Women’s Super League predictions: Can Ballon d’Or winner Putellas end Man City’s unbeaten start?

There are new leaders in the Women’s Super League heading into MD8, with Chelsea dethroning Manchester City at the top of the table last time out.

Just goal difference separates the two sides heading into the latest round of fixtures, and Andree Jeglertz’s side will be keen to reclaim top spot in their title defence. 

But the Citizens come up against fellow high-flyers London City Lionesses, who have Alexia Putellas in their ranks, fresh from claiming her record-equalling third Ballon d’Or.

Chelsea make the short trip across the capital to Charlton Athletic, who are the only side yet to get a point on the board, but the action does not stop there. 

Manchester United will be hoping to keep pace with the top three against Everton, with Arsenal and Tottenham looking to do the same against Aston Villa and Birmingham City, respectively.

Brighton take on rivals Crystal Palace while West Ham welcome Liverpool to the Victoria Road Stadium, but who will come out on top this weekend?

With the help of the Opta supercomputer, we delve into the pre-match insights to find out. 

How the #BarclaysWSL table stands after match week 7 Which result do you think transformed the table? #LeagueStandings | #WTWKicks | @WTWcorporate https://t.co/XMJVOKaCGZ

— Barclays Women’s Super League (@BarclaysWSL) October 25, 2026

EVERTON V MANCHESTER UNITED

The action begins at Goodison Park in Saturday’s only fixture, with Everton and Manchester United doing battle, hoping to spark their respective seasons into life.

Everton were on the end of a 3-2 defeat against Aston Villa last time out, while Elisabeth Terland’s 89th-minute equaliser helped United draw 1-1 with rivals Manchester City.

The Red Devils have taken 11 points from their opening seven WSL games this season (W3 D2 L2), their lowest ever tally at this stage of a campaign in the competition. However, 10 of those points have come in their last four matches (W3 D1), making them the favourites here.

Eva Olid’s side are assigned a 52.2% chance of taking all three points, while Everton’s win probability is rated at 24.8%. The likelihood of a draw is 23%. 

United’s strong position coming into this match owes to their recent record against Everton. They have won six of their seven WSL away games against the Toffees (D1), doing so in each of the last four seasons.

Everton are winless in each of their 14 meetings with United in the WSL (D2 L12) – only West Ham have faced an opponent more times without ever winning in the competition (17 vs Chelsea).

LONDON CITY LIONESSES V MANCHESTER CITY

The standout fixture on MD8 comes at the Copperjax Community Stadium on Sunday, with London City Lionesses taking on defending WSL champions Manchester City. 

London City have made a strong start after a summer of big spending, with one of those arrivals, former Barcelona captain Putellas, celebrating her third Ballon d’Or crown on Monday, becoming the second woman to do so after former team-mate Aitana Bonmati last year. 

Putellas has adapted well to life in England, scoring three goals and providing one assist in seven WSL games, but City will present her toughest test since joining London City. 

ALEXIA PUTELLAS. BALLON D’OR WINNER. https://t.co/o1bFwgV60q

— London City Lionesses (@LC_Lionesses) October 26, 2026

City remain unbeaten in the league this season (W6 D1) and could avoid defeat in each of their opening eight matches of a WSL campaign for the first time since 2018-19 (unbeaten in first 19).

But the two teams are in great form. Only City (16) are currently on a longer winning run at home in the WSL than London City (five), who could become the first ever non-‘big-four’ team to win six in a row at home in the competition.

However, it is that kind of opposition that London City have struggled against. They have lost each of their first seven WSL games against the ‘big-four’ teams, but have taken four points from their two since, drawing 1-1 with Chelsea and beating Man Utd 2-1.

Across the last 10 matchdays, only Chelsea (28) and Man City (25) have won more points in the WSL than London City (22). The Lionesses have led in eight of those matches, but MD7 was the first time that they failed to go on and win one of those eight (2-2 vs Liverpool).

But despite their recent form, the Opta supercomputer has backed City to get the job done, and comfortably too. They are predicted to win across 55% of the data-led simulations, compared to London City’s win probability of 22.7%. 

ARSENAL V ASTON VILLA

Renee Slegers relieved the pressure building on her with a morale-boosting win in the north London derby last time out, and Arsenal built on that triumph by comfortably beating Benfica 3-0 in the Champions League on Wednesday, courtesy of an Alessia Russo hat-trick. 

3 – Alessia Russo is the first Arsenal player to score a hat-trick in the @UWCL since Frida Maanum against FC Zürich four years ago, in December 2022. Over the last three seasons, only Ewa Pajor (21) has scored more goals in the competition than the Gunners forward (20). Continental.

— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) October 28, 2026

The Gunners will be hoping to continue that momentum at home to Aston Villa, who ended a five-game winless away run in the WSL with their 3-2 victory at Everton last time out (D2 L3). Another victory would take them to eight points from their opening five away games this season, equalling their best return at this stage (set in 2025-26 – eight).

Arsenal have won eight of their 12 WSL games against Villa (D2 L2), winning 3-0 back in May in the most recent, while they remain unbeaten in each of their last 22 league home matches (W16 D6) – the third-longest streak in the competition’s history. 

