5 things we learned from the 2024/25 WSL's opening weekend

The 2024/25 WSL season got underway over the weekend and the return to action did not disappoint.

Chelsea began their new era under manager Sonia Bompastor with a narrow 1-0 win over Aston Villa at Kingsmeadow on Friday night. On Saturday, Manchester United beat West Ham 3-0 at Old Trafford, while Brighton brushed Everton aside with a 4-0 thrashing.

The eye catching game of the weekend between Arsenal and Manchester City at the Emirates ended in a 2-2 draw, while Liverpool were pegged back by Leicester City as they drew 1-1 on Sunday.

Finally, Tottenham Hotspur started the season as they intend to go on with a comfortable 4-0 win over newly-promoted Crystal Palace. So, here’s a look at five things we learned from the opening weekend.

Hayley Raso is back

The WSL is familiar territory for Australia international Hayley Raso as she spent three years in England with Everton and Manchester City between 2020 and 2023. After a season in Spain with Real Madrid, she was available on a free transfer this summer and Tottenham moved fast to get a deal over the line.

It took less than 20 minutes for the 30-year-old to open her goalscoring account on her competitive debut for Spurs. With three Palace players around her, she skipped through the opposition defence and rolled a low effort into the far corner.

Spurs went on to win the match 4-0 following further goals from Jess Naz, Drew Spence and Olga Ahtinen. It was a fantastic start to the season for Robert Vilahamn’s side, and he will be delighted with Raso’s return to the league.

Vivianne Miedema returns with a vengeance

All eyes were on the Emirates on Sunday as Arsenal welcomed rivals Manchester City. It was the dream start for Jonas Eidevall’s side as Frida Maanum put the hosts ahead inside the opening 10 minutes.

But, one of the biggest transfers of the summer was Vivianne Miedema’s move from Arsenal to City following the expiration of her contract with the Gunners. Therefore, it was fitting it was the Netherlands international who put the visitors back on level terms before half time.

There was no celebration from Miedema after her deflected effort struck the back of the net, but then again, she’s never been one for celebrating her own goals.

Brighton’s summer business is paying off

Brighton were arguably one of the surprises of the weekend following their 4-0 thrashing of Everton on Saturday. Few knew what to expect from the Seagulls this season following another managerial change and a huge overhaul of players during the summer.

Yet, it was the dream start for Dario Vidosic’s side, and new signing Kiko Seike wrote herself into the history books with a hat-trick on her WSL debut. Another summer recruit, Fran Kirby, was also among the goals as she scored from the penalty spot in the second half.

Six of Brighton’s summer signings were involved in Saturday’s action, and the early signs are positive. It’s expected the Seagulls will undergo another transitional year following so many changes, but if things click early in the season, they could be the surprise package this term.

Grace Clinton is comfortable back in red

Grace Clinton was the breakout star of the 2023/24 campaign during her loan spell with Tottenham, and it’s no surprise the north London club were eager to keep her. However, Manchester United and Marc Skinner had other plans.

The 21-year-old is back with the Red Devils this season and is ready to establish herself not just in the United team, but also with England ahead of the European Championship next summer. It’s testament to her development over the last 12 months, but it was no surprise she got herself on the scoresheet in the 3-0 victory against the Hammers. 

New managers make their mark

Vidosic wasn’t the only manager to pick up points in their opening WSL game, as Sonia Bompastor’s Chelsea also recorded a win. Elsewhere, Amandine Miquel’s Leicester City held Liverpool to a 1-1 draw at St Helens, and were stern opposition for Matt Beard’s side.

Robert de Pauw’s Aston Villa may not have secured any points, but they were inches away from causing an opening day upset against Chelsea. They certainly made Bompastor’s side work for all three points on Friday night, and De Pauw will be pleased with how his team took the game to their opponent, particularly in the second half.

It’s early days and the WSL isn’t an easy league for any new manager to settle into, but as far as performances go, it was a positive start for the newcomers.

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