The Women’s Super League returns this weekend with a slate of fixtures that promise drama, storylines, and potential table-shaping results. Everton open the round under the Friday night lights as they launch a new Hall of Fame, Tottenham test their unbeaten start against Manchester City, and Chelsea look to extend their dominance at home to Leicester. Elsewhere, Aston Villa meet Liverpool, Brighton face West Ham, and the headline clash sees Manchester United and Arsenal go head-to-head in a top-of-the-table showdown.
FRIDAY - 7:30pm
Everton v London City Lionesses
Everton have had a topsy-turvy start to the season, smashing Liverpool 4-1 at Anfield, then losing 2-0 to Spurs at home. In their second home game of the season (interestingly, they are not doing one away one home here), they face London City Lionesses, who have not won yet but have faced Manchester United and Arsenal, big teams in the WSL. They did manage to score in both, meaning no clean sheets.
Everton will launch a new Hall of Fame for its women’s team, featuring past icons who have played for the Toffees. None of the inductees has been confirmed, but our selection panel has decided and will announce it on Friday. The panel includes journalists, past players and coaches.
If the home side wins, it would be huge after they had a busy transfer window. They could move to six points after two games and remain close to the big teams.
Hayley Ladd and Honoka Hayashi are pushing for a spot in the starting lineup this week.
Grace Geyoro, the club record signing for the Lionesses, was featured off the bench last week in her debut.
After an encouraging first performance in the WSL, the midfielder could make her full debut against Everton.
Julia Roddar or Katie Zelem are at risk of being sacrificed by the Lionesses in place of Geyoro.
Everton: Brosnan; Pacheco, Fernandez, Ishikawa, Robinson; Hayashi, Wheeler, Ladd, Vignola, Snoeijs, Momiki.
London City Lionesses: Lete, Kennedy, Kumagai, Fernandez, Imuran; Geyoro, Zelem, Asllani, Goodwin, Parris, Corrales.
Tottenham v Manchester City
Martin Ho’s team is proving to be better than last year. They sit in third place in the table with maximum points and are the only team in the league not to have conceded a goal.
City has picked up three points, leaving them in sixth place.
Spurs had a good pre-season between Arsenal and Southampton and beat West Ham in their opener with a late penalty. They beat Everton in their first match at Goodison Park, their home, 2-0.
Andree Jeglertz, Manchester City, had a tough opener. They faced six-time champions Chelsea, losing 2-1, and then had a not-so-convincing 2-1 victory against Brighton. They fought back from a goal behind to get back into the game. It was a rocky start for City, which was criticised, especially against Brighton in the first half, for a lack of cohesion.
In the last five meetings, City has not lost to Spurs.
Spurs have also lost five of their last six home matches in the WSL, while City have lost just one of their last seven away game, winning four.
Jeglertz has said that an in-form Yu Hasegawa could be one of the best players in the world.
Last season, City won this fixture 2-1 after a 78th-minute winner from Aoba Fujino. That was after Khadija Shaw scored a hat-trick in a 4-0 victory in Manchester earlier in the season.
Grace Clinton has been in training this week, with Jeglertz insisting she’s ‘definitely on her way’ back to full fitness.
Sunday- 12pm
Chelsea v Leicester City
Sonia Bompastor confirmed Lucy
Bronze, Lauren James and Naomi Girma will all be missing for Chelsea against Leicester City on Sunday, and there is also a doubt over Niamh Charles' fitness.
'Lucy, LJ, and Naomi are all progressing well,' continued Bompastor. 'They won't be
involved in the game this weekend, but probably we'll see them later or earlier in October. They are all progressing individually in their own way.'
"Sam has been great," Bompastor said ahead of Chelsea's next Women's Super League game at home to Leicester.
Bompastor is pleased with how Alyssa Thompson, a USA international, has been welcomed into the Chelsea family and is happy with our numerous attack options.
Following Leicester’s 1-0 victory over Liverpool last time out, they will be looking to win consecutive WSL matches for the first time since a run of three between May and October 2023.
Meanwhile, they also hope to record back-to-back successes without conceding for the first time in the top-flight.
However, the Foxes are winless in each of their last 17 away matches in the WSL, having drawn five times and lost on 12 occasions on the road.
