Manchester City comfortably saw off West Ham 2-0 to move top of the Women's Super League, with Lauren Hemp making history in the process.

With Chelsea's fixture against Manchester United having been postponed, City took the chance to, at least temporarily, move into top spot.

Gareth Taylor's team were well in control throughout Sunday's contest at Joie Stadium, where England international Hemp put City ahead in the 10th minute.

Hemp raced onto Mary Fowler's pass before calmly creating space to plant a neat finish low into the left-hand corner, bringing up her 50th WSL goal.

She should have doubled her tally early in the second half, only to slice over a gaping goal from point-blank range.

Fowler made no such mistake as she headed home in the 71st minute, with the Australian latching onto a brilliant cross from Khadija Shaw, who had capitalised on a slack backpass having just come on as a substitute.

Camila Saez sent a tame free-kick into the hands of Ayaka Yamashita late on, with West Ham unable to truly test the hosts, who also had Jill Roord back in action after her long-awaited return from a knee injury.

Data Debrief: Half-century up for Hemp

While Hemp will be frustrated with her second-half miss, she has a slice of WSL history to her name. At the age of 24 years and 60 days, she became the youngest player to hit the 50-goal mark in the competition.

Kinga Szemik, the West Ham goalkeeper, also made two fine saves to deny Hemp later on.

Hemp finished with 1.18 expected goals (xG) from a game-leading six shots, as City finished with 2.43 xG to West Ham's 0.49.

As we gear up for matchday three in the Women's Super League, the chasing pack have an opportunity to make ground on Chelsea and Manchester United, who are both unbeaten so far.

The Opta Supercomputer is here to give the inside track on whom the winners and losers may be as we look ahead to each match-up.

Chelsea and United will not be in action due to fixture congestion as a result of the Blues' Women's Champions League fixture on Tuesday next week. This will therefore be an early chance for Manchester City, Tottenham, and Arsenal to make inroads.

WSL history could be made this weekend too – if Jordan Nobbs laces up her boots and is selected for Aston Villa in their match away at Brighton, she will break the record for all-time appearances.

If Nobbs is selected by new Villa boss Robert de Pauw, she will reach a staggering 193 appearances in the competition, 13 years and 175 days since she debuted in the WSL for Arsenal against Chelsea in April 2011.

Stephanie Houghton (127) is the only player to have featured in more wins than Nobbs (124) and the Villa midfielder will be confident she can surpass the now-retired City defender this season.

At the bottom of the table, newcomers Crystal Palace will want to banish the memory of their 7-0 drubbing by champions Chelsea and try and get their first points on the board.

Everton, meanwhile, have been struck by misfortune, losing midfielder Aurora Galli and forward Inma Gabarro both to anterior cruciate ligament injuries.

Let's check out the Opta supercomputer's match predictions.

BRIGHTON V ASTON VILLA

Kicking off the weekend's action, Brighton will welcome Aston Villa to the Broadfield Stadium in the only match on Saturday. Dario Vidosic's side have made an impressive start under the new manager, beating Everton 4-0 in their opening fixture and narrowly losing 1-0 to Man City last time out.

Only City (31) have recorded more open play sequences of 10+ passes in the WSL this season than Brighton (28), who in their opening home match recorded their best-ever pass accuracy in a league match (87.8%) and their second-most passes ever in a game in the competition (550).

However, despite Brighton's early good form, the Opta supercomputer has them at only 36.1% to get the home win and 26.2% for the draw. Villa have won just one of their last eight WSL matches (D3 L4), though the exception was a 1-0 away win at Brighton on the penultimate matchday of last season. The Opta Supercomputer is edging them ahead of the hosts to get the win, at 37.8%.

De Pauw (D1 L1) will be looking to avoid becoming the second Villa manager to go winless across their first three games in the WSL after Gemma Davies (L3), who did so back in October 2020. Two of the Villans' previous three managers in the competition picked up their first away win at Brighton, though.

MANCHESTER CITY V WEST HAM

West Ham have had a difficult start to their campaign, only picking up one point so far, though that did come in dramatic fashion when they fought back to draw with Liverpool. They travel to the Joie Stadium to face a City team aiming to make it two wins from two home games.

City are looking to go unbeaten across their opening three games of a WSL campaign for the eighth time (including the 2017 Spring Series) – prior to this season, only Chelsea (nine) and Arsenal (eight) had done so more times in the competition than the Citizens (seven).

Opta's model predicts City to get the job done, giving them a huge 87.3% chance of victory. City have won 10 of their 11 WSL meetings with West Ham and half of those victories have come with them scoring at least four goals.

The Opta model is damming of the Hammers' chances of getting the win, at 4.5%, and gives more chance of a draw, at 8.2%. West Ham are winless in their last six away games in the WSL (D1 L5) and could equal their longest-ever run without victory on the road in the competition.

Both Khadija Shaw and Vivianne Miedema have opened up their accounts for the season and West Ham should be wary of the duo.

Shaw has scored 13 goals in her 11 WSL appearances so far in 2024, currently the best goals per game rate (1.18) by a player in a single calendar year in the competition's history (minimum three appearances).

ARSENAL V EVERTON

Arsenal will be aiming to avoid defeat in their opening three games of a WSL campaign for the sixth time in the last seven seasons, though they did fail to do so last season (W1 D1 L1).

Everton will travel south with little hope of victory, and they are only given a 7% chance compared to Arsenal's 81.5%; at 11.4%, a draw also seems unlikely.

The Toffees could break an unwanted record this weekend. Having lost both of their league games this season, should they suffer another defeat, then they will become the first team in WSL history to lose 100 games.

The Gunners started the season as expected in a tight exchange with Man City on the opening day and then a slender away win at Leicester City.

Jonas Eidevall has won 49 of his 68 matches in the WSL (D9 L10) and victory against Everton this weekend would make him the second-quickest manager to reach 50 wins (69 games), behind only his predecessor Joe Montemurro (66 games).

One to watch in this match will be Frida Maanum, who has scored the opening goal in both of Arsenal's WSL games this season. She could become the first player to put the Gunners 1-0 up in three consecutive matches in the competition.

TOTTENHAM V LIVERPOOL

Tottenham have enjoyed a strong start to the season and sit third heading into the weekend. They welcome Liverpool to Brisbane Road - Matt Beard's side have yet to register a win so far.

The Supercomputer calculates Spurs will continue their good form and snatch the win (40.3%) as opposed to a 33% chance of victory for the Reds, though a draw is also a likely outcome.

