Manchester United Women v Everton Women match programme, Women's Super League, 27.03.22

OFFICIAL MATCHDAY PROGRAMME, 2021/22 SEASON

BARCLAYS FA WOMEN’S SUPER LEAGUE • OLD TRAFFORD SUNDAY 27 MARCH 2022 • KICK-OFF 12.30 PM

SPECIAL COLLECTOR’S EDITION • VOLUME 04 ISSUE 12 £1.50

THE STAGE IS SET...

It’s another Red-letter day for MUFC, as United Women line up at Old Trafford, to face Everton in the Women’s Super League. We’ve been here before, of course (a year ago to the day, to be exact) but it would be safe to say that today will be louder than that behind-closed-doors fixture! And what a huge game it is for Marc Skinner’s side, with three points very much the target as United battle for a Champions League spot via a top-three finish. Come on you Reds!

MANCHESTER UNITED FOOTBALL CLUB LTD

Co-chairmen

Joel Glazer, Avram Glazer

Directors Bryan Glazer, Kevin Glazer, Edward Glazer, Darcie Glazer Kassewitz, Ed Woodward, Richard Arnold, Michael Edelson, Sir Bobby Charlton, Sir Alex Ferguson, David Gill CBE

Secretary Rebecca Britain

Honorary president

Martin Edwards

MATCH PROGRAMME TEAM

Editor Charlie Ghagan

Editor-in-chief Ian McLeish

Contributors Harriet Drudge, Sean Mullan, Harry Robinson, Andy Murray, Joe Ganley, Mikey Partington

Photography Ash Donelon, John & Matt Peters, Getty, Alamy

Cover design Sarah Robson

Infographic design Anth Moore

Thanks to Steve Bennett, John Shiel & Chris Leuty/ MuPrint.com, Jill Salisbury © Manchester United 2022

MARC SKINNER

Everyone has been excited about today’s game since it was first announced, but ‘looking after business’ remains the priority during a crucial stage of our season...

Welcome to Old Trafford! It’s a privilege to be able to say that ahead of this special occasion. For those of our supporters who we see regularly at Leigh, it’s brilliant to have you here at this iconic stadium. For supporters coming to their first Manchester United Women game, thank you for showing your support and I hope this will be the first of many. Our last game was over a week ago, a 1-1 draw at West Ham. This game was about mentality. We gave everything after having a lot of challenges thrown at us. What was really good is that I heard no excuses. We got down to our work. To build a championship-worthy team, it’s not just about the pretty football. That game wasn’t pretty for West Ham, and it wasn’t pretty for us either. There were moments where we will continue to improve – the late goal, of course – but I felt the girls gave everything for the team. In the end, our aim is to try to win every game, but in this one we didn’t, so it becomes even more important how we choose to react to it. There’s no time to live in the yesterday and so we’ve been putting all our energies into moving on to today.

This is a huge occasion, but it’s also just another game. It’s great to be able to play at Old Trafford in front of our fans, but we must look after business first. This

is what I’ve made clear to my players: if we take care of business, it’ll be a wonderful event. But we must do that first. On the playing side, the pitch and the environment around are slightly different, and we balance between talking about the occasion versus the game. My message to them is: don’t forget the game for the occasion. There is of course massive excitement for everyone, but I’m pretty good at being the killjoy! Our fans here today that we see regularly, we know will spur us on, fuel us, and that should give us energy for well over the 90 minutes.

For fans here who haven’t seen much of this team, I can tell you what to expect. Since I became manager last summer, this year has been about designing a way of playing that is Manchester United-esque. It’s attacking and it creates goals. We like to manipulate the opponent, we’re energetic, we’re focused, and we give everything for the fans and for the club. So even if you don’t at first connect with the football, you can connect to the ethos of this team. It’s a true United team in that sense.

We feel privileged to perform at Old Trafford and you should expect the players and this team to reflect you and your hopes as a United fan. We’re delighted to have you here – enjoy the game!

