The Women’s Super League returned for an action-packed weekend after the international break, and the powerhouses of the competition once again prevailed.
Expected wins for both Chelsea and Manchester City increase the odds of another two-horse race, while Everton, Aston Villa and West Ham United are still in search of their first win of the season .
here they are 90 minutes six key findings of WSL Game Week 6…
Manchester United i arsenal had to settle for a 1-1 stalemate after a very one-sided game at Leigh Sports Village. The same story repeated itself for the Gunners, dominating the contest but unable to convert their chances. One difference, however, was Alessia Russo’s performance.
After a turbulent start to the season, Russo returned to his best against his former club, despite the hostile reception. The Arsenal forward was instrumental in almost every attacking move, eventually reaping the rewards with a goal that put her side ahead in the 63rd minute.
It wasn’t just the goal that showed signs of Russo’s improvement, but the performance as a whole. The forward has registered several shots from daring positions, from spaces in which she has not had the confidence recently.
Although Arsenal fans will wait for consistency before jumping to hopeful conclusions, Sunday was a step in the right direction for Russo.
Aston Villa missed out on an elusive victory once again on Sunday, after a Taylor Hinds brace saw Liverpool claim a 2-1 victory at Villa Park.
Villa are yet to record a win under new manager Robert de Pauw, even opting for a short-lived line-up change for 45 minutes of this one, and fans continue to grow increasingly frustrated.
The club had an excellent transfer window, with talents such as Missy Bo Kearns, Paula Tomas and Gabi Nunes. However, we are still waiting to see his impact as the team sits in the last points column with Everton and West Ham United.
While fans may be hoping for some respite in what has been a difficult run for Aston Villa since the start of the season, the road continues to grow even more treacherous as the club prepare to visit a still undefeated Manchester United on Sunday.
Ever since they thrashed Crystal Palace 4-0 on the opening day of the 2024/25 season, it’s safe to say Tottenham Hotspur have struggled to find their place in the league. Having lost three games on the bounce, a meeting with West Ham United at Brisbane Road Stadium looked to be a must-win for Robert Vilahamn’s Spurs.
A broken clearance from Hammers defender Camila Saez found the back of her own net to give Tottenham a 2-1 win in the 91st minute.
Despite some lackluster moments, a hard-fought win is exactly what Vilahamn would have hoped for as Spurs look to kick-start their season.
The nerves will still remain for Spurs fans as Riko Ueki’s first-half goal marked the sixth time Tottenham have conceded from a set-piece this season alone. Vilahamn will be very eager to take advantage of the result, and to assess the mistakes, to advance his team in the next difficult block.
When Everton held Arsenal to a 0-0 draw at the Emirates Stadium, all signs pointed to the Toffees being an underdog threat to the league’s biggest names. However, as Brian Sorensen’s side traveled to the capital to face Sonia Bompastor’s Chelsea, the narrative could not have been more different.
It took just 14 minutes for the Blues to take the lead as young star Aggie Beever-Jones opened the scoring. A Chelsea masterclass then followed, with goals from Erin Cuthbert, Guro Reiten, Wieke Kaptein and Ashley Lawrence leading the Blues to a 5-0 home win.
Chelsea were without Lauren James and Catarina Macario, with Mayra RamÃrez also appearing as an unused substitute on this occasion. While other top-flight teams struggle to find the back of the net, Chelsea still manage to pull off a big win without their biggest goal threats.
The Blues will go into the game week just one point behind Manchester City, still with a game in hand. Not only that, but a nine-goal lead over the Cityzens makes it increasingly difficult to believe that anyone can stop this Chelsea side.
Brighton & Hove Albion were among the winners again as in-form Nikita Parris stole the show in a 1-0 win over Leicester City. Having been named WSL Manager of the Month for October, Dario Vidosic continues to make waves on the South Coast since his arrival in the summer.
The Seagulls are currently third in the table, and are now two points clear of fourth-placed Manchester United. In what may be their biggest test yet, Brighton travel to the Emirates Stadium to face Arsenal on Friday.
It was a trip down south on Sunday as Gareth Taylor’s Manchester City took on Crystal Palace at Selhurst Park. But despite what was a tight game at times, they inevitably prevailed on the road 3-0.
Laura Kaminski’s second-half substitutions allowed Palace to swing the momentum back in their favor as chances from Katie Stengel and Annabel Blanchard provided chances for the Eagles. None of these chances prevailed though, and the mighty Man City side refused to back down.
A wonder goal from Jess Park opened the scoring for City, before goals from Jill Roord and Khadija Shaw got the job done in south London. After missing out on the title on goal difference last season, City have put themselves on the right foot if they are to challenge again in the WSL.
