WSL 2025–26 Gameweek 8 Recap: City Go Top, Emirates Controversy, and Bottom Sides Finally Off the Mark
Record 56,537 see Arsenal–Chelsea finish 1–1 as City seize the summit at Goodison; London City beat Spurs 4–2; 90+′ equalisers sting West Ham and Liverpool but finally bring first points at the bottom
Overview
Gameweek 8 produced 16 goals across six fixtures, a calmer follow-up to last week’s fireworks. The headline clash at the Emirates ended 1–1 between Arsenal and Chelsea in front of a record crowd of 56,537. The draw was Chelsea’s second of the season and allowed Manchester City to go top with a 2–1 win at Everton.
Manchester United were stunned 0–1 at home by Aston Villa, while newcomers London City Lionesses made a statement with a 4–2 win over Tottenham. Two relegation six-pointers delivered late drama: West Ham conceded a 90+7′ equaliser to draw 1–1 with Leicester, and Liverpool likewise surrendered a 90+3′ goal to Brighton to finish 1–1. Both Liverpool and West Ham finally registered their first points of the season.
In terms of our predictions, the marquee Arsenal–Chelsea draw matched our preview’s most-projected scoreline, while Villa’s upset defied the odds. London City’s six-goal shoot-out far exceeded our model expectations, and the two draws at the bottom were outcomes our models had deemed quite plausible.
Match-by-Match Breakdown
Arsenal 1–1 Chelsea
Venue: Emirates Stadium (London) | Attendance: 56,537
Chelsea and Arsenal drew 1–1 at the Emirates after a dramatic finish. Chelsea led early through Alyssa Thompson, but Alessia Russo’s late goal rescued Arsenal, who also had two goals ruled out – including one that sparked controversy – amid relentless second-half pressure from Arsenal.
Key stats that influenced the outcome
Shot volume vs chance quality: Arsenal out-shot Chelsea 17–11, but the visitors created better opportunities – Chelsea edged expected goals 2.05 vs 1.29 and struck the woodwork twice.
Possession & territory: Possession was virtually even (51% Arsenal – 49% Chelsea). Arsenal had a slight edge in attacking-third presence (33 touches in Chelsea’s box vs 28 the other way) and won more corners (6–2), reflecting their late territorial push.
Defensive resistance: Chelsea’s back line was stretched, making 22 clearances to Arsenal’s 17 and 7 blocks to Arsenal’s 3. Even so, Chelsea limited Arsenal to mostly lower-quality attempts (only one “big chance” conceded) while Chelsea created two.
Player spotlight – Alessia Russo (Arsenal, ST)
Retrospection
Our preview model gave Arsenal a 39% win chance, with a 1–1 draw as the likeliest scoreline – a prediction matched exactly. Chelsea’s unbeaten run continues, however, dropping points before a record Emirates crowd meant City move top of the league for the first time this season.
Manchester United 0–1 Aston Villa
Venue: Progress with Unity Stadium (Leigh) | Attendance: 3,434
Aston Villa stunned Manchester United 1–0 at Leigh, with Miriael Taylor scoring on 35 minutes from Lynn Wilms’ cut-back. Despite dominating possession and creating chances after half-time, United failed to break down Villa’s resolute defence, sealing a famous away win for the visitors.
Key stats that influenced the outcome
Possession but no payoff: United dominated possession (64%) and nearly doubled Villa’s passes (440 to 224), yet couldn’t convert control into goals.
Shots & xG: Shots and xG were virtually identical (United 15 shots, 1.02 xG; Villa 14 shots, 0.99 xG); United created two big chances but failed to finish.
Defensive resilience: Villa’s defence held firm with 42 clearances and 10 blocks, as Anna Patten led the back line to restrict United to just 4 shots on target.
Wasteful hosts: United’s wasteful finishing cost them, despite 9 box attempts and twice hitting the woodwork; their lack of clinical edge meant Villa’s keeper stayed unbeaten.
Player spotlight – Anna Patten (Aston Villa, CB)
Patten marshaled Villa’s defence superbly, acting as a rock at the back. She made 17 defensive actions, accounting for 22% of Villa’s total – and organised the line with a match-high 12 clearances. Her timely interventions and leadership helped shut out United’s threats in the box.
Retrospection
Our pre-match preview had United as heavy favourites at 64%, but Villa’s 1–0 victory was the shock of the round. The result defied expectations as United’s wasted dominance let Villa spring a low-probability upset.
London City Lionesses 4–2 Tottenham Hotspur
Venue: Copperjax Community Stadium (London) | Attendance: TBC
London City Lionesses beat Tottenham Hotspur 4–2 in an entertaining WSL clash at Copperjax Community Stadium. Freya Godfrey opened the scoring before Tottenham twice pulled level through a Cathinka Tandberg penalty and an Eveliina Summanen free kick. An Amanda Nildén own goal and Godfrey’s second secured the win, while Nikita Parris capped her 200th WSL appearance with a goal for the newly promoted Lionesses.
Key stats that influenced the outcome
Clinical finishing: Tottenham out-shot London City 14–11 and edged xG (1.65–1.47), but the Lionesses were more clinical, putting 6 of 11 shots on target for a superior xG on target (2.05 to 1.33).
Pendulum swings: Momentum swung throughout. Spurs had 54% possession and far more passes in the attacking half (164 to 97), but struggled to break down London City with the game in the balance. Both sides created and converted a single big chance before LCL’s late burst.
