Manchester City eventually clicked into gear after Mary Fowler's opener, with Khadija 'Bunny' Shaw scoring a double to remind everyone of their title credentials despite early nerves. Arsenal, though short on their usual standards, saw new signings Lisa Baum and Georgia Stanway make immediate impacts in their narrow win over Brighton, with Baum scoring on debut and Stanway settling into midfield play. Chelsea and Manchester United both stumbled in their opening fixtures.

Chelsea, no longer defending champions for the first time since 2019, failed to convert dominance into a win despite 34 attempts and an xG of 3.6, while Manchester United struggled under the weight of managerial transition and shifted transfer focus, with Lauren James' opener not enough to overcome a late own goal by Buurman.