Building on their form from last season, Spurs have scored a wealth of goals in the opening weeks. Only Chelsea (seven) have had more different goalscorers this season than Tottenham, with each of Spurs' six league goals coming via a different player.

This will not be a walk in the park, though. Liverpool are unbeaten in their last six WSL games, last going longer without defeat in the league in September 2016 (eight). Only Man City (nine) are currently on a longer unbeaten run away from home than the Reds (six – W4 D2).

LEICESTER CITY V CRYSTAL PALACE

Amandine Miquel has had a mixed start to her tenure as Leicester boss. She is the Foxes' fifth manager in the WSL, but she could be the fourth to fail to win their first three games in charge, with Lydia Bedford in 2021-22 the only one to avoid that fate.

Opta's model is backing Miquel to change the record, though, with a home win the result in 47.6% of the supercomputer's simulations, while the likelihood of a draw is 26.1% and Palace are given a 26.3% chance.

Newly promoted Palace could be the fifth team to lose each of their first three games in the WSL but only the second to lose their first three matches in the competition without scoring a single goal, after Brighton in 2018-19. 

Leicester, meanwhile, have won all four of their previous WSL games against newly promoted opposition, with Man Utd (10/10) the only other team to have a 100% record against such teams.

Leicester forward Jutta Rantala was directly involved in five goals in two appearances against newly promoted opposition last season, scoring twice and assisting once away to Bristol City in October and scoring and assisting at home to the Robins in February. She will fancy her chances against a Palace side that conceded seven goals last time out.

Khadija Shaw opened her account for the Women's Super League season as Manchester City beat Brighton 1-0 to get their first win on the board.

Shaw was the runaway top scorer in the WSL last season, and she got up and running for the 2024-25 campaign with a neat close-range finish from Kerstin Casparij's low cross late in the first half of Sunday's clash at Joie Stadium.

Her goal was one of seven shots the Jamaican had throughout the contest, with Shaw having gone close on three occasions prior to breaking the deadlock.

Mary Fowler and Jessica Park both went close to extending City's lead after the break, while Lauren Hemp stung the palms of Sophie Baggaley.

The only disappointment for Gareth Taylor will have been that his side failed to make their dominance count for a second goal, with City mustering 3.03 expected goals (xG) to Brighton's 0.76.

"We got the job done," defender Alex Greenwood told BBC Sport.

"Sometimes in this league, you have to win ugly. I thought off the ball today we were better. Against Arsenal, we struggled with that at times, but we have worked really hard on that, and I thought we saw an improvement in that.

"This league is getting tougher and tougher every year, and we saw that with Brighton, it was a tough game. We take the win and the clean sheet all day."

Arsenal, who drew 2-2 with City last week, also got their first win on the board, with Frida Maanum's second-half strike proving decisive in a 1-0 defeat of Leicester City at the King Power Stadium.

Alessia Russo capitalised on an error from Catherine Bott, with the former Manchester United forward keeping her cool to set up Maanum for a simple finish, as Arsenal claimed a seventh straight WSL win over Leicester.

There was a thrilling finale in Aston Villa's clash with Tottenham, as three goals in 20 minutes saw the points shared in a 2-2 draw.

Spurs led through Eveliina Summanen's 23rd-minute penalty at Villa Park, but Adriana Leon and Rachel Daly flipped the match on its head.

However, Villa's hopes of claiming a memorable victory were dashed when Bethany England netted deep in second-half stoppage time.

Manchester United made it two wins from two as Grace Clinton's fourth-minute goal downed her former club Everton 1-0.

United goalkeeper Phallon Tullis-Joyce made good stops to deny Karoline Olesen and Inma Gabarro before the latter had to be taken off following a lengthy treatment for an injury.

West Ham, meanwhile, hit back late on to frustrate Liverpool in a 1-1 draw.

Liverpool's club-record signing Olivia Smith had put the Reds ahead early on, but a fine header from Riko Ueki ensured the spoils were shared.

Khadija 'Bunny' Shaw's 44th-minute strike gave Manchester City Women their first win of the 2024/25 Women's Super League (WSL) season, as they edged Brighton 1-0 at Joie Stadium in an early kick-off on Sunday. Shaw's goal, her first of the new campaign, was the decisive factor in a match dominated by City from start to finish.

The Jamaican forward pounced just before half-time, expertly converting Kirstin Casparij’s cross from the left wing. Shaw made a well-timed run across her defender to poke the ball home, breaking the deadlock and giving City a well-deserved lead going into the break.

Despite their dominance, City failed to capitalize on several chances to extend their lead throughout the second half. Brighton, while showing brief moments of attacking intent, struggled to maintain possession, often creating their own problems by playing out from the back under intense pressure from City.

It was far from a perfect performance by Gareth Taylor’s side, but the win secured their first three points of the season.

In the closing stages of the match, there was concern for City as Shaw went down injured and was eventually forced off the pitch. She was replaced by Mary Fowler, but the extent of Shaw's injury remains unclear.

Manchester City will face Champions League holders Barcelona in their first group-stage appearance in the competition after the draw was made on Friday. 

City, who were knocked out in first-round qualifying in the 2022-23 season by Real Madrid, will also face SKN St Polten of Austria and Swedish side Hammarby. 

Women's Super League champions Chelsea, who finished as runners-up in the 2020-21 edition, have been handed a tough draw to reach the knockout stages. 

Sonia Bompastor's side will face Celtic, who have reached this stage of the competition for the first time in their history, along with Real Madrid and FC Twente. 

Meanwhile, Arsenal, who sealed their spot in the group stage with an emphatic 4-1 aggregate win over Hacken, have also been dealt a difficult group. 

The Gunners will compete against German champions Bayern Munich, Italian giants Juventus and Norwegian side Valerenga in Group C. 

Lyon, who have won the competition a record eight times, have been placed in Group A alongside Wolfsburg, Roma and Galatasaray. 

Group A

Lyon, Wolfsburg, Roma and Galatasaray. 

Group B

Chelsea, Real Madrid, Twente and Celtic. 

Group C

Bayern Munich, Arsenal, Juventus and Valerenga. 

Group D 

Barcelona, Manchester City, SKN St. Polten and Hammarby. 

After missing out on the first leg due to visa issues, Jamaican international Khadija ‘Bunny’ Shaw once again showed her class in second leg action, as she scored a brace that propelled Manchester City to a 3-0 win over Paris FC and into the Women’s Champions League group stages.

