Thompson after Keira Walsh's long‑range effort was saved by Arsenal keeper Anneke Borbe, lifted Chelsea to third place in the standings. Their run, composed of ten wins and two draws, began on 8 February and effectively ended Arsenal's own 23‑game unbeaten run that spanned almost an entire year. Arsenal, despite dominating large portions of the first half and seeing chances from Kim Little and Mariona Caldentey hit the woodwork, failed to produce a shot on target before the break.
Managerial changes in the second half, including the introduction of Chloe Kelly, Caitlin Foord and Stina Blackstenius, failed to alter the outcome, leaving the Gunners on a three‑game winless streak and seven points adrift of league leaders Manchester City. Further down the table, Liverpool achieved a historic 2-0 win over Everton at Anfield, delivering the club's first WSL Merseyside derby triumph at the venue. After a long history of defeats at Anfield—eight losses in nine league matches, five of them to Everton—Liverpool opened the scoring in the fourth minute via a looping header from Beata Olsson. The Reds continued to press, but Everton's defensive midfielder Ruby Mace thwarted several attempts, notably clearing a Natalia Ramos strike and a Cornelia Kapocs effort off the line.
Kapocs eventually broke the deadlock for Everton with a goal in the final five minutes, but Liverpool held on for the win. Tottenham Hotspur also posted a convincing result, beating Aston Villa 4-0 after a dominant second‑half display. The win moved Spurs within two points of Manchester City at the top of the table, having accumulated 10 points from their first four games. Villa, positioned 13th, kept the match level until halftime, but Victoria Pelova sparked the second‑half surge with a goal in the 54th minute, later doubling her tally with a curling finish.
Subsequent goals from Caitlin Dijkstra (a back‑post header) and Cathinka Tandberg (on the rebound) sealed the comprehensive victory. Newly promoted Birmingham City continued their search for a maiden WSL win, salvaging a point in a dramatic 3-3 draw against Crystal Palace at St Andrew's. Suzu Amano, introduced as a substitute, netted a deflected equaliser in the 87th minute to secure the point. Birmingham had appeared poised for a win, leading 2-1 at the break thanks to a brace from Oceane Hurtre, who scored early and then restored the lead shortly after Palace's equaliser.
Palace rallied in the second half with Bethany England's 70th‑minute goal and Lexi Lloyd‑Smith's one‑on‑one finish, but Birmingham's late strike ensured they avoided defeat. Overall, the week showcased a mixture of breakthrough victories, streak extensions, and hard‑fought draws across the Women's Super League, highlighting the competitive balance and the ever‑changing fortunes of clubs vying for top‑flight supremacy.