Arsenal found no relief from their ongoing troubles as the international break failed to spark a reset, with the same recurring problems surfacing during a 1-1 home draw against Birmingham at the Emirates. Renée Slegers' side dominated possession and attacking metrics, registering 76 percent possession, a 2.73 expected goals rating, and 43 touches in the opposition box. However, their familiar profligacy in front of goal and lack of urgency came to the fore again as they managed just four shots on target from 27 total chances. Birmingham set up a resilient defensive structure that repeatedly frustrated the Gunners, who famously struggle against low blocks, and ultimately capitalized when Océane Hurtré scored with her team's only shot on target to notch her sixth goal in six games.
Elsewhere in the Women's Super League, London City extended their winning run to four matches with a hard-fought 2-1 victory against Everton. Building on their strong start, London City showcased their defensive mettle by handling a second-half shift in momentum and limiting Everton to just 12 shots on target over the course of the division's early fixtures. Charlton remain winless six games into the campaign, but manager Karen Hills found positives in her side's second-half performance after a 3-1 defeat to Manchester United, praising her players for taking the game to a top-tier opponent despite holding less than 24 percent possession.
Tottenham experienced growing pains at Stamford Bridge, where a promising 1-1 half-time scoreline dissolved into a heavy 6-2 defeat against Chelsea. Manager Martin Ho pointed out that his young team conceded three goals in nine minutes and another two in six minutes, emphasizing that the squad lacks maturity in major games and must eliminate complete collapses under pressure. Meanwhile, Manchester City claimed victory with a 3-2 scoreline against Brighton, a match highlighted by Lauren Hemp moving closer to the WSL all-time assist record. Hemp delivered her 50th and 51st league assists within the opening 16 minutes by setting up Khadija Shaw twice, leaving her just three assists behind teammate and record holder Beth Mead.
Aston Villa finally secured their first win of the season by staging a second-half comeback against Liverpool. Following a difficult opening stretch that yielded three draws from five matches, Brian Sørensen's side turned the match around through a second-half goal from Chasity Grant and an own goal by Liverpool defender Grace Fisk. Sørensen, confirmed this week as interim head coach until the end of the season, credited tactical and personnel changes at half-time for flipping the dynamic. In the remaining fixture, Kelly Gago's second league goal of the campaign secured West Ham a 1-0 win over Crystal Palace, marking the Hammers' first away victory of the season after capitalizing on a defensive error.