Crystal Palace Women's promising start to life back in the Women's Super League has been underpinned by three key players. The newly promoted side took four points from their opening two games, a run that included a goalless draw with Arsenal.
Molly Bartrip brings vital top-flight experience to the Palace back line. The defender has made over 150 WSL appearances and was central to the clean sheet secured against Arsenal. Her leadership has helped a team that currently sits 8th in the FA WSL with four points from three matches.
Lloyd-Smith's instant impact
Forward Lexi Lloyd-Smith announced her arrival in the WSL with a decisive debut. She scored the only goal in a 1-0 victory over Everton on the opening weekend. Lloyd-Smith earned her place with a prolific season in the second tier, where she scored 11 league goals in 21 games to win the WSL2 Golden Boot. That form also earned her a call-up to the England Under-23s squad in 2025, and she scored her first international goal against France in March 2026.
Blanchard's creative role
Annabel Blanchard, a 25-year-old two-footed forward, has been deployed as a number 10 in the early stages of the campaign. She joined Palace in 2022 and played a key part in both promotions to the WSL in 2024 and 2026. Blanchard became the club's inaugural WSL goalscorer with a brace against Leicester City in October 2024 and contributed six goals and three assists last season. She often operates behind striker Bethany England, a former Spurs captain.
The team's recent form shows one win, one draw and one loss from their last three outings. They face a quick turnaround with a trip to face Birmingham City W, who are 12th, on Sunday. Fans can check the full fixtures list and the latest standings for the evolving league picture.
This story first appeared at tottenhamhotspur.com
