That’s all from me today. I’ll leave you with Suzanne Wrack’s match report.
Related: Chelsea thrash Manchester United in WSL as Lauren James revels in free role
How things currently stand, with Tottenham leading Liverpool 1-0 at St Helens Stadium…
Chelsea forward Lauren James tells Sky Sports: “We needed to put away our chances and we did that today. Last week, we kind of settled for 1-0 and they scored late on, which makes it difficult. But today, after we scored once, we kept going for goal after goal.
“Having the trust and belief we have in the squad and learning from the last game to make sure we punish the team early - we did that today.
“I just need to continue with the form I finished last season. Continue being myself and help the team as much as possible through goals and assists.”
Arsenal v Crystal Palace is also about to kick off. That game is being played at the Emirates Stadium.
Manchester United head coach Eva Olid tells Sky Sports: “Chelsea are a good side and we know we had to defend. When you have the ball, keep it longer and don’t lose the ball and create transitions. Keep the ball until we find the spaces to penetrate and create chances.
“We had a few good periods with the ball but after that, we were losing the ball easily and allowing them to create chances. They hurt us a lot in the wide areas too and when you lose one-on-ones in wide areas, it is difficult. We can be better in and out of possession. We have to be better.
“It’s what I said to the players - that it’s just the beginning. It’s just two matches. It’s not how you start but how you finish. Now we need them to learn from the mistakes and grow to go from down to high - that’s our idea.”
Chelsea head coach Sonia Bompastor tells Sky Sports: “I think the difference between this performance and the one last week was scoring goals. I think we created a lot of opportunities in the game and I think we dominated and controlled the game from the beginning to the end and we had some really good aspects of the game today, so it is really positive.
“I think that the journey will be long, the result today doesn’t change where we are as a club and as a team. We are still transitioning and this year will be an important year for us. The result today doesn’t mean that we are going to fly this season, it is just good for the confidence and for the players to realise how good they can be. We have a lot to improve and work on still.
“We have a great team and players, when they are all performing at their best we can be a good team and that is what we are trying to encourage them to do is play at their best. I think we have great leaders, Lucy was unbelievable today out of position and the way she guides everyone in the pitch.
“We are so early in the season, I don’t want to be too picky but we do have things we need to work on and improve, we will take the learning and keep persisting on those things. Nothing is done yet.”
Three more WSL fixtures have just kicked off – and we’ve already seen a goal:
Birmingham City 1-0 Brighton
Everton 0-0 Charlton
Liverpool 0-0 Tottenham
Chelsea finished the match with 63% possession, 25 shots and 11 on target. Manchester United, meanwhile, had just two attempts.
Full-time: Manchester United 0-5 Chelsea
It’s a huge win for Chelsea following a dominant performance. A big response in the wake of last week’s draw against Aston Villa.
90+7 min: A Chelsea corner is sent into the box and Manchester United fail to clear. The ball eventually falls to Bronze, who rifles her shot into the roof of the net.
GOAL! Manchester United 0-5 (Lucy Bronze, 90+6)
Bronze makes it FIVE!
90+4 min: Buchanan is booked for a high challenge on Miyazawa with two minutes left to play.
90+1 min: We’re into six minutes of added time…
89 min: Nüsken goes for an audacious strike after Janssen gives the ball away. With Tullis-Joyce off her line, she attempts to lob the United goalkeeper, but her effort runs just wide.
85 min: Another substitution for Chelsea as Nelly Las replaces Carpenter, who has had a fantastic game.
84 min: Bernal is shown a yellow card for a late challenge on Bronze.
82 min: Chance for United as a long ball is sent through to Schüller, who initially beats Buchanan for pace. However, the defender gets back just in time to slide in and make the block.
80 min: Both teams make another change. For United, Terland makes way for Lea Schüller.
And for Chelsea, Giulia Dragoni is on for her WSL debut. She replaces Kaptein.
78 min: Huge save from Tullis-Joyce! The goalkeeper prevents Buchanan from making it five with a huge stop from close range.
76 min: Chelsea have been dominant all over the pitch in this game, but especially so in midfield, largely thanks to the partnership of Potter and Walsh. United have been completely overrun.
74 min: Walsh goes for her second goal of the game after receiving a pass on the edge of the box. She strikes first time, but her effort flies wide.
71 min: Sonia Bompastor makes a triple substitution. Veerle Buurman replaces McCabe, with Maika Hamano on for James and Sandy Baltimore replacing Thompson.
67 min: Amid the chaos, Eva Olid made two more changes. Rebeca Bernal is on for Toone, with Simi Awujo replacing Jusu Bah.