Gareth Taylor said Manchester City are back “where they belong” after they finally ended their disappointing streak in Europe’s top club competition and reaching the, by completing a comprehensive 8-0 aggregate ­victory over Paris FC.

Shaw found the target in the 31st and 65th minutes, after Chloe Kelly (2nd) opened the scoring in a lopsided contest at the Joie Stadium, as City wrapped up a comprehensive 8-0 aggregate scoreline.

Taylor’s confident-looking side were not involved in Europe at all last season and had been eliminated by Real Madrid in the qualifying rounds of the two campaigns before that. They will now contest the last-16 stage of the competition for the first time since 2020-21, when the knockout format was still in use, and will harbour realistic ambitions of going deep into the competition on the evidence of their strong showing over the two legs of this second-round tie.

“It’s a big honour for us. This is where we want to be. The qualification process is really tough. I’m not the only coach, I’m sure, who has sat, over the past couple of years, with a squad that felt capable of not just being in the Champions League, but actually doing something within it,” Taylor said in a post-game interview.

“Man City is a big club. We feel like we belong there, because we are a big team and we have huge ambitions, but of course the club recognises how difficult it is to be there because of the qualification process. I never felt safe, even at 5-0. A lot of things can go wrong in football. Nothing is a formality,” he added.

Kelly put City in front when she pounced on a loose ball and slotted home inside five minutes.

She then turned provider for Shaw with a weighted cross that the towering Jamaican lashed home for her first goal of the season.

Shaw then registered her second from the penalty spot after she was taken out inside the 18-yard box.

Manchester City, who were semi-finalists in 2017 and 2018, can now look forward to the group-stage draw on Friday and Taylor is cautiously optimistic about their chances there.

“I think getting out of the group stages is going to be our next objective, and once we get out of the group stages, anything can happen. We just want a crack at it, that’s what we want,” he said.

Arsenal booked their place in the Champions League group stage after overcoming a first-leg deficit to beat Hacken 4-0 at Meadow Park.

The first leg in Sweden threw up a shock 1-0 defeat, but Jonas Eidevall's side were up to the task, with Lia Walti and new signing Mariona Caldentey turning the scoreline on its head in the first half.

A brilliant strike from Beth Mead then ensured their progress, before substitute Frida Maanum added some more gloss to the scoreline late on.

The Gunners produced a much better performance in front of goal than in the reverse fixture. Arsenal may have had fewer shots on Thursday (14) and failed to convert any of their four big chances, but the emphatic scoreline is what matters most.

They join fellow Women's Super League side Manchester City in the draw, with Gareth Taylor's side cruising past Paris FC.

Their job was all but done after a crushing 5-0 win in the first leg, but Khadija Shaw's double, following Chloe Kelly's early opener, secured them an 8-0 aggregate win.

With another clean sheet under their belt in the competition, City have reached the group stage for the first time since 2020-21, when they fell to Barcelona in the quarter-finals.

There was more despair in the French capital as Paris Saint-Germain, last season's semi-finalists, suffered a shock defeat to Juventus.

PSG have reached at least the quarter-finalists in each of the last five seasons and were mainstays in the competition, but after suffering a 3-1 loss in Turin, their hopes of a comeback were soon squashed.

Sofia Cantore scored just two minutes in to set Juve on course for a 2-1 victory in the game, and a 5-2 aggregate scoreline, getting their name in the hat for the first time in two years.

Elsewhere, Real Madrid secured their place in the competition, as did Celtic, who will play in the Champions League group stage for the first time since it was introduced in 2020-21 after a 3-0 aggregate win over Vorskla Poltava.

And a special mention for Roma, who emphatically brushed aside Servette 7-2 in the second leg to secure a 10-3 aggregate victory.

The latest instalment of the Women's Super League returns this weekend, with the opening round of fixtures offering plenty of insight as to what this season may hold. 

Sonia Bompastor started her quest for Chelsea's sixth straight title with a triumph against Aston Villa, with the Blues again kickstarting the action on matchday two.

The defending champions make the short journey to Selhurst Park to face Crystal Palace, while Sunday's action features both Manchester City and Arsenal after their enthralling encounter at the Emirates. 

Elsewhere, Manchester United will be hoping to build on their emphatic first week showing against Everton, with Liverpool and West Ham squaring off in their attempts to get their respective campaigns up and running. 

But who does the Opta supercomputer predict will emerge victorious this time around? 

CRYSTAL PALACE V CHELSEA

Bompastor started her tenure as Chelsea head coach with a win, but the Blues were made to work for their triumph at Kingsmeadow in last week's curtain-raiser. 

However, Chelsea remain overwhelming favourites to stay perfect against newly-promoted Crystal Palace, winning 88.4% of the supercomputer's pre-match simulations, compared to 7.3% for their opponents.

Chelsea have also won each of their last eight games without conceding when facing an opponent for the first time in the WSL, last losing 4-0 away to Sunderland in July 2015.

But despite their dominance under Emma Hayes, the Blues have failed to win their opening away game in each of the last six WSL seasons (D4 L2), since beating the Black Cats 6-0 in the 2017-18 campaign.

MANCHESTER CITY V BRIGHTON

On Sunday, Brighton are the opponents as Gareth Taylor's City aim to get their first win on the board following last week's 2-2 draw at Arsenal.

Despite the visitors starting their own campaign with a 4-0 triumph against Everton, the Seagulls are handed just a 4.5% chance of a victory in our pre-match simulations, with the Citizens given a huge 87.3% win probability. 

However, City hold a favourable record over their opponents, winning nine of their 11 WSL meetings with Brighton, but they did lose this exact fixture last season 1-0 (D1). 

Vivianne Miedema found the net on her Citizens debut last week, and she has had a hand in 15 goals in 10 games against Brighton (seven goals and eight assists) with only Miedema herself against Bristol City (14 goals and five assists) having more goals and assists combined against a single club in WSL history.

EVERTON V MANCHESTER UNITED 

After putting West Ham to the sword in their opening game of the new season, United arrive at Walton Hall Park with confidence ahead of facing Everton. 

The Red Devils have been given a 58.7% chance of emerging victorious, while the Toffees are predicted at 20.2% to win, with the likelihood of a draw coming in at 21.1%.

United have won their opening away game in each of their last four WSL seasons, including all three under Marc Skinner, while also prevailing in four of their five away league games against Everton, including a 5-0 win in this fixture last season, their biggest ever success on the road in the competition.

