By Opta Analyst | Created at 2026-09-14 13:09:02 | Updated at 2026-09-19 09:33:11
4 days ago
From West Ham stunning London City Lionesses’ new-look stars to Manchester City’s set-piece masterclass, we use Opta data to uncover the standout performances, emerging trends and biggest numbers from Matchday 2 of the 2026-27 WSL season.
The second weekend of the Women’s Super League brought more drama, more surprises and some seriously eye-catching numbers.
London City Lionesses were brought back down to earth by West Ham after their statement opening-weekend victory, Chelsea responded emphatically to their Matchday 1 draw by putting five past Manchester United, while Arsenal were unexpectedly held by Crystal Palace.
And while Liverpool and Tottenham shared the points, Manchester City were the only side to emerge from the weekend with a perfect record intact, following a 4-1 victory at Aston Villa.
But, as ever, the scorelines only tell part of the story.
We’ve dug into the Opta data to uncover the numbers that defined Matchday 2.
Asseyi Joins Select WSL Company
Following London City Lionesses’ statement victory over Manchester United on the opening matchday, there was every reason to expect their star-studded squad to make it back-to-back wins against West Ham.
Instead, the Hammers underlined exactly why the WSL is becoming increasingly unpredictable and compelling, with the competitive gap between sides continuing to narrow, particularly following another summer of significant investment.
Summer signing Kelly Gago, who joined West Ham from Everton, opened the scoring to register her first WSL goal for the club. The forward used her combination of strength and pace to cause problems for Eder Maestre’s side, continuing an impressive attacking run for the hosts.
6 – West Ham have now scored in each of their last six WSL matches, equalling their longest scoring streak in the competition, previously set between September and November 2022.
But it was Viviane Asseyi who delivered the decisive moment and, in doing so, joined some select WSL company.
25 – Viviane Asseyi became just the sixth player to score 25+ WSL goals for a club outside the traditional ‘big four’.
Only Rachel Daly (41 for Aston Villa), Bethany England (32 for Tottenham), Fara Williams (26 for Reading), Rachel Williams (26 for Birmingham City) and Jess Clarke (25 for Notts County) have also reached that landmark.
It is an impressive reminder of Asseyi’s consistency in a league where goals outside the traditional leading clubs have not always been easy to come by.
London City certainly had opportunities of their own. Daniëlle van de Donk attempted five shots, the most by a London City player in either of their first two games this season, but the Lionesses couldn’t turn their attacking threat into a result.
After beating Manchester United on the opening weekend, London City had arrived with plenty of attention surrounding their new-look squad. Instead, it was one of the WSL’s established goalscorers who had the final say.
Man Utd’s Dismal Start Continues as James Shines
Manchester United went into their meeting with Chelsea searching for a response after their opening-weekend defeat to London City. Instead, things got considerably worse.
Chelsea ran out emphatic 5-0 winners, continuing a remarkable history of heavy victories at United’s expense.
19 – Lauren James has attempted 19 shots across Chelsea’s opening two matches, the most ever by a player across a team’s first two games of a WSL season.
Lauren James was already one of our standout players from a disappointing MD1 for Chelsea, and her influence has only grown. While the Blues have been finding ways to create opportunities, United have been struggling to create almost anything at all.
6 – Manchester United have attempted just six shots across their opening two matches, equalling the fewest ever by a non-promoted team at this stage of a WSL season.
The only other established WSL side to record as few was Leicester City last season, a campaign that ultimately ended in relegation.
But, perhaps even more alarming for United has been the change at the other end of the pitch.
7 – Manchester United have conceded more goals than any other WSL side this season.
To put that into context, United conceded just 10 goals in total across the opening two matches of their previous seven WSL campaigns combined.
Two games is far too early to draw conclusions about an entire season, but the numbers underline just how difficult United’s start has been. For Chelsea and James, meanwhile, the response to dropping points on MD1 could hardly have been more emphatic.
A WSL Welcome to Forget for Charlton
Life in the WSL has not been particularly kind to debutants Charlton Athletic so far.
After Liverpool handed them a 4-0 defeat on their top-flight debut, their second outing ended in another defeat at Everton thanks to a 77th-minute own goal via Leighanne Robe. It now means the Addicks have set several records they would rather not own.
5 – Charlton have attempted the fewest shots ever by a team across their opening two matches of a WSL season.
