The WSL is back. Gameweek 12 saw the league’s top contenders pick up where they left off, with the front two continuing to pull away, while familiar struggles persist at the bottom.
Chelsea were ruthless in a 5–0 dismantling of West Ham at Kingsmeadow, taking their tally to 25 goals scored and just one conceded in all competitions since that shock defeat to Everton in early December. Sandy Baltimore netted twice as the champions kept pace with leaders Manchester City. The two sides are set to meet in a potentially decisive clash in Gameweek 14.
City extended their winning streak to 11 straight WSL matches, easing past Everton 2–0 to stay in control at the top.
Tottenham, meanwhile, moved into fourth with a 1–0 win over Leicester. That result means they have already surpassed last season’s total points haul, with 10 games still to play.
Elsewhere, Arsenal were held at home by 10-player Manchester United. Aston Villa came from behind to beat Brighton in 80 second-half seconds. Liverpool earned their first clean sheet of the season in a goalless draw with London City – although the Reds remain without a league win.
Here’s your full Gameweek 12 round-up: every result, stat and goal.
VERTA’s WSL GW12 Picks
⚽️ Goal of the week: Sandy Baltimore – perfect touch, drive and finish. (Chelsea 5-0 West Ham)
🚀 Game of the week: Villa’s double in 80 seconds turns it around. (Aston Villa 2-1 Brighton)
⭐️ Star of the week: Courtney Brosnan – single-handedly kept the score respectable. (Man City 2-0 Everton)
Sat 11th Jan 26 | The Emirates | Att: 37,627
Arsenal’s faint title ambitions took a hit as they were held to a 0–0 draw by Manchester United, who played the final 25 minutes with ten after Jayde Riviere was sent off for a second bookable offence.
Despite dominating possession, territory and having 25 shots to United’s four, Arsenal couldn’t find the breakthrough to keep pace with Chelsea and Manchester City.
United’s only attempt on target came in the third minute, a close-range header from Fridolina Rolfö expertly tipped onto the bar by Anneke Borbe.
From that point it was all Arsenal, but their lack of quality in front of goal proved costly. Kim Little hit the side netting from close range midway through the first half, while Phallon Tullis-Joyce produced key stops from Olivia Smith and Victoria Pelova, the latter in stoppage time.
Arsenal will be frustrated not to have taken all three points but can take confidence from a dominant display. Leah Williamson made her first start of the season, bringing structure to the backline. They stay third, level on points with Spurs.
United, ineffective even before the red card, struggled to create, with Melvine Malard largely anonymous. They drop to fifth, their lowest place so far this season.
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Sun 11th Jan 26 | Villa Park | Att: 2,361
Aston Villa came from behind to secure a vital 2–1 win over Brighton & Hove Albion, leapfrogging their mid-table opponents in the process.
Brighton should have taken the lead inside five minutes, but Madison Haley failed to connect with Fran Kirby’s low cross with the goal gaping. The breakthrough did arrive on 11 minutes, courtesy of a catastrophic error from Sabrina D’Angelo. The Villa goalkeeper, under no pressure, passed the ball straight to Fuka Tsunoda, who slotted into an empty net from eight yards out.
Villa responded well, twice denied by the woodwork in a lively first half, while Brighton squandered another big chance when Vicky Symonds dragged a poor shot wide of the far post on 34 minutes.
After the break, Villa turned the match around in the space of 80 seconds. Daly met Lucia Kendall’s deep free-kick with a powerful header to level, before Kirsty Hanson rifled a strike into the top corner for her sixth WSL goal of the season.
Brighton pushed late on, but Villa saw the game out to claim a vital three points and climb above both Brighton and London City in the table.
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Sun 11th Jan 26 | Kingsmeadow | Att: 4,850
WSL holders Chelsea put on another dominant display, thumping West Ham 5–0 at Kingsmeadow.
The hosts were ahead inside 46 seconds, Ellie Carpenter’s low cross deflecting off Yu Endo and into her own net. A nightmare start for the Hammers.
Things went from bad to worse on 28 minutes when a routine backpass from Belloumou was chased down by Lauren James. Szemik hesitated, and her clearance ricocheted off James and into the net in what was an embarrassing moment for the West Ham goalkeeper.
Szemik recovered and not long after tipped Kaneryd’s fierce effort onto the bar to partially redeem herself.
Chelsea’s dominance was eventually reflected in the scoreline with two quick goals before the break. Alyssa Thompson tapped in a mishit Kaneryd shot at the far post on 40 minutes, before Sandy Baltimore added a fourth, rifling a superb strike into the top corner from just inside the box.
Chelsea remained in full control after the restart, with Szemik again called on to keep the scoreline down. The fifth came via a contentious penalty. Asseyi penalised for handball on 70 minutes, with Baltimore converting for her second.
Chelsea strengthen their grip on second, while West Ham edge closer to the drop zone after Liverpools point against London City.
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Sun 11th Jan 26 | Joie Academy Stadium | Att: NA
Man City 2-0 Everton scoreboard Manchester City extended their WSL title charge with a comfortable 2–0 win over Everton at the Joie Stadium – a scoreline that flattered the visitors after near-total dominance from the league leaders.
Kerolin, making her first WSL start, opened the scoring on 26 minutes. Picking the ball up wide, she skipped past Pacheco, drove into the box and saw her strike deflect over Brosnan and into the net.
Everton thought they had levelled on 39 minutes when Park bundled home a loose ball, but the goal was ruled out for a soft foul on City keeper Yamashita.
City remained in full control after the break and finally doubled their lead just past the hour. Bunny Shaw’s perfect lofted through ball found Miedema, and the Dutch forward coolly slotted home for her fifth of the season.
City could have added at least three more were it not for an outstanding performance from Courtney Brosnan, who denied Shaw twice and tipped Alex Greenwood’s drive over the bar.
The win keeps extends City’s winning run and puts them firmly in charge of the title race. While Everton slip to third-bottom, unable to build on their shock win at Chelsea last month.
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Sun 11th Jan 26 | Brisbane Road | Att: 9,271
Tottenham edged past Leicester City 1–0 in a tight WSL contest at Brisbane Road to boost their Champions League hopes.
The only goal of the game came on 40 minutes. Ashleigh Neville, who had joined the Foxes just days earlier from Spurs, headed the ball into her own net under no real pressure from a corner.
Both sides had chances to add to the scoreline, but neither could find the breakthrough.
Spurs grew into the game as time ticked on, dominating large spells and forcing Leicester deep. They should have doubled their lead in the second half – Hamano somehow failing to convert a cross from five yards, while Beth England was denied one-on-one by a fine save from Olivia Clark.
The win lifts Tottenham above Manchester United into fourth, level on points with Arsenal, as the top-four race tightens. Leicester’s poor form continues, with just one win in ten leaving them slipping further down the table.
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Sun 11th Jan 26 | St Helens Stadium | Att: 2,419
Bottom-placed Liverpool and WSL newcomers London City Lionesses played out a drab 0–0 draw at St Helens Stadium, with neither side managing a single shot on target.
The Reds, still searching for their first win of the season, handed debuts to new signings Jennifer Falk and Alice Bergström. Liverpool had the better of the play – though that wasn’t difficult in a flat encounter – but rarely troubled Lete in the London City goal.
Neither side created much of note, with chances at a premium throughout. The best opportunity fell to Bergström, whose chipped effort drifted just wide of the far post late in the second half.
The result ends London City’s brief two losing run, while Liverpool reduce the gap to second-bottom West Ham to one point. They are still winless, but can at least take encouragement from their first WSL clean sheet of the campaign.
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