Everton have never beaten United in 10 previous WSL meetings (D2 L8), with Man City the only other team the Toffees have failed to beat in the competition (P16 L16).

LEICESTER V ARSENAL

After a thrilling encounter with Man City last time out, Jonas Eidevall's Arsenal travel to the King Power Stadium to face Leicester, looking to get their title charge up and running.

The visitors are assigned a 74.7% chance of a win, with the Foxes victorious in 11% of our pre-match simulations and 14.3% finishing all square.

One player for Leicester to watch out for will be Alessia Russo. She has scored in each of her last four WSL appearances against the Foxes, including a hat-trick for Man United last year – the striker has scored more top-flight goals against the Foxes (six) than any other opponent.  

The Foxes have lost all six of their WSL games against Arsenal by an aggregate scoreline of 23-2, conceding four or more goals in four of those games.

WEST HAM V LIVERPOOL 

Following on from the men's EFL Cup clash in midweek, West Ham's women welcome Liverpool to the Chigwell Construction Stadium, with both in search of three points.

But it is the Reds who are favoured in the pre-match simulations, winning 46.2% of those, while the Hammers are given a 29.2% chance of a win, with a draw given a 24.6% chance of happening. 

West Ham have won just one of their last 17 home matches in the WSL (D7 L9), having won six of their previous 17 such games in the competition (D4 L7).

But Liverpool have not enjoyed recent trips to the capital, winning just one of their last 12 away WSL games in London (D3 L8), beating Arsenal 1-0 at the Emirates last year.

ASTON VILLA V TOTTENHAM

The weekend's action concludes at Villa Park, with Aston Villa's gutsy showing against defending champions Chelsea making them favourites against Tottenham. 

Robert de Pauw's side were victorious in 43.8% of our pre-match simulations. Spurs are given a 29.4% chance of victory, and 26.8% chance of earning a point. 

Spurs, however, are unbeaten in their last three away games in the WSL (W2 D1) with their final two matches on the road last season ending 2-2 (vs. Man United and Everton) - no team has ever avoided defeat in three consecutive away games in the competition when also conceding multiple goals.

Villa have lost just one of their last five WSL meetings against this weekend's opponents (W3 D1), but that sole loss did come in this fixture last season, losing 4-2 at the Bescot Stadium.

Arsenal and Manchester City played out a thrilling 2-2 draw in their opening Women's Super League clash on Sunday.

The WSL's all-time top scorer Vivianne Miedema marked her City debut with a goal against her former club at the Emirates Stadium, where Beth Mead snatched a share of the spoils late on.

Miedema's deflected effort in the 42nd minute cancelled out Frida Maanum's early opener.

Maanum's close-range strike came just 45 seconds after Miedema had arrowed a shot wide after capitalising on slack play from her former team.

Caitlin Foord had a goal narrowly disallowed for offside early in the second half, and Arsenal's frustrations were compounded when Jessica Park put City ahead with a stunning effort from the edge of the box, with the ball clipping in off the underside of the crossbar.

Yet Arsenal fought back in the 81st minute as Mead nudged in on the rebound after Rosa Kafaji struck the woodwork.

Data Debrief: Sweet sixteen for Miedema

It just had to be her. Former Arsenal heroine Miedema has now scored against all 16 of the opponents she has faced in the WSL, with Bethany England (18/18) the only player to hold a better 100% such record in the competition.

But Mead had the final say. She is the leading goalscorer in the history of the WSL when it comes to the opening weekend, having now netted eight such goals.

The Women's Super League returns with a bang this weekend, with upheaval at the top of the table offering the promise of another thrilling campaign.

Chelsea gave Emma Hayes a triumphant send-off by edging out Manchester City on goal difference for their fifth straight title, but will former Lyon coach Sonia Bompastor be able to replicate her success?

Aston Villa are the opponents for her first game at the helm on Friday, while Sunday's action features a huge clash between potential title challengers Arsenal and City.

Elsewhere, Manchester United start their bid to improve on last season's disappointing fifth-placed finish against West Ham, while newly promoted Crystal Palace face a tough trip to Tottenham.

But who does the Opta supercomputer expect to start 2024-25 with three points?

CHELSEA V ASTON VILLA

Unsurprisingly, given their recent dominance of the division, Chelsea are overwhelming favourites to beat Villa – who finished seventh in 2023-24 – in Friday's curtain-raiser. 

They won 85.1% of the supercomputer's pre-match simulations, with Villa given just a 5.5% chance of victory and the draw deemed a 9.5% likelihood. 

Kingsmeadow was a real fortress under Hayes, and Bompastor will be desperate to retain the fear factor in her debut season. Chelsea have won 35 of their last 37 home league games, drawing one and losing one.

The Blues have, however, only won two of their six opening matches of a WSL campaign as the reigning champions, drawing two and losing two. One of those victories did come last term, though, as they beat Tottenham 2-1 at Stamford Bridge.

MANCHESTER UNITED V WEST HAM

Old Trafford plays host to the first of two games on Saturday, as Marc Skinner's United take on West Ham, looking to kick on after ending a largely disappointing 2023-24 campaign with FA Cup glory.

They are assigned a 71.5% chance of a win, with West Ham victorious in 12.6% of our pre-match simulations and 15.9% finishing all square.

This will, of course, be United's first league game since Mary Earps departed for Paris Saint-Germain. The Red Devils suffered their heaviest-ever WSL defeat in her final game, going down 6-0 to Chelsea on home soil on the final day of last season. 

Phallon Tullis-Joyce will hope for a quiet outing after stepping up to replace Earps as number one, and she may get her wish against a West Ham side that accumulated a miserable 15 points last term. Their seven away losses in 2023-24 was a joint-high among all WSL teams (also Bristol City).

BRIGHTON V EVERTON

Just one place and four points separated Everton from Brighton in the final standings, and the supercomputer struggles to separate them ahead of their clash at Broadfield.

The Toffees are slight favourites with a 40.6% win probability, compared to Brighton's 33.7%, while 25.7% of the supercomputer's pre-match simulations finished level.

Everton will hope to continue their momentum from the end of 2023-24, having ended the season on a four-game unbeaten streak (two wins, two draws), their longest of the campaign. They could go five without losing for the first time since October 2020.

Brighton's major arrival ahead of the new season is Chelsea great Fran Kirby, who has five goal involvements in eight WSL appearances against Everton, scoring on both of her starts versus them.

