Another weekend of WSL action is now complete and the table is starting to take shape, with most clubs having played five games.
The first international break of the 2024/25 campaign has now begun, but Manchester City lead the way at this stage. Gareth Taylor’s side secured a narrow 2-1 victory over Aston Villa on Sunday to maintain their one-point advantage over champions Chelsea, who have a game in hand.
Chelsea and Manchester United are the remaining two teams yet to suffer a league defeat, although the latter dropped their first points of the season in a draw with Brighton & Hove Albion.
West Ham are now bottom of the table on goal difference following their loss at home to Arsenal. Everton and Villa also sit on two points and are without a win.
These are the best five players from matchday five in the WSL…
Brazil international Gabi Nunes scored her first goal for Villa in her third start for the club across all competitions. The 27-year-old featured in their League Cup victory over Crystal Palace, as well as their 0-0 draw against Leicester City – but now she is well and truly off the mark.
It was a well-worked goal from Robert de Pauw’s side as Rachel Daly picked out Kirsty Hanson’s run down the left flank, with the Scot’s cross was met by Nunes in the box. The Villa forward was able to get ahead of her marker and send a first time finish into the far corner.
Although Villa went on to lose the game after two second half goals from the league leaders, supporters were offered a glimpse of what to expect from Nunes this season. This will no doubt be the first of many.
It’s fair to say it has been a tough start to the season for Crystal Palace. As a newly promoted side, they have suffered some heavy defeats in recent weeks, but they have also picked up some positive results too.
They are now up to ninth place, with Sunday’s 1-1 draw against Liverpool was a strong result and even feeling as though they should have won the game in the end. Katie Stengel scored the goal, but it was Annabel Blanchard who kept the attack alive and picked out the American.
Blanchard was one of the driving forces behind Palace’s strong display in St Helens, and the 23-year-old was at the heart of almost every threatening attack for the visitors. The only thing that was missing was a goal.
After a difficult week for Arsenal that saw manager Jonas Eidevall resign, they secured only a second WSL win of the season on Sunday as they beat strugglers West Ham 2-0 away from home. But it wasn’t an easy task by any means and the game swung on interim coach Renee Slegers making a quadruple subsitution at 0-0 and with just over half an hour to play.
Stina Blackstenius was among the four players that came on and made a huge impact, instantly forced Hammers goalkeeper Kinga Szemik into a save, then winning the breakthrough penalty and setting up the second goal for compatriot and fellow substitute Rosa Kafaji.
At half-time against Aston Villa, Manchester City were a goal down and struggling to create clear cut chances. That changed after the break and was sparked by moments of quality from Lauren Hemp.
The winger teed up herself to score the looping volley for the equaliser, and she then set up Jill Roord for the winner. Her tricky footwork carved out the opportunity before she picked out her teammate in space in the box.
Hemp now has two goals and two assists in the WSL this season, but Sunday’s performance was another example of why she’s long been considered one of the best players in England.
Without a doubt, the standout performer of the weekend. Johanna Rytting Kaneryd has had a fantastic start to the season and Sunday against Tottenham, with Chelsea winning 5-2 in the end, was no different.
Two goals, one of which was a perfectly hit first-time volley, and the other was a wonder strike from a tight angle. That’s not even including the fact she assisted Maika Hamano’s opening goal.
The Sweden international is operating at a different level this term under Sonia Bompastor, and she has been so effective in every game she has played. A big reason behind Chelsea’s 100% start.
