Related items

• Women's Super League Predictions: Arsenal look to end Bompastor's perfect start at Chelsea

  Matchday four of the Women's Super League promises drama, with key matches taking place at both ends of the table.

  Chelsea are back in WSL action after having their match against Manchester United postponed due to a fixture clash last weekend, and kick off the weekend against fellow title challengers, Arsenal, who are looking to recover from a slightly underwhelming start to the season.

  On Sunday, Brighton, who were tipped as relegation favourites at the start of the campaign, are looking to build on their emphatic start against promoted Crystal Palace, who got their first-ever WSL win against Leicester City last weekend.

  Elsewhere, Man United meet Tottenham for the first time since their FA Cup triumph in May as they try to close the gap to current leaders Manchester City, who take on Liverpool.

  Aston Villa face Leicester City, and Everton host West Ham, with all four teams still searching for their first win of the campaign.

  But who does the Opta supercomputer predict will come out on top in this round?

  ARSENAL V CHELSEA

  The blockbuster clash will kick off the weekend of WSL action, with both teams fresh off their Champions League openers – Chelsea narrowly overcame Real Madrid 3-2 on Tuesday, while Arsenal were beaten 5-2 away at Bayern Munich. 

  Chelsea won the most recent meeting between the sides 3-1, and are the slight favourites for this one too, winning 42% of the supercomputer's simulations, while there is a 25.5% chance of a draw.

  Arsenal are unbeaten in their last four home meetings with Chelsea in the top flight (W2 D2), but they have not won back-to-back such games against them since June 2013 (three in a row), and they are given just a 32.5% chance of that on Saturday.

  However, the Gunners have struggled at home so far this season, drawing both of their matches – they last went on a longer such run in October 2014, a six-match streak that included a 3-2 loss to Chelsea.

  And they meet a Chelsea side in fine goalscoring form, with the Blues winning their last five WSL games by an aggregate 23-0, though they have not won six straight league matches without conceding since April 2021.

  MANCHESTER UNITED V TOTTENHAM

  Manchester United were also not in action last weekend due to Chelsea's fixture clash, but they are favourites to capitalise on their perfect start to the season against Tottenham, who they beat 4-0 in the FA Cup final in May.

  And they are overwhelming favourites to get a third win on the bounce at 66.7%, which would extend their 10-match unbeaten streak against Spurs, who are given just a 15.1% chance.

  Only against Everton (nine) have United won more games than against Spurs (eight), and the Red Devils have history on their side as they look to add to that, having never lost a WSL game in October, going unbeaten across their last 14 such matches (W11 D3).

  Spurs will also come up against an in-form Grace Clinton, who scored four goals in 20 WSL appearances while on loan last season. The 21-year-old is aiming to become the first United player to score in each of their first three WSL appearances.

  EVERTON V WEST HAM

  Everton and West Ham are both sitting at the bottom of the table, having only claimed one point each from their first three matches.

  Despite still waiting for their first WSL goal of the season, Everton are tipped to win this one at 51.2%, while West Ham have nearly equal chances of coming away with a draw (24.8%) or a win (24%).

  The Toffees have won their last three meetings with West Ham in the league, and if they make it four, they will become the third team in WSL history to reach 200 wins (199 as it stands). However, they could also be the first team to register 100 losses in the competition (99 as it stands).

  West Ham are also in desperate need of a turnaround in form though, as they have not won any of their last 12 WSL matches and have not scored more than once in a game during that run.

  CRYSTAL PALACE V BRIGHTON

  Palace and Brighton are meeting for the first time since the 2019-20 FA Cup fifth round, and it is the newcomers who are favourites in this one, winning 43.9% of the simulations compared to Brighton's 29.3%.

  The Seagulls' two wins so far are as many as they managed in their last 11 outings in the WSL last season, and they are sure to cause problems at the top of the field – they have the best conversion rate in the league this campaign (26.7%), netting eight times already.

  Palace put their 7-0 drubbing by Chelsea behind them last time out though, beating Leicester City 2-0, but a newly promoted side has not won back-to-back WSL games since the Foxes themselves in 2021-22.

  That heavy defeat to the Blues marked a disappointing start to their home campaign in the competition. The most goals ever conceded across a team's first two home matches is eight (Aston Villa), and Palace will be keen to avoid recording that unwanted record.

  ASTON VILLA V LEICESTER CITY

  Villa and Leicester are the other two teams sitting joint bottom with one point, and both Robert De Pauw and Amandine Miquel will be keen to get their first wins in charge.

  The hosts are favourites for this one with a 55.2% chance, as De Pauw looks to avoid becoming the first Villa manager to fail to win any of their first four matches in charge (D1 L2 so far).

  Leicester have only ever won once against Villa in the WSL and are only handed a 21.7% chance of getting a second by the supercomputer, though they did draw 2-2 the last time the sides met (23.1% chance of a draw on Sunday).

  Miquel has seen her side score just once across her first three WSL games in charge of the Foxes, the fewest goals netted in a manager's opening three matches in the competition since Scott Booth in September 2021 (also 1 with Birmingham City).

  LIVERPOOL V MANCHESTER CITY

  With all the teams back in action, City know they will need a win to make sure they keep hold of top spot, and they are the overwhelming favourites here with a 64.5% chance.

