WSL talking points: Arroyo faces heat after 7-3 rout and James sparkles for Chelsea

Manchester City wasted no time reminding the Barclays Women’s Super League why they sit top, dismantling Leicester City 6-0 in a ruthless return to form. Andrée Jeglertz’s side registered 31 chances, 15 on target, and an expected goals tally of 4.63 while monopolising possession at 91 percent accuracy. The league leaders’ fluid front four were irresistible: Lauren Hemp supplied two assists and crafted 11 chances from the left, Bunny Shaw headed her 15th league goal of the campaign, Vivianne Miedema orchestrated play and finished twice, and Kerolin curled in the goal of the game while adding an assist. The victory reinstated the champions’ eight-point cushion and underlined their attacking depth.

At Kingsmeadow, Chelsea welcomed back Lauren James and immediately reaped the rewards. The forward’s first 90-minute outing since last summer’s European Championship proved decisive, setting up Sjoeke Nüsken’s opener before arrowing in a trademark strike to seal a 2-0 win over Liverpool. Operating centrally before drifting wide, James offered the cutting edge Sonia Bompastor’s side have lacked during the England international’s ankle-enforced absence. “When she is performing at this level, she is one of the first that you put in your starting XI,” Bompastor said, stressing the importance of building James’s fitness for the run-in.

Goodison Park continues to smile on Everton’s interim boss Scott Phelan. Honoka Hayashi’s early strike earned a 1-0 victory against West Ham, Everton’s third straight WSL triumph and back-to-back home win since Phelan stepped up from the under-18s. No previous Everton manager has won their opening two league fixtures, yet Phelan insisted the day felt perfect because the squad “thought this would be bricks and rubble” after Brian Sørensen’s departure. A Merseyside FA Cup derby looms with momentum firmly in the blue half of Liverpool.

The heat turned up on Aston Villa manager Natalia Arroyo after a 7-3 humiliation by Tottenham at Villa Park. Spurs plundered four goals in 16 second-half minutes, taking Villa’s season concession to 36 – the division’s worst. Ninth place and mounting defensive frailties leave Arroyo acknowledging her job could be on the line despite board support. “It was like being thrown in a swimming pool and not allowed to get air – it was cruel,” she admitted, apologising to supporters for a display that intensified scrutiny on her tenure.

Manchester United’s resilience surfaced again in a hard-fought 2-1 win at London City Lionesses. Coming off a mid-week Champions League trip to Atlético Madrid that saw the squad return at 4 a.m., Marc Skinner’s side extended their winning streak to seven across all competitions and remained unbeaten in eight WSL outings. “It’s not easy…but we always find a way,” Skinner said, labelling the result among the season’s most significant.

Brighton’s meeting with Arsenal never got the chance to entertain, postponed two hours before kick-off when a waterlogged Broadfield Stadium failed a final inspection despite protective covers. With flood warnings issued for days, questions were asked why the fixture was not pre-emptively moved to the 36,000-capacity Amex. Owner Tony Bloom has previously argued the stadium is “too big” for women’s crowds, yet supporters left frustrated by the lack of foresight in an already congested calendar.

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