Chelsea have lost just one of our previous 49 home matches in the WSL, with 46 wins and two draws making up the total. The Blues are also unbeaten in 27 WSL games (24 wins and three draws); our last defeat came against Liverpool in May 2024.
Chelsea have scored 38 goals in eight WSL meetings with Leicester City, an average of 4.8 per game—the best goals-per-game ratio any side has over another in the competition among those that have met more than five times.
Leicester City has lost each of its eight Women’s Super League games against Chelsea, although it did earn a 1-1 home draw against Sonia Bompastor's side in December last year.
Aston Villa v Liverpool
Liverpool is bottom of the table after losing 4-1 at Anfield to Everton and 1-0 to a 10-player Leicester side.
Gareth Taylor is clearly trying to use this system from Manchester City, but has yet to understand that it is unlikely to occur at Liverpool due to the player disparity.
Aston Villa had one point from their opening two games after a goalless draw against Brighton, and then a 3-1 loss against holders Chelsea.
Sabrina D’Angelo missed the game against Chelsea after being forced off with an injury against Brighton.
Villa summer signing Ellie Roebuck is again expected to deputise for D’Angelo.
Liverpool also has an issue in goal with Rachael Laws out with a hand injury.
Summer signing Rafaella Borgraffe was on the bench last week, but it was revealed on Friday that the FA is investigating her over an alleged racist remark. Borggrafe is understood to have denied the allegations
Aston Villa: Roebuck; Wilms, Patten, Deslandes; Grant, Bo Kearns, Baijings, Maritz; Daly; Salmon, Hanson
Liverpool: Kirby; Shimizu, Bonner, Clark, Evans; Nagano; Enderby, Maclean, Hobinger, Kapocs; Olsson
Brighton v West Ham
Neither side has had a good start to the season Brighton have one point from a draw against Aston Villa in the opener of the season and one loss after scoring first against a dishevelled Manchester City.
West Ham lost both their first two goals 1-0 against Spurs due to a late on penalty given to the home side converted by Bethany England.
Their second game saw them go up first from a own goal after the Arsenal keeper made a massive fault but could not capitalise on the gift and lost 5-1.
The south coast club recorded eight league victories on their way to achieving their highest-ever WSL finish last term as Dario Vidošić’s side ended the campaign fifth in the standings, scoring a club record number of goals in a WSL season (35) in the process.
Seven of those goals came from 2024 signing Nikita Parris, but the 31-year-old departed Brighton for newly-promoted London City Lionesses in the summer. Defender Poppy Pattinson also made the move to the Pride, as 13 players departed before the transfer window shut on 4 September.
Last season at the AMEX in November, Brighton edged to a 3-2 victory with Kirby scoring the winner after a Katrina Gorry brace brought the Hammers back on level terms after they fell two goals down.
But at Chigwell Construction Stadium in February, Skinner’s side ran out 3-1 winners after goals from Shekiera Martinez, Riko Ueki and Viviane Asseyi.
Of the 19 meetings between the sides, the Seagulls have won ten, whilst the Hammers have won six.
2:30PM
Manchester United v Arsenal
For Manchester United is coming off a massive high after making it to the Champions League stage for the first time ever. However they now need to balance European football and league football with a squad not of the depth of Chelsea and Arsenal.
The Red Devils put five goals past the London City Lionesses last weekend. Marc Skinner likened Melvine Malard to Eric Cantona this week. She has already scored her third and fourth goals in the league.
United's summer signing, Fridolina Rolfo, made her debut against London City Lionesses and could push for a start this weekend now she has recovered from injury.
Jess Park scored on her first start for the club last weekend and should retain her spot in midfield.
This a battle for 1st place in the table depending on goal difference both sides have a great start of the season scoring nine goals each however Arsenal conceded two goals and United only one. Both sides have played lower-ranked teams, so this will be their biggest challenge yet.
Manchester United: Tullis-Joyce; Riviere, Le Tissier, Janssen, Sandberg; Olme, Miyazawa; Park, Toone, Rolfo; Malard
Arsenal: van Domselaar; Fox, Reid, Catley, McCabe; Little, Maanum; Caldentey, Kelly, Smith; Russo.
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