Chelsea and Manchester City kept pace at the top, Arsenal stumbled again, and Tottenham got back to winning ways. We break down the biggest talking points from another weekend of WSL action.

Chelsea and Manchester City kept pace at the top of the WSL, though only one title contender enjoyed a comfortable afternoon. While Chelsea cruised to a six-goal victory over Charlton, City were pushed all the way by an ambitious London City Lionesses side that delivered one of the performances of the season despite ultimately coming away empty-handed.

Elsewhere, Arsenal’s recent signs of recovery were halted by another frustrating draw at the Emirates, while north London rivals Tottenham ended a three-match losing streak to get back to winning ways. Manchester United extended their unbeaten run in all competitions to 10 matches, but were unable to find a way past a resilient Everton side.

At the other end of the table, the struggles continue for the newly promoted clubs. Charlton were on the receiving end of Chelsea’s latest attacking masterclass, while Birmingham City remain in search of their first league victory of the campaign.

Here are the biggest talking points from this weekend’s WSL action.

Same Old Arsenal

It seems as if it’s always the same story with Renée Slegers’ side this season, as Arsenal were held 1-1 at the Emirates. In doing so, they became the first team in WSL history to draw four consecutive home games.

After back-to-back wins had offered supporters a glimmer of hope that the tide might finally be turning, Sunday’s result felt like a familiar frustration. Arsenal dominated possession but struggled to turn that control into genuine threat before Aston Villa nicked a goal with their only shot of the game.

In fact, the Gunners’ 90.9% passing accuracy was their second highest on record in a WSL match and their best at home, yet they created just two big chances, their lowest tally at the Emirates this season.

It was the first time in the competition’s history that an away team has scored with their only shot of a game. Remarkably, all three instances of that happening overall have now come at the expense of Arsenal: Bristol City in May 2023 and Aston Villa in March 2024. Yet this match was the first time the team with just one shot did not go on to lose.

Chasity Grant‘s opener in the 25th minute once again highlighted Arsenal’s fragility in transition. The goal continued a worrying trend for Arsenal. Their opponents have now scored with their first shot in each of the Gunners’ last two WSL matches, while they have conceded the opening goal in three consecutive home league games within the same season for the first time since 2015.

Aston Villa’s 0.07 expected goals (xG) was the fifth-lowest total by a team in WSL history to avoid defeat. Yet, as they also demonstrated in a 1-1 draw against Brighton earlier this season, despite an xG of just 0.03, the Villans have developed a knack for staying in games.

Meanwhile, Alessia Russo’s last-ditch leveller, spared Arsenal from what would have been another chorus of boos around the Emirates. The goal, created by Stina Blackstenius, was only the fourth time the pair have combined for a WSL goal.

The hourglass was already running low for Slegers a few weeks ago, and with Arsenal down in seventh, the sand is disappearing fast. Their tally of 10 points is only better than their return of eight at this stage in 2014.

Chelsea On Route As New Face Makes Entrance

For Chelsea, it was goals galore in south-east London as the Blues ran riot at The Valley, recording their second-biggest WSL victory under Sonia Bompastor after the 7-0 demolition of Crystal Palace in September 2024.

It took less than three minutes for the visitors to break through. Nathalie Björn rose highest to meet Katie McCabe‘s delivery, with Charlton conceding the earliest goal of their WSL history. It was a notable moment for McCabe too, who registered assists in consecutive league appearances for the first time since November 2021.

The warning signs were immediate and Charlton had little answer to Chelsea’s relentless pressure. By the 10-minute mark the Blues had doubled their lead and from there the contest quickly turned into one-way traffic as Bompastor’s side produced one of the most dominant attacking displays of the season.

Chelsea finished with chances worth 6.37 expected goals, their highest xG total ever recorded in a WSL away game on Opta’s records (since 2017-18).

They attempted 36 shots, the most by a Chelsea side in the competition since September 2020 against Bristol City (39) and Chelsea’s highest tally ever in an away league match.

Melvine Malard continued her rich vein of form. The French forward scored twice and was unfortunate not to complete a hat-trick after seeing another effort ruled out for offside. It’s the second time in her WSL career that she has scored braces in consecutive league games, having previously done so for Manchester United in September 2025.

There were personal milestones elsewhere. Aggie Beever-Jones swept home to end a 13-month league goal drought, while summer signing Giulia Dragoni opened her Chelsea account with a composed finish, becoming the youngest Italian ever to score in the WSL and only the fourth in the competition’s history.

The victory also highlighted the depth of Chelsea’s attack as three new players added their names to the scoresheet, taking the Blues to 13 different WSL goalscorers, more than any other side in the division this season.

The Two-Minute Twist at Hayes Lane

Man City’s 2-1 victory at Hayes Lane was a reminder that results and performances do not always tell the same story. Despite taking all three points, Andree Jeglertz’s side spent large periods of the afternoon under pressure from a London City Lionesses team that continues to prove it belongs among the WSL elite.

Indeed, the Lionesses posted the highest xG total by a team in a home defeat since Opta’s updated xG began in 2021-22, underlining just how unfortunate they were to come away empty-handed.