Even more remarkably, none of those five attempts have been on target, making Charlton the first team in WSL history to go without a shot on target across the opening two matchdays of a campaign.
Moreover, their meeting with the Toffees produced an unusual piece of WSL history in its own right.
0 – Everton’s 1-0 victory over Charlton became just the second match in WSL history in which neither team recorded a shot on target.
And Charlton’s difficult afternoon didn’t end there.
2 – Charlton became just the third team to receive two red cards in the same WSL match.
Only Manchester City against Chelsea in October 2023 and Bristol City against Liverpool in April 2012 had previously done so.
Two games into their first WSL season, Charlton are discovering just how unforgiving the step up can be. They have yet to score, are still waiting for their first shot on target and have already found themselves on the wrong side of several pieces of WSL history.
It has been a baptism of fire – and MD3 can’t come quickly enough as they look to right those wrongs.
Palace Make History as Arsenal Draw a Blank
Arsenal went into their first home game of the season looking to make it two wins from two, but newly promoted Crystal Palace had other ideas.
The Gunners dominated throughout the London derby, but Palace stood firm to secure an impressive goalless draw and an early point that few would have expected them to take away from Arsenal.
70 – Only one team in WSL history has had more touches in the opposition box without scoring in a match than Arsenal’s 70 against Crystal Palace.
And that team was Arsenal themselves, when they registered 76 against Yeovil Town in April 2018.
For all that pressure, Palace refused to buckle – and their defensive performance earned them a piece of WSL history.
1 – Crystal Palace are the first promoted team in WSL history to keep a clean sheet away against a side that finished the previous season in the top two.
Arsenal’s first dropped points of the campaign could prove significant, particularly with Manchester United, Chelsea and Manchester City awaiting them in their next three WSL fixtures.
While the result represents a dent in their early momentum, their remarkable unbeaten run remains intact.
19 – Arsenal are now unbeaten in 19 consecutive WSL matches, equalling the longest such run in the club’s history.
There was also an individual landmark for Kim Little, who made her 182nd WSL appearance for Arsenal, moving ahead of Katie McCabe (181) to become the club’s outright record appearance holder in the competition.
But on a landmark afternoon for one Arsenal great, it was Palace who produced the result of the day. Faced with wave after wave of Arsenal pressure, the newly-promoted side found a way to keep them out and made a little WSL history of their own in the process.
Champions Man City Set the Early Pace as Hemp Hits 100
Man City are already beginning to show exactly why they are champions — and why they are building a dynasty rather than simply defending their crown, as put by The Athletic.
After opening their title defence with victory over Birmingham City, they dispatched Aston Villa 4-1 at Villa Park to make it two wins from two; something no other WSL side has managed in 2026-27.
It is the first time since 2015 – when Chelsea managed it – that just one team has won both of their opening two matches of a WSL campaign.
And while City’s attacking quality is hardly a surprise, one particular source of goals has given opponents an additional problem to solve.
3 – Manchester City have already scored three goals from corners in the WSL this season, just one fewer than the other 13 clubs combined (4).
Two games in and City’s set-piece threat is already proving a potent weapon.
But there was also a significant individual landmark at Villa Park, with Lauren Hemp joining an exclusive group of WSL greats.
100 – Lauren Hemp became just the seventh player to reach 100 WSL goal involvements (52 goals and 48 assists).
Only Vivianne Miedema (138), Beth Mead (127), Bethany England (114), Fran Kirby (111), Nikita Parris (111) and Khadija Shaw (105) have registered more.
For a player still capable of terrorising defenders with the same direct running that made her one of the league’s most exciting young talents, Hemp reaching three figures underlines just how much end product she has delivered along the way.
Two matches, two wins and an increasingly dangerous set-piece threat. It may only be September, but the champions are already setting the pace.
The attention now turns to MD3, and the storylines are already building.
Man City will put their perfect start on the line against perhaps their toughest test yet, facing a new-look Liverpool side led by former City manager Gareth Taylor.
Elsewhere, two teams still searching for their first points face difficult assignments: Charlton host London City Lionesses, while Man Utd travel to Arsenal desperate to arrest their difficult start.
With Chelsea hosting Birmingham City and Crystal Palace looking to build on their impressive point at Arsenal when they face Tottenham, the early shape of the WSL season could look very different again by this time next week.
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