CHELSEA were the big winners as The WSL returned for the first game week of 2026,writes Olivia Clark.
The women in blue swept aside West Ham with a ruthless 5–0 win at Kingsmeadow, starting with a Yu Endo own goal just 46 seconds in. A poor clearance from Kinga Szemik later gifted Lauren James her first goal of the season to double the lead.
With Chelsea already 4–0 up by half-time, they maintained full control after the break, helped by a second Sandy Baltimore goal. West Ham offered little resistance and remain without an away league win since April last year.
League leaders Man City picked up right where they left off, extending their dominance as Liverpool’s search for a first league win goes on. Meanwhile, the battle for Champions League qualification has tightened, with only a single point separating third from fifth.
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City carried on with their winning form, securing victory through goals from Kerolin Nicoli and Vivianne Miedema – their 18th win over Everton in 20 league meetings. Despite Courtney Brosnan’s 11 saves for Everton, it was not enough to prevent the Toffees’ continued poor form, with now only one win in their last 11 league matches.
Arsenal and Manchester United played out another 0–0 draw, mirroring their meeting in September. Arsenal’s frustration grew as they failed to convert any of their 25 shots, even after gaining a player advantage in the 65th minute.
United held firm thanks to six crucial saves from Phallon Tullis-Joyce, while Marc Skinner marked his 100th WSL game by avoiding defeat away to Arsenal for the first time since 2022.
Leicester’s unique and unwanted away record at Spurs continued, losing a fifth straight WSL away game by the same 1-0 scoreline – the longest run of identical away defeats to a single opponent in the competition’s history.
The game dominated by Spurs’ big chances was ultimately decided by an own goal from a familiar face, as Ashleigh Neville – the recently Tottenham-turned-Leicester player – marked her debut with a misplaced header.
Aston Villa overturned an early setback with two goals in two minutes to beat Brighton 2-1. Fuka Tsunoda put the visitors ahead in the 12th minute, but Rachel Daly and Kirsty Rae Hanson’s quickfire double stole back all three points for the Villians.
The result extends Villa’s winning streak over Brighton, marking their fourth consecutive victory against the Seagulls at Villa Park.
St Helens hosted a goalless draw between Liverpool and the London City Lionesses – an uneventful game for both teams. Neither side managed a shot on target, but it will be Liverpool who will rue their missed chances.
The Reds got themselves into the final third frequently, but a lack of quality up front resulted in a wasted opportunity to get their first win of the season.
With standout displays from the likes of Courtney Brosnan, Phallon Tullis-Joyce and Sandy Baltimore shaping the weekend, the focus now shifts to the FA Cup, where several WSL sides will look to carry their momentum into the knockout competition.
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