“WE FEEL PRIVILEGED TO PERFORM AT OLD TRAFFORD. FOR FANS WHO HAVEN’T SEEN MUCH OF THIS TEAM BEFORE, YOU SHOULD EXPECT THE PLAYERS TO REFLECT YOU AND YOUR HOPES AS A UNITED FAN”

BUILDING THEIR FUTURES

What a night it was for our Under-21s at St George’s Park on 9 March, as they beat Birmingham 4-1 in the WSL Academy Cup final. Goals from Alyssa Aherne (2), Rebecca May and Keira Barry put the Reds in control, before Millie Pullen’s late consolation. A graduate of United’s Academy has featured in every game since the senior women’s team was reformed in 2018, and while the signs are encouraging that some of our latest starlets can make the step up, that will never be the sole priority for U21s’ head coach Charlotte Healy. “We don’t hang our success just on trophies or how many break into the first team,” she says. “We are responsible for making sure they can play at the highest level they can – whether that’s our first team or others. We want all our players to look back at their time in our Academy in years to come and feel that being a part of our programme and the work we have done together has had a positive influence and added value to their lives, both on and off the pitch.” And with that in mind, more nights like this one can only be a good thing! Congratulations to Charlotte and all the U21s squad...

Rebecca May and Keira Barry celebrate the fourth goal

Eleanor Ashton, Niamh Murphy and Chloe Williams with the trophy

Head coach Charlotte Healy

Alyssa Aherne poses with her POTM award

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RECHARGED AND READY!

A momentous event is upon us this afternoon as the Reds take on the Toffees at Old Trafford, and we’re so glad you’re here to see it...

This afternoon sees the first-ever fan-attended United Women game at the Theatre of Dreams, and we’re expecting a wonderful atmosphere, with thousands of fans anticipated to pass through the turnstiles of Manchester United’s famous home.

The women’s team have played in M16 before, earning a 2-0 win over West Ham last season, but that match took place behind closed doors, due to Covid-19 restrictions. And Old Trafford has had fans previously for women’s games on both the international stage – most recently at the 2012 Olympics – as well as an FA Cup final involving today’s visitors (see p51). But this afternoon’s game is the first time we’ll be able to cheer our own

women’s side on at a ground that has witnessed so many special United moments throughout its 112-year history.

And Marc Skinner’s players will need every one of your voices this afternoon, with the Women’s Super League table hotting up as the 2021/22 season run-in intensifies.

The race for the top three is looking particularly tight, with United and our cross-town rivals Manchester City both hoping to claim one of the precious Champions League spots. At the time of writing, we sit in third, on 32 points after 17 games, but by the time you read this, the Blues from across Manchester could have joined us on that total by winning their game in hand (also at home against Everton, played on Wednesday).

City may appear to have a slightly more favourable run of fixtures ahead of them – we’re away to Chelsea on the final day – but as every football fan knows, the final weeks of any season can throw up the most brilliant (and frightening!) twists. As pressure mounts on teams most in need of points – and potentially eases for those with less to play for – results can take an unpredictable turn. Put simply: with five WSL games to play, United have to win as many as possible, starting with today’s fixture, then next weekend’s home game against Brighton in Leigh.

Our last league game threw up a frustrating set of problems, as Skinner’s squad was significantly reduced

The team salutes the travelling fans at the end of our last game, away to West Ham

“OUR MOTIVATION WILL BE NOT TO PLAY THE OCCASION BUT TO PLAY THE GAME. WE’LL PLAY OUR STYLE OF FOOTBALL, WE’LL GIVE THE FANS A PERFORMANCE AND HOPEFULLY THE POINTS WILL COME” – JADE MOORE

due to injury and illness. Defensive absences meant that club captain Katie Zelem even had to step in at centre-half – a job far removed from her usual midfield responsibilities, which she performed admirably. Ella Toone’s opportunistic bicycle kick gave us the lead early in the second half (inset), and we were on the brink of pocketing all three points until Grace Fisk’s injury-time header earned the Hammers a draw. It was a painful finale, but the players were able to keep their chins up. “It was a tough one to take,” admitted Toone. “These are the games we want three points from, so it’s a bit disappointing. But looking at the performance, I thought we showed resilience and we always show that character we have as a team. I think when we watch the game back we’ll take a lot of positives and learn a lot as well. We had Zel out of position, and I thought she was unbelievable. That just shows the character we have, that we’ll all do a job wherever we are put – we’re a family and we stick together always.”