Defensive shape and set-plays: London City kept their defensive shape, making 20 clearances and staying compact. Set plays were rare (corners 3–2 LCL); open-play execution, with Godfrey influencing three goals, proved decisive.
Player spotlight – Freya Godfrey (London City, RW)
Retrospection
Our models called this a near toss-up, slight edge to LCL (40%) with 1–1 most likely. The 4–2 result blew past those cautious forecasts. Once London City hit stride, the game opened up well beyond expectation. The home win wasn’t a shock, but the manner was: four goals and end-to-end play that defied the analytics and hinted this side could punch above its preseason billing.
West Ham United 1–1 Leicester City
Venue: Chigwell Construction Stadium (Dagenham) | Attendance: TBC
West Ham looked set for their first win after Shekiera Martinez scored from an Anouk Denton cross early in the second half, but Leicester snatched a point with Shannon O’Brien’s 97th-minute equaliser from a late set-piece. The Hammers dominated much of the match, but the dramatic stoppage-time goal meant both sides shared the spoils.
Key stats that influenced the outcome
Even until late: Neither side dominated statistically. Shots were 14–11 to West Ham, shots on target 3–2, and possession split 51–49%. The parity reflected two struggling teams cancelling each other out until Leicester’s late surge.
Chance quality over quantity: Leicester created the better chances, edging expected goals 1.49 to 0.80 despite fewer shots. Their equaliser came from a set-piece scramble that accounted for most of their 1.18 xG from dead balls. Each team produced one big chance – and scored.
Defensive efforts: West Ham registered 38 clearances to Leicester’s 28 as they protected their lead, adding 12 interceptions in a disciplined display before the late collapse. Leicester stayed resilient with 28 clearances and 8 interceptions, keeping themselves close enough to strike.
Player spotlight – Shelina Zadorsky (West Ham, CB)
Retrospection
West Ham were favourites based on our pre-match model (43% win chance, with a 1–0 or 1–1 the likeliest outcomes). The 1–1 draw thus isn’t far off expectation as it was the second-most likely scenario. This will, however, be a huge disappointment for West Ham who remain winless in 8 despite coming so close.
Liverpool 1–1 Brighton & Hove Albion
Venue: St Helens Stadium (Merseyside) | Attendance: 2,423
Liverpool were denied their first win of the season as Rosa Kafaji bundled in a 93rd-minute equaliser to earn Brighton a 1–1 draw. The Reds took the lead through Beata Olsson’s 26th-minute goal and defended well as time ticked down, but were undone late on, extending their winless run and silencing the home crowd.
Key stats that influenced the outcome
Brighton on the front foot: Brighton edged possession (51–49%) and narrowly out-shot Liverpool 12–11, hitting the target seven times to Liverpool’s four. Their attacking urgency grew as they chased the game, reflected in those superior on-target efforts.
xG tells a tale: Brighton generated the better quality chances, leading 1.49 to 0.69 in expected goals. The Seagulls produced two big chances including Kafaji’s late equaliser, while Liverpool managed just one, converting through Olsson in their only clear opening.
Late lapse: Liverpool tired late on and conceded ground – Brighton had 22 touches in the box compared to Liverpool’s 14. The hosts collected four yellow cards within 17 minutes in the closing stages, reflecting desperate defending, and ultimately cracked in stoppage time as their organisation faltered.
Retrospection
Our preview rated Brighton slight favourites (45% win probability) with a 1–1 draw as the most likely result. The match ended 1–1, which is no surprise. Liverpool’s continued struggles were foreseen, though they came within minutes of defying the odds for a win. In the end, the draw fits the analytic outlook.
Everton 1–2 Manchester City
Venue: Goodison Park (Liverpool) | Attendance: TBC
Manchester City moved top of the table with a hard-fought 2–1 win at Everton. Vivianne Miedema gave City the lead on 21 minutes from Iman Beney’s cross, before Kelly Gago equalised for Everton from Toni Payne’s delivery. Khadija “Bunny” Shaw restored the advantage with a decisive header early in the second half, sealing all three points for the visitors.
Key stats that influenced the outcome
Dominance in chances: City outshot Everton 16–10 and tripled their xG (2.50 to 0.99), carving out three big chances to Everton’s one. Profligate finishing – only five shots on target – kept the margin closer than the performance suggested.
Pressure and possession: City had 53% possession and controlled midfield, limiting Everton to counter-attacks. Everton’s four corners to City’s two showed the hosts threatened City on those fast breaks.
Goalkeeper impact: Everton’s Emily Ramsey made 2 saves but had to deal with high-quality attempts, as City’s shots on target generated 1.23 xGOT. For City, Ayaka Yamashita made 4 stops – including a crucial late save, helping to thwart Everton’s comeback efforts. Everton’s 2.11 xGOT illustrates how vital Yamashita’s interventions were in protecting City’s lead.
Player spotlight – Khadija Shaw (Manchester City, ST)
Retrospection
The model had City as clear favourite (66% win probability, most likely scorelines 2–0 or 3–0). The 1–2 final score flatters Everton somewhat – City secured the expected win but by a slimmer margin than projected. City underperformed their xG and made the contest closer than it needed to be. Nonetheless, the outcome aligns with expectations.
Final Word
If Gameweek 8 had a headline, it’d be: “Chelsea blink, City pounce – and life at the bottom at last.” Chelsea’s slip at Arsenal let Manchester City seize control of the title race, while both Liverpool and West Ham finally got off the mark at the bottom. The league now has a new leader and renewed hope for strugglers, setting up an intriguing run to the winter break.