The Opta supercomputer believes that will continue here, too. In its 10,000 pre-match simulations, Arsenal emerged victorious in 78.5% of those scenarios, while Villa are assigned an 8.5% chance of taking all three points. A draw is rated at 13%. 

Arsenal have taken just nine points from their opening seven WSL games this season (W2 D3 L2), only recording fewer at this stage in 2014 (seven), so Villa may fancy their chances, given they have won their last two league matches, as many victories as they managed in their previous 17 combined (W2 D4 L11).

WEST HAM V LIVERPOOL

West Ham and Liverpool are two teams out for a return to winning ways, with the Hammers beaten by Brighton while the Reds earned a good point against London City.

Liverpool have only lost one of their six WSL away matches against West Ham, though this fixture has ended as a draw in each of the last four campaigns (W1), with the chances of a stalemate rated at 26.6% by the Opta supercomputer. 

The Hammers did, however, win 1-0 in their most recent WSL game against Liverpool in April, only their second win against the Reds in the competition. They are looking to win back-to-back WSL games against Liverpool for the first time.

Gareth Taylor’s side are 10th in the standings, but they could have been so much higher. Liverpool have dropped the most points from winning positions in the WSL this season (eight), and they are predicted to come up second best here.

Liverpool are handed a 33.4% chance of taking all three points, compared to West Ham’s win probability of 40%, even though since the start of last season, the Hammers have lost the most WSL games overall (18) and the most league games by 3+ goals (eight), including their last two defeats. 

BRIGHTON V CRYSTAL PALACE

Crystal Palace will be hoping to fare better than their men’s team did against Brighton in the Premier League earlier this month, with the Seagulls running riot with a 5-0 thrashing. 

However, the Opta supercomputer has predicted a similar result at the Broadfield Stadium. Brighton are assigned a 54.7% chance of getting one over their rivals, while Palace’s hopes are rated at just 22%, with a draw slightly higher at 23.3%.

Palace are winless in their last four games against Brighton in all competitions (D1 L3), a run that started with a 5-1 away loss in December 2018, while they are also without a win in their last six WSL matches (D3 L3), losing their last two.

Embracing the elements! https://t.co/GLPFX3y5Ur

— Brighton & Hove Albion Women (@BHAFCWomen) October 27, 2026

Brighton, meanwhile, have won two of their last three WSL games (L1), having gone winless in their previous seven (D4 L3). Following their 3-0 victory over West Ham on MD7, the Seagulls are looking to win consecutive league matches without conceding for the first time since November 2021.

And this weekend’s hosts will be looking to build on their good home form. They have won their last two home games in the WSL, as many victories as in their last 10 combined (W2 D3 L5), though Palace are the first newly promoted side to remain unbeaten in their opening three away games of a WSL season, drawing all three this term.

BIRMINGHAM CITY V TOTTENHAM

After beating Charlton last time out, Birmingham will be hoping to pull further clear of the bottom of the table when they take on Tottenham, who are out for revenge after their defeat in the north London derby. 

However, against no side have Birmingham played more games without winning in the WSL than Tottenham, failing in all four attempts (D1 L3). They also have their worst goals-per-game rate in the competition against Spurs (0.25 – 1 in 4).

But Spurs are in need of a victory, having lost each of their last three WSL games. They could lose more in a row for the first time since a run of five defeats between February and March 2025 under Robert Vilahamn. 

Tottenham will have confidence coming into this fixture, though, given they have won each of their last four games against Birmingham in all competitions without conceding – they have never won five in a row against an opponent as a WSL side.

And the Opta supercomputer has backed Spurs to return to winning ways at St. Andrew’s, handing them a 40% win probability. Birmingham’s hopes of a second league win of the season are rated at 34.2%, while a draw is backed to happen in 25.8% of the pre-match simulations. 

One thing from this fixture you can expect is goals. Spurs’ nine WSL away games in 2026 have seen 49 total goals scored (25F, 24A) at an average of 5.4 per game, the highest rate of any team on the road in a calendar year. 

CHARLTON ATHLETIC V CHELSEA

Chelsea are riding high after following up their 3-1 win over Crystal Palace last time out with a 2-0 triumph over Roma to stay perfect in their Champions League campaign.

WE’RE ON A ROLL! #UWCL https://t.co/K6pxZRrClk

— Chelsea FC Women (@ChelseaFCW) October 28, 2026

They make the trip to The Valley this Sunday to face a Charlton side that have lost each of their four WSL home games by an aggregate score of 12-2. The only team to lose their first five home matches in the competition are Yeovil Town (first 11 between 2017 and 2018).

This will be only the third meeting between Charlton and Chelsea in the WSL era, with the Addicks losing 4-0 in the FA Cup both times, in January 2020 (at home) and January 2025 (away), and this weekend’s hosts may be fearing the worst. 

Chelsea have scored 98 goals in 32 games against newly promoted sides in the WSL, averaging three goals per match, while they sit top of the league table for the first time since the end of MD7 last season, and they will want to remain there. 

The Blues are unbeaten in their last 22 league games when starting the day as the WSL leaders (W17 D5), since a 1-0 loss to Man City in February 2024, and that stretch is expected to continue.

Sonia Bompastor’s side are handed a huge 80.5% win probability, higher than any other team on MD8. Charlton’s hopes are rated at just 8.5% for a win, with a draw deemed slightly more likely at 10.9%.