Gameweek 1 stats: Fisk, Okuma and Shaw steal the show

Week 1 of the 2025-26 Barclays Women’s Super League is in the books, and there were some standout performances from players and teams alike.

Defending champions Manchester City got off to a winning start against newly promoted Birmingham City, eventually running out 3-1 victors. It’s Liverpool who lead the way on goal difference, though, as they hammered BWSL debutants Charlton Athletic 4-0 away from home.

Tottenham Hotspur, London City Lionesses, Crystal Palace and Arsenal also got off to winning starts.

Here are some of the standout statistical lines from the first round of fixtures.

Fantastic Fisk hands Charlton harsh BWSL welcome

Liverpool put in what was arguably the performance of the weekend at Charlton. Grace Fisk was the driving force behind it.

Not only did the 28-year-old get on the scoresheet twice against the Addicks – she had only previously scored two goals in 79 BWSL appearances – she had a vice-like grip on the contest from her midfield berth. Across the weekend, she led the league for most touches, with 134, and completed 121 of her 122 pass attempts.

Unsurprisingly, Liverpool dominated possession, with 76% of the ball. They also created an xG of 2.35 compared to Charlton’s meagre total of 0.08.

It was a brutal introduction to top-flight football for Charlton. They failed to have a shot on target in the game – Liverpool had seven – and only had six touches in the opposition box compared to the Reds’ 36.

Hanson at the double on debut

There is expectation on the shoulders of Kirsty Hanson at Spurs this season.

The Scotland international was signed from Aston Villa this summer with a view to helping Tottenham Hotspur bridge the gap to the division heavyweights. On the evidence of her debut, the deal could be one of the shrewdest of the summer.

Hanson struck twice in the 3-1 win over West Ham, making her the first player to score a brace on her debut for Tottenham in the BWSL. It’s the third time this calendar year she has been on the scoresheet twice in a game in the top flight.

It means Hanson carries on the momentum she built up last season with Villa. Only Khadija Shaw, with 21, and Alessia Russo, with 13, recorded a better BWSL goal haul than Hanson’s 12.

Next up for Spurs? A trip to the early league leaders Liverpool, who so impressively snuffed out Charlton’s attacking plans. Hanson, in this type of form, could prove to be a lot more of a challenge to contain.

Unbeatable Okuma

Chelsea are unlikely to have many afternoons as frustrating as they endured on Saturday against Aston Villa. After taking an early lead through Lauren James, an own goal from Veerle Buurman 11 minutes from time allowed the visitors to snatch a point.

The Blues had a whopping 35 shots on the day, more than any team in the division across the weekend. It is the most efforts at goal Chelsea have ever had in a BWSL game in which they did not win.

They only managed to get nine of those efforts on target and all nine were stopped by Villa debutant Akane Okuma.

The Japan international’s nine saves are the most of any goalkeeper in the opening set of fixtures, as is her xG prevented – calculated as xG faced minus goals conceded - of 1.3.

Can anyone stop Shaw?

After fours years outside the top flight, Birmingham City gave a good account of themselves at Manchester City. But in Khadija Shaw, the defending champions have a force of nature up front.

Birmingham made it to the break at 0-0, but Mary Fowler broke their resistance after 49 minutes. From that point on, the match opened up and Shaw took over. The BWSL Golden Boot winner last season, with 21, struck twice to effectively end the contest.

While City were not at their fluent best against obdurate opposition, in Shaw, who signed a new long-term contract at the club this summer, they have a game-changer.

In Week 1, no player had more shots (11), shots on target (five) or touches in the opposition box (18) than Shaw, while she also won the joint-most aerial duels of any player, with six.

With Beth Mead now among City’s attacking ranks too – she grabbed the assist for Shaw’s second goal – it’s difficult to see the division’s apex goalscorer being knocked off the top of the Golden Boot standings any time soon.