ARSENAL V MANCHESTER CITY

The headline fixture of the opening matchday takes place at the Emirates Stadium on Sunday, as two of the sides most likely to challenge Chelsea for their crown – Arsenal and City – go head-to-head.

The supercomputer makes the Gunners favourites on home soil, with Jonas Eidevall's team winning 42.6% of our pre-match simulations. City are assigned a 30.7% chance of victory, and a 26.7% chance of earning a point.

Vivianne Miedema's move from Arsenal to City has added further intrigue to this fixture. She netted 80 times in 106 league appearances for Arsenal to become the WSL's all-time leading scorer, netting against all 15 opponents she has faced in the competition. Arsenal will be the 16th different team she has faced – will she return to haunt them?

City have won each of their last eight away league games, with the only longer such run in WSL history also being by City – a 12-match sequence between July 2016 and January 2018.

Arsenal, though, have won each of their last three WSL meetings with City, and they boast the most prolific player in the history of the opening matchday in the competition, with Beth Mead previously hitting seven goals on the first weekend, including two braces.

TOTTENHAM V CRYSTAL PALACE

Crystal Palace edged out Charlton Athletic to win the Women's Championship title last season, reaching the WSL for the first time. They will be the 19th different team to compete in the division and the first debutants since Leicester City in 2021.

Excluding the inaugural 2011 campaign, only one of 10 teams has ever won their first WSL match, Sunderland beating Liverpool 2-1 in 2015 (one draw, eight defeats).

The Eagles are not given much hope of replicating that feat by the Supercomputer, which assigns them just an 11.5% chance of victory to Tottenham's 72.7%. The draw is given a 15.8% likelihood.

Tottenham have a decent record on the opening day, too, only starting one of their last four WSL campaigns with a defeat (two wins, one draw), which came against champions Chelsea last season. 

LIVERPOOL V LEICESTER CITY

Matt Beard is the only coach among the 12 WSL teams to have previously won the title, and his Liverpool side ended a promising 2023-24 campaign in fourth. They will be confident of getting underway with a win this term, with the supercomputer giving them a 60.2% chance of beating Leicester.

The Foxes, who would have been in relegation trouble if not for Bristol City's struggles last term, are given an 18.9% chance of victory, and a 20.9% likelihood of earning a draw.

Liverpool and Leicester also met on the final day of last term, the Reds winning 4-0. Seven teams have previously met on the final matchday of one WSL campaign and the opening weekend of the next, but only three have won both such meetings (Man City v Notts County, Tottenham v Birmingham, and Tottenham v Leicester).

Only Arsenal (nine) and Chelsea (seven) have won their opening game of a WSL season more often than Liverpool (six), who have started four campaigns with a victory under Beard (one defeat).

Gareth Taylor insists Manchester City know "exactly what we have to do" to win the Women's Super League, as he urged his players to "really push on" after last season's disappointment.

City came agonisingly close to landing their second WSL title last term, losing out to Emma Hayes' Chelsea on goal difference.

Taylor's side were in the driving seat with a three-point cushion heading into the final two games. However, a 2-1 defeat by Arsenal in their penultimate match proved costly, with the Blues going on to claim their seventh crown in eight seasons.

That marked a seventh second-place WSL finish since 2015 for City, who begin their quest to go the extra step against the Gunners on Sunday, when they will come face to face with former forward Vivianne Miedema.

While Taylor is adamant his side's inability to get over the line should not be regarded as a failure, the head coach reinstated his burning desire to bring the WSL crown back to Manchester this term.

"Sometimes, you work tremendously hard like we did last season, and things don't quite go your way," said Taylor.

"That's not to say that we're not incredibly proud of what we did. The one thing we can take, is we know exactly what we have to do now to win the title.

"We have to use that as fuel, whether it be in the Champions League, or in the WSL, to really use all of those experiences, use all of that knowledge and really push on.

"People can look at trophies as being the be-all and end-all. Don't get me wrong, I'm here to win. Of course, we want to be there.

"But the fact we are going deep in pretty much in all competitions is what we're about and, of course, there can only be one team that wins."

He continued: "People tend to forget that there's four or five teams that are really close to winning at the beginning of the season and there's only one team that can ever win. That doesn’t make the other four [teams] a failure.

"It's really tough, but the objective is absolutely to win. I'm not going to hide away from that.

"I've never hidden away that it's the title that I really want to bring to the club. You've seen how fine the margins are and I don't see that changing this season."

The Women's Super League is set for a shake-up this season after serving up one of the tightest title races in recent history.

Chelsea pipped Manchester City to the crown on goal difference last season, sending Emma Hayes off with a fifth consecutive WSL triumph, and her seventh overall.

But Sonia Bompastor is in the hot seat now, and her Chelsea team will kick off the new season on September 20 against Aston Villa, who are also under new management.

The first heavyweight clash of the season is just two days later, with City and Arsenal facing off at the start of their title challenges, with both keen to dethrone Chelsea.

The season promises twists and turns, but will it throw up any surprises? Or will it be business as usual?             

Will Chelsea's reign finally come to an end?

Hayes may not be in West London any more, having swapped Chelsea for the United States, but her dominant legacy remains as Bompastor, a seasoned winner herself, takes the reins.

Having won three Division 1 Feminine league titles as Lyon manager, the Opta supercomputer is backing her to lead Chelsea (59.8%) to an incredible sixth WSL trophy in a row. No manager has ever won the WSL in their first season, and to do so would certainly begin her own legacy.

The team scored 71 goals in the WSL last term, setting a new record for a 22-game season, outperforming an expected goals figure of 59.87, which was still the highest accumulated tally of any team in the league, bettering Arsenal's 55.48 xG.

The likes of Lauren James and Aggie Beever-Jones are likely to prove pivotal at the top end of the pitch once again, but they have game-changers all over the pitch.

Niamh Charles has proven instrumental from left-back, making the second-most passes (1,220, of which 982 were successful) of all Chelsea players behind Jess Carter, who is no longer at the club. She also contested 210 duels, with only Erin Cuthbert (220) taking on more, but no player won more than her 130.

But having come so close to seeing their title streak end last season, they face another tough test to defend their crown, as both Arsenal and Man City will be keen to take advantage of Hayes' departure.

City finished as runners-up for the sixth time and are predicted to endure the same fate again come May, with a 23.5% chance of clinching the title as we start the season.

City's defensive sturdiness proved to be a valuable asset last term and was one of the reasons they ran Chelsea so close. They conceded the fewest goals in the league (15), outperforming their expected goals against figure (19.89 xGA).

