WSL roundup: Chelsea thrash Everton to maintain perfect start

Chelsea maintained their 100% winning start to life under Sonia Bompastor as they outclassed Everton with a 5-0 victory.

Chelsea were in total control and first-half goals from Aggie Beever‑Jones, Erin Cuthbert and Guro Reiten were backed up by well-taken late finishes from the 19-year-old Netherlands midfielder Wieke Kaptein and the Canada defender Ashley Lawrence. The victory is Chelsea’s seventh from seven games in all competitions and leaves an injury-hit Everton without a league win this season and bottom of the table on goal difference.

Manchester City stayed top of the table after a convincing 3-0 victory at the newly promoted Crystal Palace, inspired by an eye‑catching long‑range strike from the England midfielder Jess Park, who broke the deadlock shortly before half‑time. The Netherlands midfielder Jill Roord and the Jamaica striker Khadija Shaw also got on the scoresheet in the second half for Gareth Taylor’s side.

The Brighton forward Nikita Parris scored her third goal in four games to give the Sussex club a 1-0 victory at home against Leicester. That was enough to lift Dario Vidosic’s side into the Women’s Champions League qualification places, after more than a quarter of the league campaign.

Aston Villa remained winless after six league games under their new manager, Robert de Pauw, after they succumbed to a 2-1 defeat at home against Liverpool. Taylor Hinds scored twice for the Merseyside club to give them a two-goal lead. The Brazil forward Gabi Nunes pulled a goal back for the home side, scoring for the second Villa game in a row, but Liverpool held firm to claim their second league victory of the season.

West Ham also remain without a victory this term and are second from bottom, after the Chile defender Camila Sáez scored a decisive – and highly unusual – 92nd-minute own goal in their 2-1 defeat at Tottenham, unintentionally lobbing the ball over her own goalkeeper from the edge of the area.