The "Jonas out" graffiti on a wall near the stadium and the mock P45 waved by fans reflect the mounting pressure on Arsenal's manager, Jonas Eidevall, following Arsenal's 2-1 loss to Chelsea at the Emirates Stadium. This defeat alone hasn't sparked such discontent; it's been simmering beneath the surface, intensifying with each failed attempt to break through a defensive block, every carelessly conceded goal, and every sign that the strategy isn't paying off. Two draws in the league, against Manchester City and Everton, a 5-2 defeat by Bayern Munich, despite leading twice, and the manner of the goals conceded against Chelsea have all contributed. The concession of the first goal on Saturday via a corner, shortly after Eidevall had discussed on the BBC how much effort they had put into defending set pieces, symbolized how badly things are going. Can they turn it around? Certainly. However, with the rift between the fans and the manager widening and several players appearing disheartened, the outlook isn't promising.
Brighton's recent performance, with three points putting them two wins away from their total of five last season, is highly impressive given the high turnover of players and a new manager, Dario Vidosic. Their 1-0 victory over WSL newcomers, Crystal Palace, wasn't easy, with Palace having more shots. However, while Palace had 13 shots to Brighton's 11, they only managed three on target. Summer signing Fran Kirby and Barcelona's loanee Bruna Vilamala combined to secure the win. Kirby's revival under Vidosic has been heartening, especially after her final years at Chelsea were marred by illness and injury. Her assist for Vilamala was her first of the season, but she also has two league goals. Her skill could be crucial, and if she stays fit and retains her starting spot, she has a good chance of making the England squad for next summer's Euros.
Elisabeth Terland scored her first two Manchester United goals in their 3-0 win over Tottenham. The Norway international, Brighton's top scorer last season, netted in the 44th minute and quickly added her second five minutes later, during injury time. Manager Marc Skinner praised Terland, saying: "She doesn't lose focus. Whether it's pressing or any task, she's fully committed. I think she knows Erling Haaland personally [Terland's brother is in a relationship with Haaland's sister] and I don't want to compare the two, but the intense action of both of them, that's how she performs."
Everton scored their first WSL goal of the season in their 1-1 draw against West Ham, but it was an own goal, with Melissa Lawley's shot deflected in by Camila Sáez, canceling out Anouk Denton's first-half strike. Everton's lack of scoring is worrying. They are the first team since Reading in the 2021-22 season not to score in their opening three league games, and goals will need to start flowing if Brian Sørensen's side wants to stay in the top flight. They are at the bottom, level on points with Aston Villa, Leicester City, and West Ham. Villa and Leicester have a better goal difference, and West Ham has scored more goals in their first four games.
There are always key moments that define a season. If Manchester City wins the WSL trophy in May, they might look back at Khadija Shaw's 92nd-minute goal at Anfield on Sunday as season-defining. It wasn't the prettiest game from Gareth Taylor's side against a Liverpool team that fought hard to frustrate them. This was likely expected from City after their impressive performance against Barcelona in midweek. Despite dominating possession, it was a game of resilience and perseverance, best exemplified by Shaw. Their prolific center-forward troubled Liverpool's defense throughout and took control of the game with her two goals, ensuring her team secured a victory. "Sometimes an ugly win is just as important for the three points," Shaw said. "We just have to keep going."
Sunday's goalless draw between Aston Villa and Leicester at Villa Park highlighted two sides struggling to start their season. Although there have been some positive signs in the first few weeks for managers Robert de Pauw and Amandine Miquel, this match showed how neither team has found its rhythm. The hosts will be more frustrated – they had more possession and creativity but lacked a clinical edge. Of the 16 chances they created, only four were on target. It was marginally better than Leicester's sole opportunity, and the Foxes will be particularly grateful to their goalkeeper, Janina Leitzig. Her brilliant save in injury time to deny Anna Patten ensured her team left with an important point, a foundation to build upon.