1) City’s embarrassment of riches

Manchester City sit top of the pile after earning maximum points from four matches, with their latest victory a comprehensive 3-0 win against the basement side Birmingham. It was a game in which the gulf between the teams was clear but Nick Cushing’s side appear a more clinical beast this season, with an embarrassment of riches going forward, a raft of internationals including Janine Beckie, Tessa Wullaert and the electric teenager Lauren Hemp that offers no end of ammunition. Then there is the South Korea captain, Lee Geum-min, who completed the scoring, and Pauline Bremer, who has shone since returning from a broken leg sustained on her City debut. Last season City struggled to put lesser opposition to the sword but they have shown a ruthless streak that will surely stand them in good stead in their quest to take back the title. The same cannot be said for a pointless Birmingham, mainstays of the division who appear in a sorry mess.

Barclays FA Women's Super League (@BarclaysFAWSL) A tidy finish from the Belgian #MCIBIR pic.twitter.com/HqCIitGTl1

Chelsea recover from early blow to end Arsenal’s unbeaten run Read more

2) England shining for Chelsea

Chelsea stamped their authority with a victory against Arsenal that showed they mean business. Inevitably hurting after failing to qualify for the Champions League, Emma Hayes’s side have no distractions this season and are determined to return to Europe’s top table. They came from behind after Danielle van de Donk opened the scoring, with Beth England, again spearheading the Chelsea attack, equalising from close range before the substitute Maria Thorisdottir’s late strike sealed victory to end Arsenal’s 100% record. England has been a revelation for club and country and the No 9, who spent 2017-18 on loan at Liverpool, appears at home leading the line for Hayes’s side. As far as Chelsea are concerned, victory against their London rivals is the perfect platform on which to build and it is a three points, even at this stage of the season, that could prove a defining moment in terms of their hopes of returning to the Europe’s elite competition. Arsenal came unstuck just once last season en route to winning the league and know they can ill afford another blip if they are serious about retaining the title.

Barclays FA Women's Super League (@BarclaysFAWSL) Right when @ChelseaFCW needed her, @Bethany_Eng15 produced yet again today ✨



In front of 4149 supporters at Kingsmeadow 👏 pic.twitter.com/6veRuu3SbB

3) Galton has the devil that could benefit Neville

Manchester United had nothing to show for encouraging performances against Manchester City and Arsenal but Casey Stoney’s side are beginning to yield results in their first season in the top tier. After swatting aside Liverpool before the international break, United eased past Tottenham, another team relishing the step up this campaign. Stoney, a former centre-back, has built an organised and stubborn United side – they have kept successive clean sheets and conceded only two goals all season – but they are equally beginning to flourish going forward. The arrival of Jackie Groenen has been a big plus, while the form of Leah Galton has been a huge boost. Galton was involved in all three goals at Spurs and her displays must have caught the attention of the England manager, Phil Neville. The uncapped 25-year-old could provide the kind of devilish wing displays Rachel Yankey and Sue Smith did in bygone eras. Galton wreaked havoc on a defensively frail Tottenham, who must have one eye on shoring things up in the next transfer window.

Barclays FA Women's Super League (@BarclaysFAWSL) When one touch is better than three…



Nice work, @leah_galton21! pic.twitter.com/JMERgJ2AQd

4) Williams and Moore make difference for Reading

A blitz of four goals in 16 first-half minutes set the tempo as Reading edged out Everton 3-2 in an end-to-end thriller but the wise heads of Fara Williams and Jade Moore, who have more than 200 England caps between them, that made the difference in victory. Williams is an evergreen performer in midfield and the 35-year-old’s set pieces pierced Everton’s bubble. Willie Kirk’s side started the season at the league summit but, despite Chloe Kelly, player of the month in September, extending her wonderful start to the season by scuttling in an equaliser from close range, it was Reading who prospered, with Williams supplying Lisa-Marie Karlseng Utland to nod in at a corner. Kelly passed up a gilt-edged chance late on and Reading served a reality check to Everton, who have succumbed to consecutive defeats.

Barclays FA Women's Super League (@BarclaysFAWSL) Free kick ➕ @fara_williams47 ➕ @jade_moore20 = pic.twitter.com/9TnZHrX7mw

The Fiver: sign up and get our daily football email.

5) Lawley gets Liverpool up and running

Liverpool and Bristol City could not be separated in a game that was a tale of two English players reaping the reward of first-team football at different stages of their careers. Melissa Lawley, who departed Manchester City in the close season and started her career in Bristol, scored her first Liverpool goal to get her new club up and running after a disappointing start to the season. Lawley cancelled out a brilliant debut goal by the 18-year-old Ebony Salmon, who joined from Manchester United in the summer. Salmon curled in from the right flank beyond Anke Preuß before a mazy run by the 21-year-old winger Rinsola Babajide lured Loren Dykes into a foul. Up stepped Lawley, 25, to coolly convertand provide Liverpool with a point they must build on.

This season BT Sport will air more women’s football than ever before, continuing with coverage of Arsenal Women vs Manchester City Women on Sunday 27 October on BT Sport