66 min: Kaptein wins the ball from Janssen in an attacking position before setting it to Carpenter on her right. The full-back makes a run into the box before firing her shot home.
GOAL! Manchester United 0-4 Chelsea (Ellie Carpenter, 65)
Carpenter makes it four!
62 min: Walsh picks up possession in the centre of the pitch before playing the ball through to James, who brilliantly slots home her first-time shot.
If the game wasn’t already won by Chelsea, it surely is now.
GOAL! Manchester United 0-3 Chelsea (Lauren James, 61)
Lauren James just loves a goal against Manchester United! She makes it three for Chelsea!
Updated
60 min: Thompson plays in a deep cross from the left side of the box. Carpenter somehow prevents the ball from running behind and instead guides it into the six-yard box, but Chelsea can’t make the most of the chance.
58 min: Substitution for Manchester United as Anna Sandberg replaces Medina, who is furious about having to come off. The defender wanted to return to the pitch despite that ankle knock.
56 min: Another chance for Chelsea as James challenges Tullis-Joyce with a flick-on. The goalkeeper lets the ball slip out of her grasp and it falls to Thompson, who attempts to square a pass across goal, but nobody is there to make the tap-in.
53 min: Medina looks in a lot of discomfort following a 50-50 challenge with Potter. She is able to walk off the pitch, although gingerly.
51 min: Jusu Bah appears to have taken a bit of a knock following a challenge from Bronze. She looks to play on for now.
49 min: Both teams are yet to make a change, although you’d expect Sonia Bompastor to perhaps switch things up soon, especially given the strength of Chelsea’s bench.
46 min: United have a free kick in a dangerous position early in this second half following a challenge on Lundkvist from Thompson. It’s played short, though, and United fail to create any threat.
Kick-off: Manchester United 0-2 Chelsea
We’re back under way!
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Related: Sign up for the Moving the Goalposts newsletter: our free women’s football email
United had just 33% possession in that first half, with just one shot. Chelsea, meanwhile, had 10 attempts, four of which were on target.
Half-time: Manchester United 0-2 Chelsea
Chelsea have a strong lead at the break. United will need to change a few things if they want to get back into this game.
45 min: Another big chance for Chelsea! James forces Tullis-Joyce into a good save with a low strike from the edge of the box. The goalkeeper parries it out to the feet of Carpenter, but Medina gets there to make a phenomenal challenge.
41 min: It feels like every time United look to play out, Chelsea are there to put a stop to the move. The Blues are looking really comfortable now.
The hosts need to find a spark somewhere.
38 min: James goes for another long-range effort, but she slips and her strike flies just over the crossbar.
35 min: It’s all Chelsea now. United are struggling to get out of their own half.
33 min: That’s another great goal for the Blues.
A cross is sent into the box and Medina attempts to head it clear, but the ball only runs as far as Bronze, who shifts it to Walsh on her left. The midfielder sets herself up before unleashing a brilliant effort into the bottom-left corner.
United have a huge job to do now.
GOAL! Manchester United 0-2 Chelsea (Keira Walsh, 32)
Walsh makes it two for the girls in Blue! A great strike from the edge of the box.
Updated
29 min: Thompson plays a brilliant one-two with James on the left before running on the overlap and crossing the ball into the danger zone. Kaptein is there, but Miyazawa gets in front to head it away.
26 min: United break forward again as Park skips past McCabe before looking for the cross, but Buchanan makes the block to send the ball out for a corner.
Nothing comes of the resulting set piece.
24 min: Manchester United look to find a quick equaliser straight from kick-off as the ball is played through to Jusu Bah, who looks to break into the box but is flagged offside.
23 min: Chelsea unpick the Manchester United defence as Bronze sends a lofted pass into the box. Janssen completely mis-times the header, allowing Kaptein to take possession before squaring the ball across to Nüsken, who taps it in from close range.
GOAL! Manchester United 0-1 Chelsea (Sjoeke Nüsken, 22)
Nüsken breaks the deadlock! Chelsea lead!
Updated
19 min: Chelsea make their way into the box once again, but they almost try to walk the ball into the net! At least four players in Blue find themselves in a position to shoot but play it elsewhere. That might feel like an opportunity missed.
16 min: James puts the ball on a plate for Kaptein with a perfect cross from the left. The midfielder heads it towards goal, but there’s not enough conviction on it and Tullis-Joyce makes the save.
14 min: James receives the ball on the left side of the box after making a run over from the right. She cuts inside onto her right foot and unleashes a strike from the edge of the box, but it floats over the crossbar.
