• Man City have won 11 of their 13 meetings (D1 L1) with West Ham in the WSL.
• West Ham have lost six of their seven WSL away games against Man City, conceding four or more goals in five of those defeats.
• Man City have won 19 points from losing positions in the WSL since the start of last season.
• The last time West Ham failed to score in four consecutive league games in the same season was May 2021.
• West Ham have spent just 15 minutes and 39 seconds leading in league games this season – the lowest of any WSL team – and have spent 49% of their total game time in a losing position.
• Man City are on the longest winning streak in the WSL (five games) while West Ham are on the longest losing streak (eight games).
• Man City’s Bunny Shaw has scored in each of her past six home starts in the WSL and could become only the third player to achieve seven in a row after Jodie Taylor (2017) and Bethany England (2020, 2023).

Image source, Getty Images

Manchester City boss Andree Jeglertz says he has been impressed by the "calmness and confidence" of Iman Beney since she arrived at the club in the summer.

The 19-year-old joined City from Swiss side Young Boys in June and she has made five Women's Super League appearances for Jeglertz's side this season.

She scored a late winner in City's 3-2 victory over Arsenal and netted the equaliser in their comeback win against Liverpool earlier this month, while she scored again on international duty for Switzerland in Tuesday's 4-3 win against Scotland.

"What an exciting player with so many qualities in her repertoire," Jeglertz said.

"I'm not saying [I'm] surprised, but partly surprised, because it's difficult to come to a new country, to a new city, to a new club, new team. Everything is new.

"She's very, very young. But she's shown calmness and confidence that I'm impressed by. She's just playing her game, and that is one of the most important things for a young player."

Image source, Getty Images

Six matches into the 2025-26 campaign and West Ham are already in the grips of a relegation battle.

The Hammers are yet to pick up a point this season, scoring just two goals and leaking 17, and are on an eight-match league losing streak stretching back to last April.

However, manager Rehanne Skinner says the international break gave her squad a vital opportunity reset and that her side are not far away from a winning performance.

"We want to make sure the next set of games are effective for us and that we get points out of the game," Skinner said. "Everyone's on the same page with that. The players are looking forward to the opportunity to step up and do that job.

"We’ve had some good performances in the league, we just haven’t been able to get it over the line.

"The biggest thing for us is the focus is on being consistent over the course of the 90 minutes, and being a little bit more positive in both boxes. I think we’ve stifled people’s opportunity to play and defended really well in a lot of games, but come unstuck by moments of magic a couple of times."

London City Lionesses

Image source, Getty Images

London City Lionesses boss Jocelyn Precheur, speaking to Sky Sports: "When you play against this kind of team you can't do any mistakes. You need to be very together, show discipline and be very strict.

"So, this is for me a good game to see if we improve on this. Because it is a new team we needed time to fix and understand. We will show discipline and be strong enough to compete with Chelsea."

Emma Sanders
BBC Sport women’s football news reporter at Stamford Bridge

Image source, Getty Images

I'd imagine it's been a long night for Chelsea goalkeeper Hannah Hampton, who has not only been preparing for this game, but no doubt following comments from ex-England team-mate Mary Earps.

To mark the release of her new book, Earps has spoken to the Guardian newspaper about a range of topics, including her fractured relationship with England's current number one Hampton.

The two were battling for the England shirt throughout 2024 and Earps retired internationally when she was informed she was no longer the number one going into Euro 2025.

Earps said she had messaged Hampton to "draw a line" under their relationship, adding she had "no hard feelings".

But there will no doubt be eyes on Hampton today and discussion in the stands behind her while she plays for Chelsea.

• This is only the second meeting between Chelsea and London City Lionesses, with the Blues winning 5-0 in the 2020-21 FA Cup fourth round.
• A newly promoted club has managed to win away at the reigning champions in the WSL only once in 13 matches – Sunderland beating Liverpool 2-1 in March 2015.
• Since the start of last season, Chelsea have won more games to nil (16) than any other team in the WSL.
• London City Lionesses have won three of their six WSL games this season and could become the first promoted side to win three in a row since Manchester United in October 2019.
• Chelsea are unbeaten in each of their past 21 home London derbies in the WSL (W18 D3).

Image source, Getty Images

London City Lionesses will leapfrog Arsenal and move into fifth place if they can pull off an unlikely victory over Chelsea.

Jocelyn Precheur's newly promoted side were handed a tricky start to the season, playing three of last year's top four in their opening block of matches and suffering heavy defeats to Arsenal (4-1), Man Utd (5-1), and Man City (4-1).

But crucially, they've picked up maximum points against Everton, Liverpool, and West Ham to put a nine-point gap between themselves and the relegation playoff.

Speaking after his side's 1-0 win over West Ham, Precheur said: "I think that it's almost never happened - a promoted team earning nine points after six games.

"It proves we're in the WSL for a good reason."

