Chelsea’s 2026-27 Women’s Super League campaign kicked off on a disappointing note, settling for a 1-1 draw against Aston Villa.
Despite being favorites to clinch the WSL title this season according to the Opta supercomputer, the Blues now face a challenging matchup against Manchester United.
This encounter at Progress with Unity Stadium on Sunday stands out as the key fixture of WSL Matchday 2.
Meanwhile, Arsenal will face newly promoted Crystal Palace, and reigning champions Manchester City will visit Villa.
Here’s a look at the WSL predictions according to the Opta supercomputer.
WEST HAM V LONDON CITY LIONESSES
Alexia Putellas made her debut for London City Lionesses by leading her team to a 2-1 victory over Manchester United in the WSL.
This time, they head to West Ham, who started their season with a 3-1 defeat to Tottenham.
London City has a 41.4% chance of winning, while West Ham’s prospects are pegged at 33%.
West Ham has managed only one win in their last four encounters with London City (D2 L1), with their only victory being a 4-1 result in the League Cup group stage in November 2024.
In their last nine WSL London derbies, West Ham has lost eight, with the exception of a 1-1 draw against London City in March.
MANCHESTER UNITED V CHELSEA
Two heavyweights, both looking for their first wins of the season, will clash on Sunday, with Chelsea being favored by the supercomputer.
The Blues hold a 48.1% chance to win, while United stands at 27.8%, and the draw is at 24.1% probability.
Chelsea boasts a record of 17 wins out of 20 matches against United across all competitions (D2 L1), although they drew 1-1 in this fixture last season.
Keeping the tempo high pic.twitter.com/0ImCMFU3kr
— Manchester United Women (@ManUtdWomen) September 10, 2026
The Blues remain the only team United have never defeated in the WSL, with 13 unsuccessful attempts (D2 L11). United’s league form since the start of the 2023-24 season has been troubling, securing just one win in 18 matches against the ‘big four’ (D6 L11), while Chelsea has accumulated 36 points during the same stretch.
Currently, United finds themselves on their longest winless streak since their reformation in 2018 (P5 D2 L3) and have never failed to win their first two league matches since joining the WSL in the 2019-20 season.
BIRMINGHAM CITY V BRIGHTON
Birmingham City’s return to the top tier saw them lose to Manchester City last week, while Brighton was defeated by Arsenal.
The newly promoted club is favored by the supercomputer with a 40.1% win probability, while Brighton’s chances are at 33.3%, leaving a 26.6% probability for a draw, the highest for the weekend.
Birmingham has achieved just one win in their last 26 WSL matches at home (D6 L19), with their last victory being 2-0 against Arsenal in January 2022.
Brighton has won their last three encounters against Birmingham in all competitions, scoring each time without conceding.
EVERTON V CHARLTON ATHLETIC
Everton faced a setback against Crystal Palace last week amid some controversy. They will seek to bounce back as they host newly promoted Charlton Athletic.
The Toffees suffered a record eight home defeats last season at Goodison Park, but did manage to win three of their last five matches after an initial six home losses.
Charlton won only one of their last seven away games in WSL2 last season (D4 L2), and every team making their top-flight debut has lost their first WSL away match for the past ten seasons, excluding Sunderland’s win in 2015.
Everton currently has a 53.2% chance of winning, while Charlton’s chances sit at 22.9%.
0-4 – Against Liverpool, Charlton Athletic suffered the joint-heaviest defeat by any side in their first ever WSL game (also Bristol City and Crystal Palace).
Baptism. #OptaOnWSL pic.twitter.com/zQM0xe8pYS
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) September 6, 2026
LIVERPOOL V TOTTENHAM
The Liverpool versus Tottenham match shares the 26.6% chance of a draw on MD2. Liverpool is favored at 40.3%, with Spurs at 33.1%.
The Reds have remained unbeaten at home against Spurs in the WSL (W2 D2), having won 2-0 in this fixture last season to claim their first victory of that campaign in Matchday 13.
However, Liverpool has lost their last three home games in all competitions after enjoying four consecutive wins prior. They have not dropped four home matches in succession since January 2019.
Meanwhile, Spurs aim to start their WSL season with two consecutive wins for the third time, a feat they accomplished in the 2021-22 and 2025-26 seasons, ultimately finishing fifth in both years.
ARSENAL V CRYSTAL PALACE
As Crystal Palace awaits the outcome of an investigation regarding their opening win against Everton, they gear up for a match against Arsenal.
The Gunners are currently unbeaten in their last 19 WSL home matches (W16 D3), a club record, and overall have not lost in 18 matches (W14 D4), matching their longest unbeaten streak from 2011 to 2012.
Palace has lost all eight of their London derbies in the WSL, conceding an average of 4.9 goals per game, far more than any other London side.
Arsenal has secured comprehensive victories in their last four matches against Palace, outscoring them 20-0, including a 5-0 win at home and a 4-0 win away during their previous WSL season in 2024-25.
According to Opta, Arsenal is the strongest favorite for Matchday 2, with an 80.7% probability of winning, while Palace stands at just 7.4%.
ASTON VILLA V MANCHESTER CITY
The most likely away winners this weekend are Manchester City at 69.9%, as they travel to face Villa, who managed to hold Chelsea to a draw last time.
Villa has a 13.4% win probability, with a draw at 16.7%.
Star player Khadija Shaw had a phenomenal start to the season, scoring two goals against Birmingham in their 3-1 win on Matchday 1.
2+ — Khadija Shaw has now scored multiple goals in 22 different WSL games, a joint-record in the competition alongside Vivianne Miedema.
Shaw also now holds the joint record for most home goals in WSL history alongside Beth England (51)
Thumper. #OptaOnWSL pic.twitter.com/gcyweWA7ej
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) September 6, 2026
Shaw not only scored but also took 11 shots from inside the box, marking only the third instance in WSL history a player has achieved that, with Shaw being part of the record before.
City has secured nine wins in their last 12 encounters with Villa (D2 L1), remaining unbeaten in their last seven meetings (W5 D2) since their narrow loss in 2022-23.
Although Villa managed to collect four points from their last four home games against City (W1 D1 L2), they did draw 0-0 in this matchup last year, marking only the second time City has been shut out in league play since December 2024.
Fan Take: This news matters to soccer fans as it highlights the fierce competition and narratives within the Women’s Super League, particularly with traditional powerhouses like Chelsea and Manchester United struggling to find their form. The unfolding storylines and player performances can impact not only team standings but also the way the women’s game is perceived and followed globally.
Source: www.soccernews.com