That is partly due to the form of Khiara Keating, who scooped the Golden Glove in her breakout season after keeping nine clean sheets. She had the best save percentage (79.45%) of any goalkeeper in the league to play more than 10 games.

All the WSL teams have bolstered their ranks in the off-season, but none of the deals have stood out quite like City's early swoop to bring in Vivianne Miedema, who left Arsenal as a free agent.

Taylor has already acknowledged that the Dutchwoman could be the key to ending their long wait for a league title, and who could blame him?

Miedema has scored 80 WSL goals in 106 games, outperforming her 59.63 xG. She has also had the most shots on record since Opta began collecting such data for the competition, with 452, and 198 of those have hit the target. 

And she will be sharing the spotlight with Khadija Shaw, who stole the show last time around, clinching her first Golden Boot since joining the club by netting 21 goals.

The Jamaican bettered her xG total by nearly 10 goals (12.31) and scored 11 of the 25 big chances that fell her way in the competition.

She now has 50 WSL goals in just 57 games for City, and with her tally improving year-on-year, she will surely be a key player for the Citizens once again.

Meanwhile, Arsenal may have slipped out of the title race on the home stretch last year after dropping valuable away points in a 3-1 defeat to Chelsea and a 1-1 draw with Everton, but Jonas Eidevall's side should not be counted out, despite being assigned just a 14.9% chance of getting their hands on the trophy.

Arsenal, who will be playing at the Emirates Stadium this season, are already a formidable home team, having lost only one such game last campaign (1-0 to Liverpool on the opening day), but a capacity crowd could be the extra boost they need.

A lot of the onus for goals will likely fall on Alessia Russo's shoulders after she finished as their top scorer in the WSL last season (12), but Stina Blackstenius' tally in all competitions had her beat.

The Swede's goals have proved invaluable to Arsenal over the years, and last year alone, she earned them a 1-0 win over Chelsea in the Conti Cup final, before her double over Man City effectively ended their rivals' title hopes.

Blackstenius has the best shots-per-90 ratio in the top-flight (5.5), managing 41 efforts in her 666 minutes on the field, and netting seven goals from those.

Manchester United, the runners-up in 2022-23, may have endured an underwhelming campaign last time around, but they are still being given a slim 1.8% chance of causing an upset to claim their first WSL title.

Marc Skinner led them to their first piece of major silverware in the FA Cup, but with some big-name departures, they will need to gel quickly to stand a chance of mounting a real challenge.

And while the Opta supercomputer does not believe they can do it, everybody loves a dark horse, and Liverpool could find themselves in the mix coming off a fourth-placed finish.

Matt Beard is the only current manager in the league to have won a WSL title, so that experience could prove vital, especially if the Reds get off to a strong start.

Managerial merry-go-round keeps spinning

Unsurprisingly, all the talk before the season is about Bompastor and the big shoes she has to fill.

Bompastor won exactly 100 of her 118 games in charge of Lyon, registering an 84.75% win ratio and losing only eight times. Her Lyon team scored 381 goals, averaging 3.81 per match while conceding only 71 in return (0.71 per game).

Chelsea have brought in a manager they hope can win them the one thing Hayes never could: the Champions League, which Bompastor won with Lyon. The elusive trophy will be high on their priority list, but Blues fans will be hoping it is not at the expense of another league title.

Bompastor will not be the only manager making her WSL bow on September 20, as she will face off against Robert de Pauw, Carla Ward's replacement at Villa.

De Pauw, joining after two years at Bayer Leverkusen, has been clever in his recruitment, replacing Alisha Lehmann and Simone Magill with exciting up-and-coming talents that could see them push for a place towards the top once again.

But perhaps De Pauw's biggest challenge will be to get Rachel Daly back to her high-scoring best after she managed just eight goals in the WSL last time around.

Daly was 2022-23's surprise package, enjoying a superb campaign by netting 22 goals to clinch the Golden Boot, holding off the likes of Shaw to get her hands on the award.

There have been changes at the other end of the table, too.

Brighton have welcomed Dario Vidosic from Melbourne City as they look to stave off relegation, and the manager may have quite the task on his hands.

However, his 54.55% win rate in the A-League from 25 matches (12 wins) is a promising sign, with the team averaging 1.86 points per game under the 37-year-old.

Meanwhile, Leicester City, who finished 10th last season, have brought in Amandine Miquel from Reims after seven years at the club, which included a promotion to the French top-flight.

The Foxes are tipped to be fighting for survival, and Miquel has warned fans they will need to trust the process while she tries to impress a "strong tactical identity" onto the squad, with her first aim surely to improve on the four wins they accumulated last campaign.

Who's In and Who's Out

Miedema's departure looked like it might spell trouble for Arsenal, but the Gunners have been savvy with their transfer dealings.

Young winger Rosa Kafaji is an exciting up-and-coming talent, but they also added a Champions League winner of their own, getting Mariona Caldentey on a free transfer from Barcelona.

Caldentey scored 10 goals in the league last season, also laying on nine assists, the third-highest tally in the competition, while her 57 chances created were only bettered by Caroline Hansen (85).

With Daphne van Domselaar also joining from Aston Villa to strengthen their goalkeeping position, Arsenal have given themselves a strong foundation to build success this campaign despite the loss of Miedema.

Chelsea have also been busy, strengthening their defence by bringing in serial winner Lucy Bronze.

The right-back has won every domestic trophy available in France, Spain and England, having left Barcelona after scooping an impressive quadruple, which included her fifth Champions League title.

Bronze created 28 chances for Barca last season from full-back – the second-most of any defender for the European champions, after Ona Batlle.

Man United, on the other hand, have drawn attention for the wrong reasons.

They started the off-season by announcing that club captain Katie Zelem, who created the most chances of any player in the WSL last season (58), Lucia Garcia and Mary Earps were all leaving after their contracts expired.

Grace Clinton is back, however, after her breakout season at Tottenham and will hope to link up with fellow lioness Ella Toone.

To add to United fans' transfer misery, experienced forward Nikita Parris also left the club in deadline day's biggest story, choosing to switch to a Brighton team and a likely relegation battle.

She will be playing alongside Fran Kirby, with Chelsea's all-time leading goalscorer leaving as a free agent at the end of last season.

Last campaign, she played just 897 minutes across 21 appearances in the league, but still managed to create 31 chances (the 11th-best tally in the league), with 10 of those considered 'big' chances.