One player who’ll be as eager as anyone to feature today is January signing Jade Moore, who made her United debut at West Ham following nearly a year out with a knee injury. “It’s been a long time coming, with dedication and hard work, so I’m happy to get it out the way,” said the midfielder. “To come back from such a nuisance of an injury, hopefully now I can crack on.”

Moore said West Ham’s late goal felt like “a sucker punch” before adding: “This will be motivation now [at Old Trafford] – not to play the occasion but to play the game. We’ll play our style of football, give the fans a performance and hopefully the points will come.”

Commenting on the 11-day gap between that game and today’s Old Trafford test, Toone said: “We’ll need to use the rest wisely. We need to get a few players back and get a few players recharged.”

As for the Toffees, managed by Chris Roberts and Claire Ditchburn, they not only took on City in a WSL match on Wednesday, but also met them in the FA Cup quarter-final last Sunday, so the hope is we might be a little bit fresher than our opponents heading into this landmark game. We also have a fine record against Everton to reflect on, which should put a spring in our step. Unbeaten in all five of our WSL encounters with the Toffees thus far, and with the full force of an Old Trafford crowd behind us, there’s every hope that another positive result can be achieved here today. We thank you for your support!

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MUW NEWS

EUROS COMES TO M16 SENIOR STEP-UP FOR U21s

Tickets for England opener on general sale tomorrow

Old Trafford will be the setting for another big women’s match in July, when England v Austria kicks off UEFA Women’s Euro 2022, and all remaining tickets for the fixture go on general sale tomorrow morning (Monday 28 March).

Thousands of tickets for the Lionesses’ Group A opener – on Wednesday 6 July (8pm) – were snapped up in the initial purchase window last year, with all remaining tickets – for this and the other Euros games – to be sold at uefa.com/ womenseuro/ticketing

on a first come, first served basis. Tickets for the Old Trafford fixture are priced £15-£40.

The unprecedented clamour for tickets across the tournament created a real buzz last year, with 300,000 tickets sold from pre-sale and the ballot in November –a figure “that smashed our own high expectations,” revealed UEFA chief of women’s football Nadine Kessler.

Many United players (hopefully including Earps, Toone, Zelem, Russo and maybe even others for England) – are expected to be involved in the 13th edition of the Euros, with Old Trafford announced at the October draw as one of 10 host stadiums for the 31 fixtures, along with the Reds’ usual home of Leigh Sports Village, which is to host three Group C games. The final on 31 July is to be played at Wembley.

● Manchester will create further sporting history by hosting all three finals in this year’s Rugby League World Cup. The men’s and women’s double-header finals take place here at Old Trafford on Saturday 19 November, while Manchester Central, in the heart of the city, will host the wheelchair final the previous night. Great-value tickets can be booked now at rlwc2021.com/tickets

Three of our Under-21s have been involved in WSL matchday squads this month, just days after winning the WSL Academy Cup final with the Reds. Goalkeeper Safia Middleton-Patel, who was previously on the bench for Marc Skinner’s side against Arsenal in February, joined Leicester on a one-game basis for their visit to Everton on 12 March. The move was approved by the FA due to the Foxes only having one keeper available, and 17-year-old Safia was an unused sub as Leicester lost 3-2. On the same day, forward Keira Barry was a United sub for the first time as we beat Reading. Keira was joined by U21s team-mate Niamh Murphy, the defender having previously been on the bench for Skinner’s side in 2021/22.

Reds Toone and Russo could be back here in England colours come July

Keira got a new shirt for our WSL game at Reading

CHANGING PERCEPTIONS

Zelem says today’s game can help drive women’s football forward

Last month, Manchester United unveiled ‘Change the Game’, a campaign that aims to highlight the club’s continued commitment towards leading the way in changing perceptions and attitudes towards women’s football.

Amplifying the women’s game in this country – and with that, inspiring a new generation of football fans and players to get involved – is central to this. This is why today’s Old Trafford fixture in front of tens of thousands of matchgoing supporters, as well as being broadcast live to a wider TV audience on Sky Sports, is so important in the context of the campaign’s objectives.

As well as appearing on the cover of today’s official match programme, the eye-catching ‘Change the Game’ logo (right) has been seen across club platforms in the build-up to today’s Women’s Super League game, with members of Marc Skinner’s squad appearing in the campaign’s launch video, filmed on the pitch here at Old Trafford.

