And then there were none
The BWSL’s last two perfect records fell this weekend, with draw for Manchester City and Newcastle United ending their 100% starts to the season.
BWSL champions Man City almost hung on for a 1-0 win away to local rivals Manchester United, only for Elizabeth Terland’s 89th-minute equaliser to salvage a point for the in-form hosts. As such, City slipped to second in the table on goal difference behind Chelsea.
And in the BWSL2, Newcastle had to battle back from 2-0 down to take a point at Nottingham Forest, the division’s top scorer Martha Thomas notching her sixth goal of the campaign four minutes from time. The Magpies remain top of the table but have seen their lead cut to two points.
Arsenal maintain hold on Spurs
Arsenal’s BWSL North London derby record is little short of formidable: the Gunners have faced Tottenham Hotspur 14 times in the competition – and won 11 of those games, the latest coming 2-1 at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium on Sunday.
Alessia Russo’s second-half penalty completed the turnaround after Georgia Stanway had quickly cancelled out Cathinka Tandberg’s opening goal.
Spurs have celebrated just one victory in this fixture in the BWSL – a 1-0 triumph in December 2023 thanks to Martha Thomas.
BWSL2 goes goal crazy
This weekend’s six BWSL2 fixtures produced a whopping 31 goals at an average of 5.16 per game – with at least four goals scored in every match. That’s what you call entertainment.
The highest-scoring encounter came from Turf Moor, where Burnley saw their own players on the scoresheet for the first time this league campaign – Emma Siddall and Leah Galton adding to the Clarets’ only previous goal, an own goal.
However, that wasn’t enough for Jackie Bachteler’s side to clinch their first league win of 2026/27 as Sheffield United edged a 4-3 thriller, Leanne Cowan’s stoppage-time own goal proving immaterial in the end.
Birmingham end four-and-a-half year wait
Back in the top flight for the first time since 2022, Birmingham City recorded their first BWSL win of the season at the seventh time of asking, Wilma Leidhammar’s second-half strike seeing off fellow promoted side Charlton Athletic – who are still looking for their first point of 2026/27.
It had been 1,631 days since Birmingham last triumphed at the highest level – a 1-0 victory over local rivals Aston Villa on the final day of the 2021/22 campaign.
After thrashing Durham 5-0 in the Subway Players Cup, the Blues have strung together successive wins for the first time since April. Next up? Another Players Cup away trip – to Villa.
Top creators hit 20 mark
Three players across the BWSL and BWSL2 have now reached or passed the 20 mark for chances created this season.
City’s Lauren Hemp – who jointly tops the BWSL assists charts alongside London City Lionesses’ Danielle van de Donk – and Birmingham’s Oceane Hurtre – who fashioned eight chances against Charlton alone – are both up to 22 for the campaign.
Meanwhile, in the second tier, Newcastle’s Beth Lumsden became the first player to create 20 chances in 2026/27 by fashioning five opportunities against Forest – setting up Kathleen McGovern’s deadlock-halving goal.
Fantasy in numbers: Leg 2 | Matchweek 7
Standout individual
In her first campaign at this level, Oceane Hurtre has undoubtedly been one of the players of the season so far. Birmingham’s midfielder star leads the way for Fantasy points with 67, one ahead of in-form Chelsea defender Ellie Carpenter.
Two other players have racked up 60 points or more so far: City duo Lauren Hemp and Bunny Shaw, the latter scoring a BWSL-leading eighth goal of 2026/27 in the draw with Man United.
Top of the league
For the third Matchweek out of four, Samo Bobnar’s OnaBattleAfterAnothr top the Barclays Season Race table.
Their standout performers this time out were captain Alessia Russo (10 points doubled to 20) and Chelsea’s Melvine Malard (17 points), who bagged a brace in the Blues’ 3-1 win at Crystal Palace.