Image source, Getty Images

On paper, Chelsea are the overwhelming favourites to pick up three points at Stamford Bridge.

The Blues are top of the table, winning five of their opening six matches, and haven't lost in the league since May 2024. This season, their miserly defence has let in just three goals.

However, manager Sonia Bompastor says the defending champions cannot afford to underestimate newly promoted London City Lionesses.

"'They have shown their ambitions by changing almost the entire squad coming into the WSL," Bompastor said. "I know the coach really well, and I'm expecting a top game.
I know they will be motivated, coming and playing at Stamford Bridge.

"They have good quality in the team. They also have good individuals, and they know they can score against any opponents, so this will give them confidence. 


"Our mentality is to try to dominate and control the game as much as we can. The only thing we need to be careful of is to make sure we are efficient and clinical in front of the goal."

The new Football Manager computer game is released next week and, for the first time since the series began in 1992 (with the original Championship Manager), it allows people to manage men's and women's teams.

There are more than 36,000 female players in the FM26 database, all with a set of detailed physical, mental or skill attributes based on their real-life abilities, that have been researched by a global scouting network.

The FM26 game engine is taking on Chris Sutton to predict this weekend's men's Premier League fixtures, and has also played out the Women's Super League games on Saturday and Sunday.

Its gone for Chelsea to edge a thriller against London City and thinks Manchester City will be more comfortable against West Ham, with all the goalscorers included too.

How accurate will it be with its predictions though?

Image source, Sports Interactive

As always, we want to hear your thoughts on all of today's action.

Can London City Lionesses upset Chelsea? What are Man City's title hopes? Are West Ham destined for the relegation playoff?

Use the 'Get Involved' form at the top of this page to have your say.

In the bottom half of the table, it's not looking good for West Ham, who are yet to pick up a point this season.

Image source, BBC Sport

Here's how we left the WSL before the international break.

Defending champions Chelsea sit one point clear of Manchester City at the top of the table while promoted side London City Lionesses are sixth after winning three of their first six matches.

Image source, BBC Sport

Man City make one change to the side that beat Liverpool 2-1 just under three weeks ago, with Gracie Prior replacing Alex Greenwood.

Man City XI: Yamashita, Casparij, Prior, Rose, Beney, Blindkilde Brown, Hasegawa, Ouahabi, Miedema, Fujino, Shaw.

Substitutes: Keating, Clinton, Coombs, Wienroither, Knaak, Thomas, Oldroyd, Burdon, Shikhshabekova.

Image source, bbc spo

Rehanne Skinner names a West Ham starting 11 that is unchanged from the one that slipped to a narrow 1-0 defeat to London City Lionesses last time out, when an error by goalkeeper Kinga Szemik gifted Kosovare Asllani the winning goal.

West Ham XI: Szemik, Endo,Tysiak, Zadorsky, Denton, Siren, Gorry, Morgan, Asseyi, Ueki, Martinez.

Substitutes: Walsh, Belloumou, Pavi, Nystrom, Csiki, Brasero, Wandeler, Hanshaw, Houssein.

Image source, bbc sport

Emma Sanders
BBC Sport women’s football news reporter at Stamford Bridge

Chelsea manager Sonia Bompastor has made two changes to the side since their win over Paris FC just before the international break.

Lucy Bronze starts having featured in both games for England last week but Sam Kerr is on the bench despite starting for Australia.

Bronze is joined in the starting XI by Ellie Carpenter, who usually plays at right-back so it will be interesting to see where they both play.

Alyssa Thompson and Wieke Kaptein drop to the bench, alongside Naomi Girma.

Chelsea XI: Hampton, Bronze, Bright, Bjorn, Carpenter, Baltimore, Walsh, Cuthbert, Nusken, Reiten, Beever-Jones.

Subs: Peng, Macario, Thompson, Girma, Jean-Francois, Kaptein, Rytting-Kaneryd, Kerr, Charles.

Jocelyn Precheur has named the same Lionesses City Lionesses side from their defeat by Leicester City.

Freya Godfrey and Izzy Goodwin were passed fit despite picking up a few knocks.

London City Lionesses XI: Lete, Fernandez, Kumagai, Asllani, Linari, Godfrey, Parris, Goodwin, Imuran, Sangare, Geyoro.

Subs: Poor, Pattinson, Perez, Franssi, Roddar, Lindstrom, Zelem, Brown, Kennedy.

All kick-offs are 12:00 GMT

Saturday 1 November

Chelsea v London City Lionesses

Manchester City v West Ham

Sunday 2 November

Aston Villa v Everton

Brighton v Manchester United

Leicester v Arsenal

Tottenham v Liverpool

Hello there!

Happy Saturday. The international break is done and the Women's Super League is back!

Two matches coming up today with London City Lionesses hoping to cause an upset against defending champions Chelsea and free-scoring Man City hosting strugglers West Ham.

Let's get cracking.

Image source, Getty Images