Despite the incredible growth of the women’s game in recent years, stereotypes still exist – both on and off the pitch – and challenging such ways of thinking is another key message behind the initiative.

THE BOSS...

“There are dads that will bring their daughters to this game and those girls will see they can represent United in the future –that’s how you can Change The Game,” Marc Skinner tells us. “As males, we have to be allies to the success of the women that are going to push our game forward; to remember how privileged we are to work with them. My part in changing the game is making sure I support their progress, and challenge and push them. And the key overall is ensuring that tomorrow a young girl has

Reds’ skipper Katie Zelem knows what an important role her and her team-mates can play in continuing to drive the women’s game forward. “For me, it’s really important to acknowledge that football is for everyone,” she tells us. “When I was young, I was the only girl in the whole school that used to play. I hate to think now that there were a lot of girls who stopped playing because they didn’t feel comfortable. For me, Change The Game is acknowledging that football is for everyone – how much heart and passion there is in the game, whoever you are.”

the opportunity to develop, to push the boundaries and challenge stereotypes. This club has a special place in changing the women’s game because it has such power worldwide. The more we recognise that, the more energy we can put behind this movement because this is a special moment for women’s football. What’s more important than designing the future?”

Captain Zel knows how important it is to raise the profile of the women’s game

Skinner says United can be at the forefront of changing attitudes

IN CASE YOU MISSED IT...

Late agony in east London follows back-to-back wins to begin March

Wednesday 16 March,

The Chigwell Construction Stadium, WSL WEST HAM UNITED 1 (Fisk 90+3) UNITED 1 (Toone 54)

United were denied a Women’s Super League victory away to West Ham after Grace Fisk scored an injury-time equaliser for the hosts 11 days ago.

Ella Toone had the game’s first big chance when she got on the end of Leah Galton’s low ball into the box, but the Reds no.7 couldn’t get a clean connection and goalkeeper Mackenzie Arnold collected. Galton was involved again when she latched on to a poor touch from Hawa Cissoko and squared the ball towards Toone, but the Hammers defender recovered to make a clearance.

Katie Zelem, operating as a makeshift centre-back, had the chance to send in one of her threatening set-pieces, which was ultimately scrambled away.

Marc Skinner’s side continued to press as Alessia Russo floated a dangerous delivery towards the back post, with a West Ham head just about flicking the ball too high for the waiting Martha Thomas. Toone’s long-range effort was then parried by Arnold with Galton waiting to tuck in the rebound, but Fisk blocked her chance before Kate Longhurst cleared to safety.

In a dominant first-half display, a cross-cum-shot from Thomas almost caught out Arnold, who breathed a huge sigh of relief after spilling the ball against the crossbar.

There was still time for Arnold to parry Jackie Groenen’s sliced attempt from the edge of the penalty area as the two teams went in at the interval goalless.

The second half saw no let-up for United, with Toone setting up Russo to sting the palms of Arnold from a tight angle. Toone then had an attempt herself from distance, with her low shot drifting wide of the right-hand post.

But Ella did get the opener the Reds deserved on 54 minutes after West Ham failed to clear a corner, stabbing an overhead-kick goalwards that went in via a deflection off Gilly Flaherty. That prompted a more adventurous approach from the home side, who nearly got level when Tameka Yallop swept a cross narrowly over.

Skinner attempted to freshen up his midfield by replacing Vilde Boe Risa on 67 minutes, bringing on debutant Jade Moore in her place.

Katerina Svitkova was next to go close, shooting wide from around 25 yards, while Yallop’s header was held by Mary Earps. Svitkova was proving a real threat and had another opportunity when she connected with an inch-perfect delivery to the back post, but the Czech midfielder could only nod off target.

The Hammers’ persistence was rewarded, however, in the third minute of injury-time, as Fisk met Svitkova’s corner to power a header in off the woodwork.

Groenen tries to start an attack for the visitors

Toone takes the plaudits after her impressive second-half strike

Sat 12 March, Select Car Leasing Stadium, WSL

READING 1 (Rose 16)

UNITED 3 (Galton 5, 25, Russo 43)

Three first-half goals, including two for Leah Galton, made it back-to-back WSL wins for the Reds with victory at Reading.

Alessia Russo almost broke the deadlock from United’s first attack, striking the crossbar from a tight angle in the opening seconds.