Kirby won seven WSL titles under Hayes at Chelsea, and though she may not be pushing for silverware this time around, her experience could prove invaluable, along with Parris', as Vidosic looks to find his footing in a new league.

New kids on the block

Crystal Palace are just days away from embarking on their first-ever WSL season, with Laura Kaminski leading them to promotion from the Women's Championship in her first year in charge.

They finished top of the pile with 46 points, a 12-point improvement on their previous season, while they only suffered four defeats compared to 10 in 2022-23.

Kaminski immediately made Palace harder to beat, and they conceded just 20 goals in the league last season. But there was also huge progress at the other end of the pitch, with Palace scoring a league-high 55 goals, 16 more than Southampton in second.

The Eagles have seen a high turnover in the transfer window, bringing in eight new players and saying goodbye to eight, and they will not be eased into WSL action, with FA Cup runners-up Tottenham first up for them.

They are not the favourites to go down, though they are given a 20.2% chance of dropping straight back into the second tier – with four teams seen to be firmly in the relegation scrap.

The Opta supercomputer may show slight favour to the newcomers, but Brighton are not so lucky, with a 26.4% chance of finishing bottom of the table.

The unpredictability of their new coach coupled with a lot of changes to their squad is likely the reason for that unfavourable forecast, but as touched on before, the acquisitions of Kirby and Parris could turn the tide.

However, there are issues that need to be addressed quickly. Brighton lost the joint-second most games in the WSL last year (13), with only relegated Bristol City suffering more defeats.

The Seagulls netted just 26 times last season, the third-lowest tally, from a total of 208 shots (including blocks), and though they bettered their xG tally of 21.91, improving their creativity will surely be high on Vidosic's priority list.

In any other season, West Ham could have been in real danger of going down, but Bristol's struggles meant their 15 points were enough to secure another year in the top-flight in 2023-24.

Like Brighton, they lost 13 of their matches but only managed to get three wins on the board in Rehanne Skinner's first campaign at the helm.

One reason for their struggles was a lack of firepower, as they only scored 20 goals, level with the Robins, netting around three fewer goals than expected (22.92 xG).

They are being given a 19.2% chance of going down, and though Skinner will be hoping they can improve on her first year, having lost Mackenzie Arnold and Hawa Cissoko, it is likely they will be in the relegation fight once more.

Leicester are also tipped as candidates to drop, with a 21.9% chance, not helped by their stumbling finish to the WSL last season, in which they failed to win any of their last eight matches.

That run was compounded by a 4-0 defeat to Liverpool on the final day, and with the Reds first up for them this time around, they will be desperate to put in a better showing in Miquel's first outing.

Arsenal are facing an uphill battle after a surprise defeat in their Women's Champions League qualifier, though there was no such shock for Manchester City.

Jonas Eidevall's side were defeated 1-0 in the first leg away to Hacken on Wednesday, leaving a comeback needed in the reverse fixture next Thursday.

An error from visiting defender Katie McCabe, who missed a clearance from a diagonal pass, led to Tabitha Tindell's 77th-minute winner at Bravida Arena.

Arsenal face Man City in the Women's Super League between the two Hacken clashes, and Gareth Taylor's side will head into that domestic fixture with growing confidence from a fine European showing.

City ran out comfortable 5-0 winners away to Paris FC, with Vivianne Miedema scoring the opener on her competitive debut for the club.

Jess Park doubled the lead shortly after, and added a second to her own account later on, along with goals for Mary Fowler and Chloe Kelly in a one-sided outing in France.

Elsewhere in the qualifiers, Juventus secured a 3-1 first-leg lead in a battle of two heavyweights with Paris Saint-Germain.

New signing Amalie Vangsgaard opened the scoring against her former club before Thiniba Samoura levelled with a sumptuous equaliser soon after.

Sofia Cantore set up Juve's first and found the net for the home side's second to restore their lead, before Hanna Bennison wrapped up a fine team move to seal a commanding advantage.

There was no such fortune for Juve's fellow Italian side Fiorentina, however, as Wolfsburg produced a 7-0 hammering in the first leg at Viola Park.

Wolfsburg captain Alexandra Popp dominated with a hat-trick, along with a brace from defender Marina Hegering and goals for Jule Brand and Vivien Endemann.

Manchester City will be without their star forward Khadija "Bunny" Shaw for Wednesday night's crucial Champions League qualifier against Paris FC due to a failure to secure her visa on time. Shaw did not travel to France for the first leg of the round two qualifying match despite last-minute efforts to expedite the process.

 According to a report in the Guardian newspaper, sources indicate that the Jamaica forward was sent to the French embassy on Tuesday morning in a bid to secure an expedited visa application, but the request was ultimately refused. While Manchester City has denied that Shaw was asked to secure a late visa, the club is reportedly confident that this setback will not affect future matches.

 City's road to the Champions League group stage has been rocky over the past three seasons. They failed to qualify for the group stage in each of those campaigns, crashing out in the qualifying rounds to Real Madrid in two seasons and finishing fourth in the Women's Super League (WSL) in the 2022-23 season, thereby missing out on automatic qualification. The absence of Shaw in this critical match against a formidable Paris FC side could pose a significant challenge to their qualification hopes this year.

 Paris FC is no stranger to tough competition; last season, they eliminated both Arsenal and Wolfsburg to advance to the group stage, where they finished third in Group D ahead of Real Madrid. Their impressive campaign included two wins over Madrid and competitive performances against top teams like Häcken and Chelsea. With such a formidable opponent, City will undoubtedly feel the impact of Shaw's absence, despite the arrival of Dutch forward Vivianne Miedema from Arsenal.

 Shaw's absence is particularly notable given her remarkable form in the WSL last season. She was the league's top scorer, netting 21 goals in just 18 games—matching Sam Kerr’s 2021-22 tally and falling just one short of Vivianne Miedema's and Rachel Daly's record 22-goal seasons in 2018-19 and 2022-23, respectively. Her performances earned her multiple accolades, including WSL Player of the Season, the Professional Footballers’ Association’s Women’s Footballer of the Year, and the Football Writers’ Association’s Women’s Footballer of the Year.

 Manchester City will now have to navigate the challenging tie against Paris FC without their most prolific scorer, a setback that adds pressure to their bid for a return to the Champions League group stage. The club will hope that this visa issue is an isolated incident and not a precursor to future complications as they seek to establish their presence in European competition once more.

Manchester City go into the new Women’s Super League season having made what could be the acquisition of the summer, and they haven’t even had to spend a penny to get their player. 