10 min: Chance for United as Terland receives the ball in a tight space in the box. She goes for goal but her effort is too weak and Hampton collects.
9 min: Chelsea seem to be operating in a 3-5-2 formation, with Nüsken and James the two leading the line. Bronze, Buchanan and McCabe are the back three.
6 min: The ball is brilliantly switched over to Jusu Bah on the left, who looks to make a run into the box, but Hampton rushes off her line to collect.
4 min: Bronze wins the ball back for Chelsea on the right side with a perfectly-timed challenge on Medina, who appeals for a free kick. Absolutely nothing wrong with that tackle. Play continues.
2 min: Chelsea attempt to cause some early problems for United as the ball is sent into James, who taps it just wide.
Kick-off
We’re under way at the Progress with Unity Stadium!
The teams are out. Kick-off is just a few moments away!
Ahead of today’s match, Chelsea head coach Sonia Bompastor said: “We need to keep the confidence and keep working hard. I spoke after the Villa game about the mentality, the mindset. It’s a huge part of being ruthless in the box. That game could have been easily 3-0 half-time, and we need to have that mentality when we have the opportunities to kill the game after 45 minutes to do that.
“This week I was coaching the players in the final details: around timings of the runs in the box, being in the right zones, what type of crosses do we want to deliver, what are the connections between the crosser and the players who are making the runs in the box.
“It’s just for me to reinforce those messages, to coach them on the pitch, and make sure we get them right on the game on the weekend.”
“Don’t panic; that has to be United’s message. To an extent, it is very early to be writing the team’s obituary. The new head coach, Eva Olid, had only three weeks to try to implement her ideas about the way the team should play before that match against London City Lionesses on Friday 4 September. That is not long enough for her to peel away Marc Skinner’s imprint on the team…”
Related: Olid’s United on back foot due to late business and unforgiving WSL start
In her pre-match press conference, Manchester United head coach Eva Olid said: “I expect us to be confident with the ball, everyone showing we want to have the ball. It’s everything like that, not just about confidence.
“Of course we know they are good and there will be moments we have to defend, but we want to attack too, we want to put them in difficult situations where we hurt them, and that is the main focus.
“When we have the ball, we enjoy the ball, and we really have confidence to create chances, put them in difficult situations and hope that we can score goals too.”
How the WSL table looks currently…
In case you missed it, London City Lionesses suffered a 2-1 defeat to West Ham yesterday. Kelly Gago and Viviane Asseyi were on target for the Hammers at the Chigwell Construction Stadium.
Related: London City’s superstars brought down to earth in WSL defeat at West Ham
Last three head-to-head results
Chelsea 1-0 Manchester United (WSL)
Chelsea 2-0 Manchester United (League Cup)
Chelsea 2-1 Manchester United (FA Cup)
Melvine Malard is not available to face her former club today after suffering a knock in training. The Blues are also without Mayra Ramirez and Manaka Matsukubo.
Meanwhile, Jayde Riviere and Emma Watson are absent from the Manchester United squad.
Team news
Manchester United starting XI: Phallon Tullis-Joyce; Hanna Lundkvist, Maya Le Tissier (C), Dominique Janssen, Andrea Medina; Hinata Miyazawa, Julia Zigiotti; Jess Park, Ella Toone, Monica Jusu Bah; Elisabeth Terland.
Subs: Janina Leitzig, Scarlett Hill, Anna Sandberg, Jess Simpson, Jess Anderson, Simi Awujo, Rebeca Bernal, Mared Griffiths, Lea Schüller.
Chelsea starting line-up: Hannah Hampton; Ellie Carpenter, Lucy Bronze (C), Kadeisha Buchanan, Katie McCabe; Keira Walsh, Lexi Potter; Sjoeke Nüsken, Wieke Kaptein, Alyssa Thompson; Lauren James.
Subs: Livia Peng, Veerle Buurman, Nathalie Björn, Giulia Dragoni, Nelly Las, Maika Hamano, Sandy Baltimore, Aggie Beever-Jones.
Preamble
Hello and welcome to coverage of the WSL meeting between Manchester United and Chelsea. Both teams dropped points in their opening games last weekend, with United suffering a 2-1 loss to London City Lionesses and Chelsea held to a 1-1 draw by Aston Villa at Stamford Bridge.
Today presents a completely different challenge. The Blues have won five of their last six games against United, with the remaining fixture resulting in a draw.
However, given it’s just the start of a new campaign, anything can happen.
Kick-off is at 12pm BST - join me!