But the opening goal was not long in coming, as Hannah Blundell’s delicate delivery into the box found Galton, who flicked a header into the far corner after five minutes.

Rachel Rowe pounced on a loose ball to play in Deanne Rose 10 minutes later, with the Reading forward slotting past Mary Earps to level the scores.

Sanne Troelsgaard volleyed wide for Reading before a Reds counter saw Russo play a perfect through ball to Galton, who rounded keeper Grace Moloney to add her second.

Ella Toone sent Martha Thomas free as Marc Skinner’s side pushed for a third, with the Scotland international’s attempt just about kept out off the line by Deanna Cooper.

There was still more to come in an action-packed first half. Ona Batlle’s fierce effort bounced down off the bar and over the line, but no goal was awarded. Fortunately, with the ball not cleared, Russo’s deflected hit found the net to make it 3-1.

Gemma Evans hit the crossbar for the hosts, while Earps made a fine double save from Rose before combining with Thomas to clear Justine Vanhaevermaet’s header off the line.

There were no more goals as United held on to make it six wins in the last eight league fixtures.

Sat 5 March, Leigh Sports Village, WSL

UNITED 4 (Thomas 16, Russo 30, Zelem 59, 63)

LEICESTER CITY 0

The Reds started March with a convincing victory over Leicester in the WSL at Leigh Sports Village.

Alessia Russo had a shot saved by Foxes goalkeeper Demi Lambourne before Martha Thomas swept home from Ona Batlle’s pass to open the scoring on 16 minutes. Russo got a goal of her own on the half-hour mark when she headed home Ella Toone’s cross from close range.

United continued to dominate, with Hannah Blundell having a shot pushed behind by Lambourne and Leah Galton firing narrowly over either side of the interval.

Katie Zelem made it 3-0 just before the hour when she scored direct from a corner – just as she had done against Manchester City in the FA Cup. Remarkably, Zelem repeated the feat just four minutes later, sending in another corner that looped into the back of the net.

Ivana Ferreira Fuso and Russo had further chances in the closing stages, with the former denied by Lambourne and shooting over while the latter had an effort blocked.

See p56-57 for line-ups from all United’s 2021/22 fixtures

Incredible scenes as another Zelem corner curls straight into the goal

Leah keeps her cool to round Moloney and find the target

Russo was also on target on a victorious day in Berkshire

HALF-TON AT

LOST: 10

DRAWN: 6*

PLAYED AT HOME

WON: 34

*Draws includes games settled by penalty shoot-out

(THAT’S OVER HALF OUR HOME GAMES, INCLUDING 11 FROM 14 IN 2018/19)

(an average of 2.84 per game at home)

GOALS CONCEDED: 40

(We’ve let in more than two goals during a home fixture on just two occasions)

HOME

THE VENUES

The visit of Leicester three weeks ago rang up a half-century of home outings in all competitions since our professional side was formed...

Leigh Sports Village, 48 games – win ratio 67%

First win: 3-0 v Sheff Utd, Championship, 20/09/18

Ewen Fields, 1 game – win ratio 100% 3-0 win v London Bees, 17/02/19, FA Cup

Old Trafford, 1 game – win ratio 100% 2-0 win v West Ham, 27/03/21, WSL

v MAN CITY, 09/10/21

3,797

CHAMPIONSHIP

v LEWES, 11/05/19

3,702

CONTI CUP v READING, 25/08/18

4,835

Watch this number shoot right up today! Our first-ever home fixture

FA CUP v MAN CITY, 27/02/22

2,335

#10 ZELEM

KATIE ZELEM

In a change from her usual column, ahead of such a big day we thought we’d sit down with the skipper after training for a long chat covering many topics, including her Old Trafford memories, her corner-scoring habits and inspiring the next generation...

Interview: Harry Robinson

Let’s begin by talking about our last match, at West Ham. Can you give us your thoughts on it overall? It was tough. I obviously played at centre-half – I was the seventh choice, we figured out! The weather, the wind, the conditions weren’t helpful. I think in the end we defended the long ball quite well considering, and they’re the sort of games where you need to take your chances. We didn’t have that many clear-cut chances, but we had a few half-chances when we needed an extra one more goal just to settle us down a bit. To concede in the 93rd minute is always tough to take, and it was a long journey home. The first half-hour on the bus is just silent, until someone breaks the deadlock by saying, “anyone want to play cards?” But as soon as any game’s finished, you’ve got to move on, really, win or lose. We’ve got five huge games left and we need wins from them all.