Vivianne Miedema appeared 172 times in all competitions for Arsenal, netting a staggering 125 goals and providing 50 assists.

The Netherlands international set the WSL alight in her seven years with the Gunners and holds the all-time record for the most goals in the competition, with 80.

Since joining from Bayern Munich in 2017 there has been no stopping her and, as she begins her new chapter with City, she will have the opportunity to form what could be one of the greatest partnerships the WSL has witnessed.

The Citizens thought last season might have been their year to finally clinch their first WSL title since 2016, only to lose it on the final day on goal difference as Chelsea provided Emma Hayes with a triumphant send-off. 

Gareth Taylor has a potentially devastating attacking lineup on his hands as City look to go one better in 2024-25.

With record breakers Khadija “Bunny” Shaw and Miedema paired together, he may have found the piece of the puzzle they have been missing. 

A record-breaking rise 

Shaw has also been a WSL revelation since joining Man City in 2021, surpassing all expectations with her meteoric rise to becoming the club’s all-time leading scorer with 72 goals. 

Shaw has scored a remarkable 50 goals in just 57 WSL appearances, netting once every 81 minutes on average. The Jamaica star is a ruthless finisher, outperforming her expected goals (xG) figures by almost 15 goals during her time in the WSL while already tallying 242 shots (4.2 per match), 104 on target (1.8 per game).

Shaw’s 20.66% shot conversion rate is better than Bethany England (19.79%) and some way clear of Miedema (17.7%), although Chelsea star Sam Kerr (21.48%) boasts a better rate.

She has put away 32 of the 63 big chances that have fallen her way, so her goal tally could arguably have been even more impressive.

Clinching the Golden Boot last season, she scored 21 goals in just 18 WSL appearances. Consequently, the Jamaica international was named PFA Player of the Year and Football Writers' Player of the Year for 2024-25.

But the personal accolades will only mean so much if City cannot deliver that long-awaited league title.

Shaw outperformed her figure of 12.3 xG by 8.7 last season – she had the second-highest xG in the WSL, behind only Alessia Russo (12.4). The City attacker also had the second-most shots (78), again only trailing Russo (79), but she led the league for shots on target (37).

Shaw led the WSL for big chances, with 25, putting away 11, while only Lauren Hemp and Caitlin Foord had more touches in the opposition box (159 and 160 respectively compared to Shaw’s 153).

Most impressively of all, Shaw averaged a goal every 66 minutes in the WSL, and if she can hit it off with Miedema in the coming months, opposing defences will have every reason to fear City.

Simply the best 

Miedema endured a season of rehabilitation in 2023-24 after sustaining a serious anterior cruciate ligament injury, which caused her to miss the 2023 World Cup in Australia and New Zealand.

She is one of several huge names in the women's game to be struck by what can only be described as an epidemic of ACL injuries at the top level.

While we do not have many numbers to look at from last year, the figures that Miedema put up en route to becoming the WSL's greatest-ever striker tell their own story.

The Netherlands international has scored 80 goals in 106 games in the competition, massively outperforming her 59.63 xG and scoring every 102 minutes on average. 

Since Opta began collecting such data, she has had the most shots on record in the WSL with 452, and 198 of those have hit the target, which is another WSL record. 

We know how deadly she can be, and only three players – England, Ellen White and Nikita Parris – have had more big chances fall their way in the WSL than Miedema (80), though only England (48) has converted more than the former Arsenal forward (44).

When breaking down how Miedema reached her record tally, only former Arsenal team-mate Jordan Nobbs (49) has scored more right-footed goals in the WSL than Miedema (48). City's new recruit has scored 25 goals with her left foot, fewer than only Caroline Weir (26) and Lauren Hemp (32). The other seven goals came from Miedema’s head.

Miedema prides herself on her ability to be in the right place at the right time, and she has scored 70 goals from inside the box, a WSL record, three clear of England (67).

Her accuracy in front of goal has been a crucial factor in Arsenal becoming a consistent threat in the WSL, claiming the title with Miedema leading the line in 2018-19. She scored 22 goals in 20 appearances in that year, outperforming her 14.6 xG, while her 20.37% shot conversion rate showcased the ruthless nature of her finishing.

She has only bettered that conversion rate once since then, scoring 16 goals in 2019-20 while registering a 28.57% conversion rate. Miedema was deadly when big chances came her way in 2018-19 and 2019-20, scoring 25 of 36 such opportunities across those two seasons.

Attack, attack, attack

One of the reasons Miedema has been so dangerous is her ability to play in multiple positions across the front four. It is not just goals Miedema brings – she is also a creative force, having laid on 35 assists in the WSL, which ranks behind only Beth Mead (45) and Katie McCabe (36).

City’s attack could not quite get them over the line last season. Winger Chloe Kelly created the second-most chances in the WSL (51), behind only Manchester United’s Katie Zelem (57), providing five assists.

Hemp created 13 big chances last term, a league-high figure, as well as providing a competition-leading eight assists. Hemp was second, behind team-mate Shaw, for overall goal contributions in the competition in 2023-24, with 19 (11 goals, eight assists).

With Khiara Keating starring in goal behind a league-leading defence that conceded just 15 times, it was in attack that City still seemed to lack something last season – scoring 10 goals fewer than Chelsea en route to their painful goal difference title loss.

So what was the missing link for City? Shaw’s injury at the back end of the season saw them lose their most clinical finisher and Chelsea found a way back in.  

Addressing City's fans in an introductory press conference, Miedema said: “I have spoken with Gareth over the last couple of months and I got a good feeling from him.

“If you look at my career I actually started as a left winger, then moved to nine and recently played a lot in the 10.

“I am versatile, I like complementing those around me and assisting. It’s not all about scoring goals. I think we need to find the right combination and go from there."

Although a brilliant goalscorer in her own right, Miedema's link-up play could help to push her team-mates onto a new level, perhaps even allowing Shaw to surpass her goalscoring exploits.

Shaw has clearly been the main threat over the last three seasons but Miedema's arrival should take the weight off her shoulders and let her play with even more freedom.

What better way for Miedema and her new side to start their campaign than with a WSL opener away to her former club Arsenal on September 22? That contest will give an early indication of the team most likely to challenge Chelsea for their crown, with debate already swirling over whether Jonas Eidevall may regret letting Miedema go.

What is certain is City have given themselves the best chance of getting the goals they need to challenge for the title. Having Shaw and Miedema link up should excite not only City supporters but all WSL fans, with the duo having the potential to form the league's best partnership yet.