  They have won eight of their last 10 WSL meetings with Liverpool (L2), but have struggled away from home against them, losing four of their eight trips (W3 D1).

  However, this match is taking place at Anfield, a stadium where the Reds have lost all three of their previous games without scoring a goal, and they only have a 16.5% likelihood of coming away with a win.

  Gareth Taylor's side were in Champions League action in midweek though, beating reigning champions Barcelona 2-0, and Liverpool could catch them out with a fast start, having opened the scoring in the opening 10 minutes in three of their last four WSL matches.

  But they will have to be wary at the other end – Lauren Hemp scored her 50th WSL goal last time out against West Ham, and has created 14 chances in the competition, at least seven more than any other player. 

• Man City take 'step forward' with Women's Champions League win over Barcelona

  Manchester City took a "step forward" in their European "journey" by beating Women's Champions League holders Barcelona 2-0, so says Gareth Taylor.

  City ran out winners on Wednesday thanks to goals from Champions League debutant Naomi Layzell and Khadija Shaw at Joie Stadium.

  Aitana Bonmati and Claudia Pina were among those to go close for Barca, but City held firm for a memorable win.

  "It's right up there, definitely," said Taylor of the performance from his side, who have won two of their opening three Women's Super League matches, too.

  "The performance in the first half especially was top. We knew at some point we would have to weather the storm and we did that tremendously well.

  "I felt we could have been 3-0 or 4-0 up in the first half due to the opportunities we created and the pressure we put on them."

  Taylor was asked by DAZN if City could claim European glory this year, and replied: "Yes.

  "We have taken a step forward tonight. We are super-honoured to be in the competition and enjoying the journey."

  For Layzell, it was a Champions League bow to remember.

  "To do that, scoring and assisting when she was playing out of position against Barcelona, is unbelievable," Taylor said of the 20-year-old, who was signed from Bristol City in the summer.

  "It is special. I think if you get to know Naomi then you will say it doesn't surprise you. She is very humble and coachable. She's playing in a non-favoured position at right-back because she is a centre-back. She will be on cloud nine."

  While City celebrated a famous victory over European royalty, there was no such joy for Arsenal, who were beaten 5-2 by Bayern Munich.

  The match was in the balance at 2-2 until Pernille Harder scored a 15-minute hat-trick as Bayern went on to snap a four-game winless run in the Champions League.

  "It’s a football game at a high tempo and obviously we're very disappointed with the result and the way things turned out in the second half," said Arsenal boss Jonas Eidevall, who is reportedly under pressure following a run of just one win from the Gunners' opening three WSL fixtures.

  "We played a good first half. I think Bayern came out with a lot of energy in the second half and they were very effective on set-pieces. We weren't good at defending those, and that's why we couldn't get a better result today."

• Stones relishing 'special' England moment after being handed Three Lions armband

  Lee Carsley revealed that John Stones will lead out England in their Nations League clash against Greece on Thursday, with Harry Kane set to start the encounter on the bench.

  Stones, who has made 81 caps for the Three Lions since his debut in 2014, will captain his nation for the first time at the start of a match. 

  During Gareth Southgate's tenure, only Kane (81) and Kyle Walker (70) made more appearances than Stones (68 - level with Jordan Pickford). 

  The Manchester City defender has become a mainstay in the England side in recent years, helping his nation to their two major tournament final appearances in consecutive European Championships.

  "It's everything I could have dreamed of as a kid. More for my family, to be able to see me walk out as England captain is a special moment," Stones said. 

  "One I can't thank Lee enough for. An incredible moment for me.

  "To be walking out with the armband on is an absolute honour and a moment I'll cherish forever."

  "It was a great conversation I was able to have with John to ask him to captain the team," Carsley added. 

  "It's a brilliant achievement, something he deserves with the amount of caps he's got, the level of professionalism he's shown, the example he is to young players."

  Carsley later confirmed Kane could still play a part against Greece and would be in the running to face Finland on Sunday.

  Kane, who marked his 100th England appearance with two goals in the Three Lions' 2-0 win over Finland last month, suffered an ankle injury in Bayern Munich's draw with Bayer Leverkusen in his final match before the international break.

  The 31-year-old has since trained away from the main group of players. 

  "Harry is nursing an injury, a small knock, something we won't take a chance with," said Carsley.

  The interim Three Lions boss was also asked about the role of Cole Palmer, with the Chelsea forward enjoying a fine start to the Premier League campaign. 

  Palmer has scored six goals in seven games in the league this term, four of which came in a stunning display against Brighton, becoming the first player in Premier League history to net four times before half-time in a single match. 

  The 22-year-old leads the Premier League for the most goal involvements this campaign (11), with only Bukayo Saka (27) creating more chances in the top flight this season than Palmer (23 - level with Andreas Pereira and Dwight McNeil). 

  Palmer was also recently named England's Men's Player of the Year for 2023-24, and Carsley expects him to carry on his impressive form in England's next two fixtures.

  "Cole is in fantastic form. He's carried that into this week," said Carsley. "Such an exciting player, a player I've worked with for four, five years now.

  "Cole, along with a lot of other attacking players who have put themselves into a great position to start the game."