Does having this Old Trafford match to look forward to help quickly move on from the West Ham result? Exactly. We’re moving on but we also need to learn about it. A last-minute equaliser this late on in the season isn’t nice to concede but actually, this Old Trafford game has come at a great time in the season. We’ve got 10 days to prepare, we’ve got a lot of players out and hopefully, we can get some players back ready for this game and the fit players can have a couple of days off to recharge.

Let’s talk more specifically about Old Trafford. For starters, do you recall your first visit to the ground? It’s really strange for me. Because I’ve always been at

“I WAS A CHAMPIONS LEAGUE FLAG HOLDER AT OLD TRAFFORD. I WAS SWINGING IT, GIVING IT A GOOD GO, AND I NEARLY HIT DENIS IRWIN!”

United, I’ve just seen Old Trafford on loads of random occasions. I remember meeting Rio Ferdinand once, there’s photos of me and Tooney [Ella] – they’re awful so don’t find them! – and then they were like, ‘oh, do you want to go to Old Trafford?’ One of my fondest memories is that we used to be the Champions League flag holders. We were a bit small for the massive banner in the centre circle, but we’d be the ones holding the Champions League flags by the goals. Coming through the Academy, they’d use the girls’ and the boys’ teams to do those flags. I remember I nearly hit someone – I was swinging it, giving it a good go and I think it might have been Denis Irwin! I thought, ‘oh god, I’ve nearly knocked out a legend!’

Is there one particular moment from last year’s game here that stands out for you?

It was a surreal experience because there were no fans. It was our first game as a team there and for me to lead the team out, yeah it was in front of no-one, but it was still unreal that it was at Old Trafford. You could almost feel the atmosphere without it even being there.

You came off for the last half-hour or so that day. Did you enjoy just sitting on the bench, knowing we were 2-0 up, just enjoying the occasion?

It was really nice to experience it from both sides almost, ⊲

Great memories from a year ago – but Zel and co know today will be different

With five games left to play in 2021/22, our experienced captain could end the season on 99 appearances for United

FACTFILE:

Full name Katie Leigh Zelem

Date of birth 20 January 1996

Place of birth Manchester

Position Midfielder

Youth career Manchester United

Senior career

her more experienced team-mates

2013-17 Liverpool, 52 games, 12 goals

2017-18 Juventus, 22 games, 6 goals

2018- Manchester United, 94 games, 26 goals International career England: 1 cap/0 goals

playing and also watching. I was very relieved when LJ [Lauren James] scored the goal, so that was nice. It was nice for one of our own players to be the first to score at Old Trafford, and then it was great to sit back and watch and also it was great for Hayley Ladd, who came on for me, to have her turn and experience it as well.

I imagine in normal times it’s the kind of win and occasion you’d celebrate properly, but because of Covid, everyone went home pretty quickly...

Even my mum and dad couldn’t come and see me at Old Trafford! It was all socially distanced, spread out and we obviously couldn’t go out and have a celebration afterwards. It was more like, ‘we’ve won, see you at training with our masks on in a few days’. This one will be nicer, and it’s Mother’s Day, so it’ll be a nice occasion.

In that sense, does the last one feel like a dress rehearsal, and this one as the real big one?

Totally. As I said before, the atmosphere did feel good last year without fans, but nothing beats having the fans in there. We’re all hoping there are as many as possible at the stadium. Everyone is excited and thinking about that. We were at Old Trafford as a squad a few weeks

ago so there’s been quite a lot of build-up but Marc’s philosophy is very much about focusing on the next game, one at a time, so for us as a team, we didn’t want to get too carried away by the Old Trafford game and distracted for the others. Now it’s nice it’s finally here.

How significant do you think it is for girls to be able to come to English football’s biggest club stadium and watch United Women play there?

