The third week of action is here in the Barclays Women’s Super League, and the games are all spread out across the weekend, with some Friday night action under the lights at the Joie Stadium between Manchester City and Liverpool to kick things off.
Three games are then on Saturday, with Arsenal vs Manchester United at the Emirates Stadium being the big, highlighted fixture that is taking place on that day. Then on Sunday, all three of the fixtures happening are at the same 2pm kick-off time.
Manchester City vs Liverpool
Friday 18th September, Joie Stadium, 7pm
Kicking off the action for matchweek three is a fixture between Manchester City and Liverpool from the Joie Stadium, with the defending champions under Andree Jeglertz playing against a Liverpool team coached by the former Manchester City coach Gareth Taylor. We will also see goalkeeper Khiara Keating be expected to make her return to face the club she left this summer to join Liverpool.
The home side are coming into this one as the only team in the league with a 100% record, after last week beating Aston Villa 4-1 at Villa Park, where Jade Rose, Mary Fowler and Khadija Shaw all got on the scoresheet, with the other goal in that one coming off Aston Villa’s Mathilde Harviken. Meanwhile, Liverpool had their game a few hours earlier, which ended in a 1-1 draw with Tottenham that saw Aurélie Csillag level the game up in the second half.
Manchester City have impressed so far in scoring seven goals across the opening two games they have played. Last season’s Golden Boot winner Khadija Shaw has already started the 2026/27 campaign with three goals to her name, and along with that has registered an average of 8.5 shots per game, plus an xG of 2.28.
If recent history has been anything to go by with this fixture, Manchester City have had the upper hand against Liverpool, considering they have won all of the last five meetings. The last time the Reds managed to pick up a win in this fixture was May 2023, which is one of four victories Liverpool have had over Man City in 20 overall Barclays WSL meetings between them.
The last meeting was a close encounter that saw Liverpool go close on a few occasions, before a winner in stoppage time by defender Rebecca Knaak helped secure what was a crucial three points to help out Man City’s title push. Gareth Taylor’s side will be hopeful of making the most of any chances they get this Friday and still look to maintain what has been some solid defensive stability to begin the season, with just the one goal scored past them.
Charlton Athletic vs London City Lionesses
Saturday 19th September, The Valley, 12:30pm
The first of two all-London team fixtures is on Saturday lunchtime as Charlton Athletic host London City Lionesses in a game where both sides are going to be looking to bounce back from defeats in their previous fixtures.
Along with the loss away from home to Everton last Sunday, Charlton Athletic also previously were beaten on the opening weekend, and Karen Hills’ side are yet to have scored in the Barclays WSL so far this season, plus they have registered the fewest amount of shots compared to any other Barclays WSL side after the opening two games (5). They will also head into this fixture without summer signings Ashley Neville and Hawa Cissoko after both were sent off in the game against Everton.
London City Lionesses had a great start to their second-ever Barclays WSL campaign when they beat Manchester United at home, but they did come unstuck for the most part against West Ham United in their previous fixture last Saturday. Eder Maestre’s team lost the game 2-1 after two goals came on the counter-attack from their opponents, and it is something that they will want to manage better this week.
On paper, it is a game that London City will look to dominate in possession, but they will also look to produce more attacking output along with that, as besides an own goal from Manchester United’s Julia Zigiotti Olme, only Daniëlle van de Donk has scored the other two London City goals so far this season.
League-wise, this will be a first meeting in the top flight between these teams, with the pair only having ever faced each other previously in the Barclays WSL 2. Out of the last five meetings, London City Lionesses won four of them. The last fixture though ended in a 1-1 draw back in March 2025.
Chelsea vs Birmingham City
Saturday 19th September, Stamford Bridge, 12:45pm
The second Barclays WSL game this season at Stamford Bridge is also happening on Saturday in a 12:45 kick-off time, with Chelsea hosting Birmingham City in a first league meeting between these sides since May 2022.
Sonia Bompastor’s Chelsea found their scoring boots last weekend as they won 5-0 against Manchester United to earn their first three points of the season. Birmingham City also earned a point last weekend when they drew 2-2 with Brighton. Amy Merricks’ side nearly won their first game since being promoted to the Barclays WSL, but a late equaliser by their opponents meant they had to settle for a draw.
After being unable to convert their chances against Aston Villa on the opening weekend, Chelsea managed to showcase how threatening their attacking quality can be, and also how they can look to multiple players for goals in the team as they had five different players on the scoresheet.
They also head into this weekend on an unbeaten run in the Barclays WSL stretching into the previous campaign. Avoid defeat to Birmingham City on Saturday and they will increase the unbeaten run to 11 games.
As for Birmingham City, despite still seeking their first victory of the season, they have looked very capable going forward. French midfielder Océane Hurtré has been their standout performer in the opening two games, scoring in both fixtures and earning the Player of the Match award last time put against Brighton.
It should be an intriguing fixture, even with Chelsea being heavily favoured based on their winning record over Birmingham City. Chelsea were winners in the previous six league meetings and never conceded a goal in those games. If Birmingham were to get a result, it would be the first time they have done so since January 2019.
Arsenal vs Manchester United
Saturday 19th September, Emirates Stadium, 5:30pm
The last of Saturday’s fixtures is a big match-up between Arsenal and Manchester United that is sure to bring a good crowd to the Emirates Stadium in the 5:30pm kick-off.
