Manchester United played an emotional home match, as star player and Lioness Ella Toone mourned the loss of her father just a few days prior. The team showed notable improvement in their playing style, with new signing Janssen stepping in as a defensive midfielder, replacing Katie Zelem. In the end, it was a comfortable 3-0 victory for them against West Ham United. 

Kiko Seike delivered one of the most memorable debuts in WSL history for Brighton & Hove Albion. In her first match away from Japanese soil, she scored a stunning hat-trick, leading Brighton to a commanding 4-0 victory over Everton. Everton’s struggles continued, and to make matters worse, they lost Aurora Galli to a late injury, later confirmed as a torn ACL.

The game of the weekend

The game of the weekend was undoubtedly Arsenal versus Manchester City. With City’s recent acquisition of Vivianne Miedema on a free transfer and the match taking place at the Emirates Stadium, it had all the makings of a thrilling showcase of talent. Arsenal came into the match after a midweek struggle against BK Häcken, while Manchester City had shown their quality with a victory over Paris FC, making this a daunting test for the Gunners. To make matters worse, just before kick-off, it was announced that Leah Williamson would miss the match due to concussion protocols. Additionally, Jonas Eidevall opted to bench stars Beth Mead and Alessia Russo, starting instead with Caitlin Foord and Stina Blackstenius.

Despite the setbacks, Arsenal began brightly, with a low cross into the box falling perfectly for Frida Leonhardsen-Maanum, who fired them into the lead. However, just before half-time, City equalized through none other than Vivianne Miedema, who, out of respect for her former club, chose not to celebrate. It was a crucial moment for City.

After the break, Arsenal had several chances to retake the lead, particularly through Blackstenius. But it was Jess Park who made her mark, sending a stunning shot into the top corner to give City a 2-1 advantage. Eidevall responded with a flurry of substitutions, bringing on Beth Mead, Alessia Russo, Rosa Kafaji, and Lia Wälti. Arsenal’s persistence paid off when Kafaji’s shot hit the post, and Mead was there to tuck it away for the equalizer. Both sides pushed for a winner, but the match ended in a hard-fought 2-2 draw.