I think it’s amazing. People are not asking for things to be equal to the men’s game – we know there’s still a long way to go – but it’s just about treating women’s football with respect, really, and this is a huge stepping stone. It’s obviously the men’s international break so there are a lot of eyes on women’s football and hopefully a lot of eyes on us at Old Trafford. These are the games every professional wants to play in: big pressure games surrounded by a lot of fans. For us, and for me as a kid, I didn’t have this growing up; I didn’t have the option to go and watch a women’s team at a big stadium. I grew up watching men’s football but now I find it amazing to see little girls with ‘Zelem’ on the back of their shirt – it’s heart-warming. Not only are we doing what we love, but we’re inspiring the next generation. Five years ago, I would never have even been sat here. People talk about the generation before but it’s not even that far back. When I first signed at Liverpool [in 2013], it wasn’t professional. Everyone used to work, and we’d train

Leading the team out at Reading, with a show of support for the people in Ukraine

KATIE ZELEM

Enjoying the recent pitch day at Old Trafford with her United family – and Katie’s looking forward to welcoming her own family to the stadium on Mother’s Day

“I GREW UP WATCHING MEN’S FOOTBALL BUT NOW I FIND IT AMAZING TO SEE LITTLE GIRLS WITH ‘ZELEM’ ON THEIR SHIRT... IT’S HEART-WARMING”

in the evening. I was lucky to come into it as it turned professional, but it’s come on leaps and bounds in the last 10 years or so, and even the last couple of years.

What would be your message to fans for whom this might be their first United Women’s game?

I think you can expect a lot of heart from us. Everyone here loves playing for Manchester United and that’s something I’d like to hope you see in our performances. We’ve coped with a lot of adversity over the season. It’s Marc’s first season, we’ve signed a lot of players and we’ve had to deal with Covid and a lot of injuries. For us, we’re trying to achieve Champions League, we’re trying to finish third. That’s our goal. We want to pick up as many points as possible over these next five games.

Given this is a significant occasion for United Women, we wondered if you’d like to mention any inspirational women in your own life that you think deserve a bit of thanks in a moment like this?

Definitely. I have a really close-knit family and I’m an only child so I’m super close to my mum. Every single day

she’ll text me, she’ll check in to see how I’m doing. She’s my real rock. Every time I do an interview about football, people say, ‘your dad played football’ but I’m like, ‘and my mum!’ She’s there for me through everything. She’s never more than a phone call away. I could phone her right now, or any time, and there’s not a chance she won’t answer it. I’m so close to her and she’ll come and support me at the game, and after the game we’ll go and celebrate her, too, so that’s a nice little touch.

As for the season as a whole, what have you made of your own individual performances?

As a team, we started off the season quite well and then we had a bit of a sticky patch, drawing games and finding it difficult to pick up points. I think as individuals our form followed that and it formed a collective dip. Around December, we really picked up. We’ve looked like a collective and, for me, I’m really glad I could contribute with goals and assists, and a game at centre-back! I’ve felt quite a lot of freedom with Marc to get forward and get involved with goals and assists, but also defensively, we’ve looked solid. Given what we’ve come through, ⊲

“FOR THE CORNERS AGAINST LEICESTER, I WAS AIMING FOR THE GOAL – IF YOU SCORE FROM THREE CORNERS, YOU CAN’T CALL THAT LUCK!”

to still be sitting where we are in the table is a good achievement. Hopefully the next five games will follow.

There’s been much attention on your corner-scoring abilities recently! Are you in as much disbelief as the rest of us that you could score three in a week? I’d have been more excited if one of them had gone in against West Ham! Now everyone’s really preparing for me to shoot on corners. I scored two in one game against Leicester, and then the next game [at Reading], they had a giant on the post, and I said, ‘not today, girls!’ It is something I’ve been practising. When I’m not centre-half, we have quite tall players on the pitch, so it’s something we can exploit. It’s not just about me scoring corners but also Alessia scoring two really important headers from set-pieces too. I think that’s something we’ve really zoned in on this year. What’s really funny is I’ve never practised shooting directly and then literally two days before the Man City game, we decided I’d just put it on the keeper. Honestly, we normally have about eight different corner routines – I have to remember all the signals – but before the City game, we’d just got back from internationals and it was really full on, so we decided to just put it on the keeper’s head. So, I stood

there for 20 minutes just practising kicking it into the net. I should have started in September! I was just aiming for the back-post area for the first one against City, and then the Leicester ones I was definitely aiming for the goal. If you score from three corners, you can’t call that luck!

