Women’s Super League: New contenders emerge – but Manchester City start strong

Another contender will be Tottenham.

Martin Ho’s side laid strong foundations last season in finishing fifth and they have started this campaign strongly with a 3-1 win over West Ham.

Debutant Kirsty Hanson, who they snatched from Aston Villa after she finished as their top-scorer in 2025-26, hit the ground running with two goals in London.

Perhaps the surprise package of the weekend was Liverpool, who have been busy in the transfer window and looked very strong against newly-promoted Charlton.

Tougher challenges will come their way but Gareth Taylor’s side oozed confidence and new signing Vivien Endemann was a standout performer in a 4-0 drubbing.

It took them until January last season to pick up a victory as they battled at the bottom of the table – so they have already laid a marker.

“It feels very, very good. We had a clean sheet, scored four goals and won the first match,” goalscorer Endemann told Sky Sports.

“Last season, it was really tough, so now to start with a win is very important for us. We want to keep going.”

Meanwhile, Crystal Palace’s 1-0 victory over Everton proved there is hope for the promoted sides in the expanded 14-team league, despite those losses for Birmingham and Charlton.

Jo Potter’s Palace edged in front in the first half thanks to Lexi Lloyd-Smith’s finish and held off Everton, whose only shot on target came in stoppage time.

“No words can explain. I’m buzzing. To get to do this in front of my friends and family, it was an unbelievable feeling,” said Lloyd-Smith.

“We knew it was going to be hard, we knew we were going into these games as underdogs. It’s so good that in the first game we show we’re here to put out a statement.

“I feel like we’ve got a lot to give.”