Arsenal drew 1-1 at home to Birmingham City in the Women’s Super League on Sunday, and The Guardian reports that the result adds to the pressure on head coach Renée Slegers. Elsewhere, Manchester City stayed top with a perfect record, and Lauren Hemp moved within three assists of the league’s all-time record.
What happened
The international break was a chance for Arsenal to reset, but The Guardian’s Sophie Downey writes that the same problems showed up again at the Emirates. Arsenal had 76% of the possession, an expected goals figure of 2.73 and 43 touches in the opposition box. Of their 27 chances, only four were on target. Birmingham defended deep and in numbers, a setup the Guardian notes Slegers’s side have long struggled to break down. Birmingham scored with their only shot on target, through Océane Hurtré, who now has six goals in six games. After six matches Arsenal are eighth on six points.
The top of the table looks very different. Manchester City beat Brighton 3-2 to make it six wins from six, giving them 18 points. Hemp, 26, set up Khadija Shaw twice in the first 16 minutes. Those were her 50th and 51st WSL assists, which leaves her three short of her teammate Beth Mead, the record holder with 54. Hemp has eight goal contributions this season. “I want to keep improving,” she said, adding that she felt she had lost the ball too often and that “my best is yet to come.”
Chelsea are second on 16 points after beating Tottenham 6-2 at Stamford Bridge. It was 1-1 at half-time. Spurs head coach Martin Ho said his team “can’t completely collapse” after conceding, pointing out that they let in three goals in nine minutes and then two in six. The Guardian notes that Tottenham have now gone 20 games without a win against top-four opponents.
London City Lionesses are third on 15 points after a 2-1 win over Everton, their fourth win in a row. Both goals came in the first half and on the counter-attack. The Guardian highlights their defending: they have faced 12 shots on target, the fewest in the division.
Further down the table, Aston Villa came from behind to beat Liverpool 2-1 for their first win of the season. The goals were a second-half strike from Chasity Grant and an own goal by Liverpool’s Grace Fisk. The win doubled Villa’s points total. Brian Sørensen, who replaced Natalia Arroyo last month, was confirmed this week as interim head coach until the end of the season. West Ham won away for the first time this campaign, beating Crystal Palace 1-0. Kelly Gago scored after an assist from Oona Siren, and the result ended a run of three straight defeats before the break. Charlton lost 3-1 to Manchester United and are still bottom with no points from six games. They had 23.8% of the possession. Manager Karen Hills was pleased with her team’s second half, saying “we took the second half to Manchester United.”
Why it matters if you live in United Kingdom
For anyone following women’s football in Britain, this round showed how the season is shaping up. Manchester City are two points clear of Chelsea, and London City Lionesses, a club in only their first few years at the top level, are close behind in third. If you live in London, the capital now has several clubs worth following: Chelsea and London City are near the top, Tottenham are fourth on 10 points, and Arsenal, West Ham, Crystal Palace and Charlton are spread through the lower half.
Arsenal’s supporters have the most reason to worry. One of the country’s best-known women’s teams has six points from six games and is level with West Ham, Aston Villa and Crystal Palace. The Guardian describes repeated draws in which Arsenal control the ball without scoring, and its headline says that is putting pressure on Slegers.
Fans in Manchester and Birmingham have something to follow too. Hemp is an England international, and her chase for Mead’s record will continue at City’s next games. Birmingham, meanwhile, picked up a rare point and are thirteenth on three points. That leaves them above only Charlton.
The Guardian’s piece does not cover ticketing or broadcast arrangements. If you want to watch or attend, check each club’s official channels for fixtures and tickets.
What to watch next
Hemp needs three more assists to equal Mead’s record of 54 and four to break it. At her current rate, the record could fall within a few weeks. Because the two are teammates, the record will stay at Manchester City either way.
Arsenal’s next results will show whether The Guardian’s concerns about the team’s lack of urgency, and the pressure on Slegers, grow or ease. Tottenham, with a squad Ho calls young, will look to end their winless run against the top four. Charlton are still looking for their first point. Sørensen has the rest of the season to build on Villa’s first win, and West Ham will hope Gago’s goal helps them pull clear of the bottom of the table.
At the top, City’s 100% record will be tested as the season goes on, with Chelsea and London City Lionesses both close enough to make it a three-way title race.
Source: The Guardian
Sources
- The Guardian: WSL talking points: pressure mounts on Slegers as Hemp closes on record, accessed 19 October 2026
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