London City Lionesses may have lost 2-1 to defending Champions Manchester City, but their performance underlined the credibility of their European ambitions. They remain third in the Women’s Super League, three points ahead of Tottenham and six points behind the leading pair of Chelsea and Manchester City.
Eder Maestre’s side dominated for long periods in Bromley but were unable to turn that control into a result. The manager said the defeat was particularly frustrating because he felt the outcome did not reflect the performance, while acknowledging that Manchester City had greater experience in such matches. If London City continue their progress and qualify for the Champions League, UEFA could face the prospect of two clubs owned by Michelle Kang—London City and OL Lyonnes—qualifying sooner than expected.
Arsenal again fell behind early, going a goal down against Aston Villa for the fifth time this season before eventually dropping more points. Renée Slegers said her team had again lacked urgency and described the match as feeling like a repeat of previous games. Arsenal have struggled to break down defensive opponents after conceding, leaving the manager and squad with the task of finding a solution to their lack of efficiency in the final third.
Chelsea maintained their position at the top with a 6-0 victory over Charlton at the Valley, but the result was overshadowed by concern over Lauren James. The England international was forced off in the 35th minute after pulling up off the ball. Sonia Bompastor said the injury involved James’s hamstring and that the club would carry out a further assessment. James had made an impressive start to the season, scoring four WSL goals after being restricted to 11 and six league starts in the previous two campaigns.
Nathalie Björn opened the scoring on her first start after several months out, while Aggie Beever-Jones scored her first league goal since September 2025. Giulia Dragoni also scored her first goal for Chelsea after coming off the bench.
Drew Spence set a new WSL record during Tottenham’s 4-1 win over Birmingham City. Her start at St Andrew’s was her 217th in the competition, surpassing the previous record for starts. The 34-year-old Jamaica international, who played in the inaugural WSL season with Chelsea in 2011, has won five league titles, four FA Cups and two League Cups. Tottenham’s victory ended a three-match losing run and lifted them to fourth.
Viviane Asseyi scored twice as West Ham defeated Liverpool 4-1. Her second goal was a curling free-kick from the edge of the area, taking her league total to five and moving her level with the players in fifth place in the Golden Boot standings. West Ham manager Rita Guarino praised Asseyi’s performance and the team’s contribution to her display.
Everton and Manchester United produced a goalless draw in which both teams recorded an expected-goals figure below 0.5 and neither created a big chance, according to the WSL’s official website. Everton are among the division’s lowest scorers, while Manchester United have scored only nine league goals. Chelsea have already scored three times as many, highlighting the attacking gap between the leaders and the two sides involved in Saturday’s draw.
Brighton came from behind to beat Crystal Palace 2-1 and secure a third consecutive home win, their first such run since September 2021. The result moved them up to sixth, with head coach Arturo Ruiz praising the team’s collective effort. Palace’s goal came from Annabel Blanchard, who produced an impressive long-range finish in the 34th minute.
After eight matches, Chelsea and Manchester City lead the table on 22 points, with Chelsea ahead on goal difference. London City are third on 16 points, followed by Tottenham on 13, Manchester United on 12 and Brighton on 11. Arsenal, Everton and Aston Villa each have 10 points, while Charlton remain bottom without a point.
Sources: The Guardian Sport.