Both sides have started their respective campaigns in contrasting ways, with Arsenal having yet to lose a game and also fail to concede a goal this season, whereas Manchester United have been beaten in both of their opening games, and conceded a total of seven goals, which is the most of any other Barclays WSL team so far.
Last time out, Arsenal were unable to convert any of the 30 shots they had against Crystal Palace, and Renee Slegers’ side will be looking to be much more clinical in front of goal. Manchester United have also had attacking issues of their own at the start of Eva Olid’s tenure at the club.
The difference with Man Utd has been that they have struggled to create a lot of output in the final third, with just six shots taken across their opening two games - which equals a record for a non-newly promoted team in terms of fewest shots taken at this early stage of the season.
In the past 13 league meetings between these clubs, Arsenal have won on more occasions than not with five victories. The fixture has also ended in a draw on five occasions as well, and Manchester United have three wins, with the last one previously happening in April 2023.
This fixture has tended to be rather closely fought in the past, which is reflected by both of last season’s encounters ending in 0-0 draws. With how both teams fared last week, they will be aiming to respond with a victory, and that should make it a very interesting match-up.
Brighton and Hove Albion vs Aston Villa
Sunday 20th September, American Express Stadium, 2pm
Brighton play Aston Villa in one of Sunday’s 2pm kick-offs, and it will be the first time this season that we see a league game at the American Express Stadium, with both of these sides seeking their opening victories of the season.
Both Brighton and Aston Villa are on one point each after both losing and drawing at least once so far to begin their respective campaigns. A late Kiko Seike equaliser helped Arturo Ruiz’s Brighton to a point against Villa’s rivals Birmingham City, whilst Natalia Arroyo’s side were beaten heavily at home to Manchester City.
Things are a work in progress for Arturo Ruiz and Brighton at this early stage of the season, and they did show glimpses of what they could do in the months to come, having had elements of control against Birmingham despite going behind. Many of their summer signings have also been adjusting to the league, and someone like Olivia Garcia coming off the bench and making an impact will make her someone to watch in key moments as the game progresses.
Another forward who scored their first Barclays WSL goal last weekend was Aston Villa’s Amalie Vangsgaard, and it was arguably the bright spark in a performance that while it had its moments in attacking scenarios, defensively they left a lot of open spaces out wide and with the wide threats that Brighton carry, it will be something for them to be mindful of.
Recent history of this fixture has been favourable to Aston Villa, with the away team in this one having won three of the last five meetings against Brighton. The overall Barclays WSL record has seen Villa win seven times compared to Brighton’s three victories. What is for sure as well is that this is a fixture that is often very competitive and should offer that same level this weekend.
Crystal Palace vs Tottenham Hotspur
Sunday 20th September, Selhurst Park, 2pm
Another all-London affair sees two teams that are yet to have been beaten this season face off in week three, as Crystal Palace host Tottenham Hotspur at Selhurst Park.
It was a massive point for Jo Potter’s Crystal Palace last week against Arsenal in a resolute defensive display that saw them hold off the home team, with goalkeeper Pauline Peyraud-Magnin, captain Aimee Everett, and defender Molly Bartrip among the top performers that kept Arsenal at bay.
Tottenham were also on the end of a draw themselves last week in sharing a point with Liverpool, where they did take the lead through a Signe Gaupset effort that deflected off Sam Kerr for an own goal. Martin Ho’s side have started the campaign brightly so far, with the likes of Gaupset and Kirsty Hanson impressing in the opening games, and on paper they will look to continue building momentum against the newly promoted club.
The two teams have only faced each other twice in the Barclays WSL, which was back in the 2024/25 season that saw Tottenham win both games, firstly in a 4-0 victory in September 2024 and then a 3-2 in January 2025. A lot has changed with both sides since however, which does make it interesting to see how it could all play out.
Both teams have shown some promise to start the 2026/2027 campaign and now they will face off this weekend hoping that they can keep the good vibes going.
West Ham United vs Everton
Sunday 20th September, Chigwell Construction Stadium, 2pm
Lastly to round off the fixtures for matchweek three, it is two winning-teams from last weekend’s games as West Ham United welcome Everton to the Chigwell Construction Stadium in the third of the 2pm kick-offs.
Both teams were around the lower half of the league table in the Women’s Super League last season, and are hoping for better campaigns this time around which so far has started with mixed results. They each have one win and one defeat, having bounced back last weekend following their respective opening weekend losses.
West Ham under Rita Guarino performed well in their first game of the season last week, beating London City Lionesses courtesy of a goal each from Kelly Gago and Viviane Asseyi. Getting her first goal since signing for the club will have boosted Gago’s confidence in being able to rediscover some previous great form in the league which she had displayed in her two-season spell at Everton that saw her score eight goals across 25 appearances with the Toffees.
In terms of replacing the French forward, Everton made several attacking signings, and despite not scoring the goal, Holly McNamara had some involvement in their winning goal against Charlton Athletic. One area that Everton will want to improve on though is testing the opposition goalkeeper more with their chances, because across their opening two games, they have only registered two shots on target — both of which came in the loss to Crystal Palace on the opening weekend.
In terms of the head-to-head comparison, Everton have had the edge with six wins compared to West Ham’s five, and both traded victories in last season’s meetings with Everton winning the fixture in February 1-0, with West Ham winning the November encounter by a 3-1 scoreline.
