The WSL title race took an intriguing turn as Chelsea capitalised on Man City’s dropped points, Arsenal found much-needed respite with a derby-day triumph over Tottenham, Aston Villa continued their upward trajectory, and Liverpool denied London City Lionesses another victory.

Matchday 7 brought another significant shift in the WSL landscape, with plenty of talking points across the division.

Arsenal finally ended their frustrating wait for a league victory, overcoming Tottenham in the north London derby to claim their first win since the opening day and ease some of the pressure on their faltering campaign.

Elsewhere, Manchester City’s perfect start was ended by cross-city rivals Manchester United, allowing Chelsea to move top of the table for the first time this season.

Sonia Bompastor’s side, however, had to work harder than expected to take advantage, coming from behind at half-time to beat Crystal Palace. It marked the first time under the French manager that Chelsea had overturned a half-time deficit against an opponent outside the traditional elite (Arsenal, Man City and Man Utd).

Aston Villa, meanwhile, secured consecutive league victories for the first time since the end of the 2024-25 season, while Liverpool fought back to earn a point against London City Lionesses, bringing their opponents’ record-breaking winning streak to an end.

Here are our biggest takeaways from the latest round of action.

Chelsea Complete Late Turnaround to Reach the Summit

Chelsea are top of the WSL for the first time this season after surviving a stern examination from Crystal Palace and producing a late turnaround to claim all three points.

The Blues’ French contingent proved decisive, with Melvine Malard at the heart of the comeback. However, the result was far from straightforward.

Molly Bartrip’s opener was a landmark moment for the Eagles, representing the first goal Crystal Palace have ever scored against Chelsea. It also placed the Blues in an unfamiliar position: trailing at half-time against a promoted side.

Chelsea had conceded the opening goal to a promoted team on only four previous occasions in WSL history, with the most recent instance coming in May 2023, when Liverpool took the lead before Chelsea recovered to win 2-1.

Palace, however, will be disappointed by their inability to maintain their advantage. They have now conceded six goals in the final 15 minutes of WSL matches this season, the highest total in the division.  

Malard was the standout performer as she recorded five shots on target, equalling the highest individual tally in a WSL match this season alongside Lauren Hemp and Khadija Shaw.

Her opening goal was particularly spectacular, marking only the third time she has scored from outside the box in the WSL and her first such effort since the beginning of last season, when she found the net against Leicester City.

The French striker was a constant presence in dangerous areas, recording more touches inside the opposition penalty area than any other player over the weekend (15). She also accumulated 1.72 xG, the highest total of her WSL career. Despite her impressive performance, the French forward may feel she could have added further goals to her tally.

The comeback was also shaped by the quality of Chelsea’s wide play. Katie McCabe recorded 34 successful passes ending in the final third, more than any other player across the weekend, illustrating her influence in sustaining pressure around Palace’s defensive block.

Sandy Baltimore proved effective from the bench, embarking on an incisive run and delivering the ball into a dangerous area for Malard’s second, while her penalty sealed a 3-1 away victory for Bompastor’s side.

Malard’s brace made her only the second French international in Chelsea’s history to score more than once in a WSL match, following Baltimore’s achievement in January earlier this year.

The result was a significant one for Chelsea, who have now capitalised on Manchester City dropping points to move to the top of the table.

Gunners Show Up Against Rivals

Arsenal delivered a much-needed result, coming from behind to defeat Tottenham 2-1 in the north London derby and ending their five-match winless run in the WSL. The victory marked the first time the Gunners had overturned a deficit to win a league match since September 2025, when they defeated West Ham 5-1.

Having entered the weekend in the bottom half of the table, Arsenal will hope the result represents a turning point in what has been an underwhelming start to their campaign as they now sit sixth, although the performance itself was far from assuring and the question marks surrounding Renée Slegers will not yet disappear.

The task was far from easy , and Tottenham initially threatened to compound their rivals’ difficulties, taking the lead in this fixture for only the third time in WSL history. It was their first such occasion since December 2023, when they also recorded their only league victory against Arsenal in the fixture.

However, Spurs ultimately squandered their lead, losing a WSL match after scoring the opening goal for the first time since March 2023 when they were defeated by Liverpool, ending a run of 30 such league matches.

Arsenal, meanwhile, had to navigate several nervy moments.

The Gunners made two errors leading to shots in the first half, a tally they have exceeded only once in their WSL history, when they made three against Man City in September 2017.

Spurs demonstrated their capacity to penetrate Arsenal’s defensive lines with the Gunners again looking susceptible in transition. This was exploited by former Gunner Victoria Pelova, who completed six dribbles, the highest total recorded by any player in a WSL match this season.

Nevertheless, it was the fine margins that ultimately made the difference in a relatively scrappy affair.

Alessia Russo, although in her less favoured CAM role, scored and assisted in a WSL match for only the fifth time in her career. Her second-half penalty to edge past Martin Ho’s side, means the England international has now scored nine WSL goals against Tottenham, more than against any other opponent.

The contest also provided a milestone for Georgia Stanway, who opened her Arsenal account in sublime fashion, while it was her first ever goal against Tottenham.

There were also encouraging signs for Arsenal in their wide areas. Caitlin Foord and Taylor Hinds both made their first league starts of the season, combining effectively with Foord winning 16 duels – more than any other player this weekend. Her willingness to compete for every ball highlighted the grit Arsenal will need to navigate the less polished, more attritional games over the course of a season.

For Arsenal, the result may provide some much-needed breathing room. However, given their defensive lapses and the considerable pressure that preceded the fixture, the victory is best viewed as a welcome reprieve against their worst ever form in the WSL.