In front of a sold-out Hayes Lane, London City delivered one of the performances of the weekend and the hosts never looked overawed by the occasion, pressing aggressively and forcing mistakes high up the pitch.

They won possession 17 times in the final third, the most by any side in a WSL match this season, while their 24 shots were the fourth-most Manchester City have ever faced in a league game.

It was uncomfortable afternoon for City whose 45.7% possession was their second lowest ever recorded in a WSL match against a side other than Arsenal, Chelsea or Manchester United, while they were forced into nine blocks, their joint-most in a league game since facing Brighton in March 2025.

But against elite sides, profligacy is often punished.

City were devastating when their moments arrived. Khadija Shaw opened the scoring after being released by a perfectly weighted Lauren Hemp through-ball. Hemp was at the heart of everything good City produced. After assisting Shaw’s opener, she later got on the scoresheet herself to break Lionesses’ hearts moments after Jana Fernández had scored the equaliser.

Hemp has now both scored and assisted in two league games already this season after managing the feat just once across the entirety of the previous two campaigns combined.

There was further evidence of the quality London City possesses despite the defeat. Alexia Putellas and Daniëlle van de Donk both enjoyed outstanding afternoons on the ball, becoming the first players to create five or more chances from open play and attempt five or more dribbles in a WSL game against City.

Meanwhile, Shaw’s goal means she has now scored in eight consecutive WSL starts, becoming only the third player in competition history to achieve such a streak. Alongside Hemp, who now has five goals and five assists this season, the pair are the first set of teammates to reach 10 goal involvements each within their side’s opening eight games of a WSL campaign since Kerr and Fran Kirby for Chelsea in 2021-22.

Brighton’s Resilience

Brighton’s comeback victory over Crystal Palace is quickly becoming a familiar story under Arturo Ruiz, as they showed an increasing ability to find solutions after falling behind.

That fighting spirit was on display in their 5-1 turnaround against Charlton earlier this season and again in their spirited late fightback against Man City, despite ultimately losing 2-1. This time, however, they completed the job.

Despite controlling much of the opening period, it was Palace who struck first with their only shot of the first half. Annabel Blanchard unleashed a stunning effort after a miscued clearance from Chiamaka Nnadozie.

Brighton, though, never looked rattled and their persistence eventually paid off after the break.

A pinpoint delivery from Manuela Vanegas was met by Caitlin Hayes, who powered home the equaliser. It was Hayes’ second league goal of the season, matching the highest scoring return she has ever managed in a single WSL campaign.

The winner arrived through one of the summer’s new additions. Sophie Peskett, signed from Ipswich Town, reacted quickest inside the area to bundle home from close range.

Brighton have now won two league matches after conceding first, equalling their club record for comeback victories in a single WSL campaign with plenty of football still to play.

The result also strengthened their impressive home form. Brighton have now won three consecutive WSL matches on home soil, matching the longest home winning run in their top-flight history. In those three games they have scored 10 goals, the most they have ever managed across a three-match home stretch in the competition.

For a side beginning a new chapter under Ruiz it offers a promising sign for the Seagulls who sit sixth in the table.

Spurs Recover While Reds Defeated Again

If there was one result few saw coming this weekend, it was West Ham’s emphatic 4-1 dismantling of Liverpool. The four goals conceded were the joint-most Liverpool have ever shipped in a WSL match against a side outside the traditional top four.

The Hammers have quietly become something of a problem for Liverpool. They are now unbeaten in their last three meetings with the Reds and have won the last two, both club-record runs against Liverpool in the WSL. It was also the most goals West Ham have scored in a home league game since putting five past Crystal Palace in December 2024.

Viviane Asseyi once again led the charge. The forward maintained her flawless record from the penalty spot in the WSL, converting for the eighth time from eight attempts, the best conversion rate of any player in the league, while her 1.48 xG was the highest she has generated in a single WSL match.

Liverpool’s afternoon was summed up by the fact their only response came through a late Vivien Endemann consolation.

Meanwhile, Tottenham finally brought an end to their recent wobble with a much-needed 4-1 victory over Birmingham City, ending a run of three consecutive defeats.

As has often been the case with Spurs this season, entertainment was guaranteed. Tottenham’s away matches in 2026 have now produced 53 goals in total (28 scored, 25 conceded), more than any other team’s league fixtures in the calendar year.

Victoria Pelova continued the finest goalscoring form of her WSL career. Her goal and assist took her to nine goal involvements for the season, already surpassing her previous best return of seven for Arsenal in 2023-24. She has now assisted in consecutive WSL games for the first time in her career.

Olivia Holdt also shone after returning to the starting XI, having been restricted to a substitute appearance against Arsenal. The forward ended a four-game run without a goal involvement and was a constant menace throughout, registering six shots, equalling her highest total in a WSL match, while her 13 touches in the opposition box were the most by any Spurs player in the game.

For Birmingham, the wait for a first win of the campaign goes on, but Océane Hurtré continues to provide encouragement. The French forward created four chances, the most of any Birmingham player on the day, and her creativity remains elite by European standards. Only four players across Europe’s top five women’s leagues have created more chances than Hurtré this season (26).

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