Chelsea have woken up, and that's ominous for the WSL

• 

  Emily KeoghSep 13, 2026, 10:33 AM ET

  Close

  Based in London, Emily Keogh is ESPN's women's soccer correspondent, specializing in the WSL and UWCL

LEIGH, England -- After faltering in their opening game against Aston Villa, the real Chelsea awoke to breeze past Manchester United 5-0 on Sunday; a result that should send a shiver down the rest of the Women's Super League (WSL).

Chelsea needed both the result and performance to prove they still are a force to be reckoned with. The Blues' 1-1 stumble last week had many fans questioning whether this season's expected resurgence under Sonia Bompastor was actually going to happen -- a lack of clinical finishing plagued the side once more as they had their most chances ever (35) in a game they failed to win.

Bompastor's first season in charge returned a domestic treble and an unbeaten season, but the squad was largely made up of inherited players from Emma Hayes' dominant era. Her second was seen as one of transition and brought only a third-place finish and a League Cup trophy. But the excuses are done now.

The French coach has had plenty of time to build a squad that fits her identity, and if this victory is anything to go by then this is only the start of what Chelsea are capable of.

Chelsea were alert to United's frailties in both attack and defense all game long, pinning them firmly into their own half to allow chance after chance to be created. Had it not been for some acrobatic saves from goalkeeper Phallon Tullis-Joyce the scoreline would have been even heavier.

The manner of the win was reflective of the Chelsea of old: merciless, clinical and opportunistic. An impressive 11 of Chelsea's 25 shots were on target; United had half of theirs on target ... but then they only had two chances.

Opening goals from Sjoeke Nüsken and Keira Walsh settled any early nerves and there was no doubt that Lauren James would get herself on the scoresheet, before Ellie Carpenter and Lucy Bronze added some gloss, as the former United player had been directly involved in a goal in each of her last four WSL appearances against United (four goals, two assists) before this.

Chelsea even managed to score five times without a true striker. James was deployed up front in a similar move to last season when Bompastor had no No. 9 available, leaving and out-of-form Aggie Beever Jones on the bench. But midfielder Nusken was able to cover the spaces as James roamed around the front line to force United back to ensure there was always a presence centrally in the box -- something that was missing last term.

And this isn't even Chelsea at full strength. With no Erin Cuthbert, the recently appointed captain, in midfield; defender Naomi Girma, striker Mayra Ramírez, or either summer signing of forward Melvine Malard -- who missed out on a chance to face her former team -- and midfielder Manaka Matsukubo, Chelsea's XI looked rather different from Bompastor's preferred set up. But it really didn't seem to matter due to the individual quality, experience and depth the team boasts.

On the other side, the game that couldn't have come at a worse time for Manchester United's new manager, Eva Olid, a month into her tenure. Two losses from her two opening fixtures have piled up the pressure ahead of next week's game with Arsenal and "The Progress with Unity" stadium provided a contradictory backdrop for a team that is neither progressing or very united at the moment.

United were always fighting history; they had failed to beat Chelsea in all 13 WSL attempts before this and their record against top four -- winning one, losing 11 and drawing six - pales in comparison to Chelsea who have claimed 36 points against their top-four rivals since the start of the 2023-24 campaign to United's nine.

But the manner in which they lost -- a failed attack, poor defending, a lack of control in the midfield, and full backs that left too much space to press -- will have alarm bells ringing internally about how quickly the team can turn things around.

The club can't blame the spending disparity in the league, with Chelsea making regular, heavy investment -- what United should have done -- on their poor tactics and execution. The sunken forms of the United players reflected a team that had given up before halftime and a mentality that was decimated.

Last week's loss to Aston Villa saw Chelsea get a taste of what it feels like to stumble, but they responded in the perfect way. Indeed, for the first time in a while they looked like the champions they once were. This was the wake up call that the club needed and that should send fear into the hearts of their rivals.