Perfect No More: United Put Breaks on City

Man City’s perfect start to the WSL season is over after Eva Olid’s side fought back to secure a late draw in the Manchester derby, extending their own unbeaten league run to four matches.

City had averaged three goals per game before the weekend, establishing themselves as the division’s most formidable attacking force. United, however, refused to be intimidated by their rivals’ early-season dominance, adopting an assertive approach rather than adapting their style to contain the league leaders, as City were unable to establish the degree of territorial control they have enjoyed in several of their previous matches.

Indeed, only Arsenal against Chelsea had recorded a smaller difference in field tilt this season, at 2.8%, than the Manchester derby, highlighting just how evenly balanced the contest was, with neither side able to establish sustained territorial supremacy.

Their intentions were evident from the outset, with Jess Park registering an early opportunity in just the second minute of the game. Park had three shots, matching goalscorer Elisabeth Terland for the most of any United player, and offering an explosive dimension to United’s attack, able to use her quick feet and close control to unsettle City’s defensive structure in the final third.

Despite United’s bright start, City struck first through Khadija Shaw, who marked her 100th appearance for the club by scoring her 91st goal. The Jamaica international produced a sharp turn to create a fraction of space away from Dominique Janssen before driving a precise finish into the net.

It was a moment of individual quality that appeared to place City on course for another victory. Yet the outcome ultimately repeated an unfamiliar scenario for Shaw: for the fifth time in WSL history, and the first since March 2025 against West Ham, she opened the scoring in a league match that the Sky Blues have failed to win.

United remained undeterred and continued to threaten, with their persistence eventually rewarded by Terland. The Norwegian forward scored her second career WSL goal against Man City and her first in United colours, having previously found the net against them for Brighton in March 2023.

Ultimately, the draw represents a slight interruption to City’s momentum, serving as a reminder that their early-season supremacy is far from unassailable. Meanwhile, for United, the result offered further evidence of their growing consistency, with four consecutive league matches unbeaten providing a solid foundation for the weeks ahead.

Liverpool Halt London City’s Winning Run

London City Lionesses went into the weekend in formidable form, but Liverpool ultimately brought their four-game winning streak to an end by salvaging a point in an inviting encounter. The draw, however, did little to disguise Liverpool’s continuing inability to protect an advantage.

Having opened the scoring through Beata Olsson‘s 19th-minute penalty, Liverpool once again surrendered control of a promising position. They have now dropped eight points from winning positions this season, the highest total of any WSL side.

The way in which they concede such goals is also particularly concerning. Gareth Taylor’s side committed three errors leading to shots in the first half alone, with two resulting in goals. Only West Ham against Chelsea (five), have made more errors leading to shots in a first half period this season.

It was also the highest number of first-half errors leading to shots that Liverpool have ever recorded in a single WSL match. Across Europe’s top five leagues, no team has made more errors leading directly to goals (four) than Liverpool this season.

Such figures expose a chronic problem rather than mere lapses in focus. Though, much of the blame lies with goalkeeper Khiara Keating who has now conceded three goals directly from her own mistakes, the highest tally of any WSL this season.

London City, meanwhile, once again showcased the potency of their early-game approach. They generated 2.09 xG in the first half, capitalising on Liverpool’s defensive disorganisation.

Daniëlle van de Donk continued her excellent creative form, registering an assist for the third consecutive WSL match for the first time in her career.

However, the Lionesses’ attacking threat diminished dramatically after the interval. They accumulated just 0.08 xG in the second half, their lowest ever total in the final 45 minutes of a WSL match.

Freya Godfrey scored in consecutive WSL matches for only the second time in her career with recent performances attracting considerable attention, with teammate Alexia Putellas describing her as the “future of England”.

For Liverpool, the point offered some relief, but the underlying concerns remain. Their resilience in recovering from difficult situations deserves credit, yet the frequency of their defensive errors and dropped points suggests that greater composure at the back will be essential if they are to turn competitive performances into consistent results.

Villa Are Starting to Believe

Aston Villa’s campaign under interim head coach Brian Sørensen is beginning to acquire some momentum, with their 3-2 victory against Everton securing consecutive WSL wins for the first time since their five-match winning run at the end of the 2024-25 season.

Nonetheless, despite the plaudits, Sørensen’s side were pegged back by two late goals, but Villa held out, offering a timely boost to a team navigating an unstable start to the season following Natalia Arroyo’s departure.

Villa wasted little time asserting themselves. Noëlle Maritz opened the scoring after just four minutes. Having gone 108 WSL appearances for Arsenal and Aston Villa without scoring, Maritz has now found the net twice in her last three league outings.

Maritz also registered two goal involvements in a WSL match for only the second time in her career, having previously achieved the feat for Arsenal against West Ham in April 2021. Her contribution helped establish the platform for a performance that would become increasingly emphatic.

Villa were three goals ahead by the 50th minute, the quickest they have ever gone as many goals up in a WSL match since April 2025 (vs Arsenal).

Striker Amalie Vangsgaard, was particularly influential. The Danish international produced a superb piece of skill to manufacture a pocket of space before unleashing a strike from outside the box with her weaker left foot.

Vangsgaard subsequently completed her brace, achieving the feat for only the second time in her career; her previous two-goal tally came for Paris Saint-Germain against Bordeaux in January 2024.

The summer signing from Juventus was Villa’s principal attacking threat, accumulating 1.29 xG, the fourth-highest total ever recorded by a Villa player in a WSL match. Her eight shots were also the third-highest individual total in the club’s top-flight history, behind only Rachel Daly’s 10 against Reading in November 2022 and nine against Bristol City in February 2024.

Villa’s collective attacking output was equally impressive. They generated 2.22 xG, their highest total since recording 2.23 against Liverpool in December 2025.

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