And on the subject of three, United want to finish in the top three. How are you and squad feeling ahead of the last five games?

The pressure isn’t there from the club or from Marc, it’s more of an internal drive of something we want to achieve. We’ve had some difficult injuries, and you couldn’t have predicted those things. For us, we know after West Ham that we can’t drop any more points, really. Pressure is a good thing if you apply it the right way and third is our aim, but what will be will be.

Finally, what’s your message to fans at Old Trafford? Thanks for coming! We’ve got the Barmy Army who follow us everywhere and it’ll be a big occasion for them, as well as us. We want to see as many fans down to Old Trafford as we can. It’s like having an extra player and with five big games until the end of the season, it’s a big time when we need you! ●

Bend it like Zelem: no prizes for guessing who’ll be on corner duties today, with Katie’s recent set-piece heroics moving her on to 26 goals for the Reds – only Toone (40) and Lauren James (28) have scored more

SO MANY LAUGHS AT THE THEATRE!

It would be fair to say there’s been plenty of preparation (and anticipation) across the entire club about today’s Old Trafford fixture from the moment it was confirmed in November that the Reds would be playing here, and to help with the promotion of this game, the squad spent an afternoon out on the pitch in late January, where they were greeted by club photographers and MUTV camera operators. Capturing some brilliant group photos – such as that seen on today’s programme cover – was the primary aim, but our snappers weren’t shy to click away as the players took in everything inside the Theatre of Dreams, from the players’ tunnel, to the new rail seating in the stands, to simply relaxing on the pitch on a quiet Wednesday following their morning training session. The Reds will no doubt have a more focused look on their faces as they walk out on to the pitch today, but hopefully there will be big smiles just like this come full-time!

WHO’S MISSING?

Fill in the gaps to complete the starting XI from the last time the Reds played at Old Trafford...

Here are the six players to appear in United’s first-ever game in 2018, who are still at the club! Can

● Leah Galton

● Kirsty Hanson

● Kirsty Smith

● Ella Toone

● Millie Turner

● Katie Zelem

102 games ago, v Liverpool (away), 19 August 2018 1 2 3

Thorisdottir, Batlle, Staniforth; Guess the Red: 1. Martha Thomas, 2. Jackie Groenen, 3. Diane Caldwell

MESSAGE ALERTS!

Send your photos and messages to MUWomenfamily@manutd.co.uk

What better treat for Mother’s Day than a trip to Old Trafford? Plenty of you Reds are doing exactly that, while others will be celebrating a birthday. And then there are others who are just happy to be here!

↑ Belated happy 11th birthday to Imogen, who is here at the Theatre of Dreams today with her mum and dad.

↑ A belated happy 14th birthday to Ole, who’s a season ticket holder for both United Women and the men’s team.

↑ What a nice family photo! ‘Abby Sandall is the greatest mum of all. Happy Mother’s Day, love Poppy, Isabelle and Jay.’

↑ Helen Cooper wants to say hello to her husband Andy for his 43rd birthday. All the best to you both.

↑ Happy 20th birthday for 13 April to Ellie –a highly dedicated Red who will definitely be cheering us on today.

↑ ‘Happy Mother’s Day, Mum (Susan), who’s been dragged over from Ireland to a weekend full of sport! Love Isabelle and Sam.’

↑ Happy birthday to Ella Williams, who turns 14 on 13 April, and Happy Mother’s Day to Maxine Williams – love Adam, Beth, Grandad Steve and Auntie Clare. We hope you all had a good journey north to Manchester and enjoy today’s visit as much as the stadium tour.

↑ To Joanna Millet –‘Happy Mother’s Day to the best mum we could ask for! Love from your no.1 fans, Ian, Krista and Callum.’

↑ A big shout-out to Gill Ferris for ‘Grandmother’s Day’, lots of love from Harper and Sarah. Have a nice family day, all!

↑ ‘To the best mum in the world on Mother’s Day – we love you so much, from Caden and Sonny.’ We hope you lads will be wearing a different type of red shirt this afternoon as you watch United take on the Toffees here at the Theatre of Dreams!

↑ It’s Karl Bolton’s birthday, and he will be 71 years young. Have a top day watching MUFC – from your son, Jason.

↑ Wishing a happy 11th birthday to Taylor Harris from Ireland. The Ella Toone fan is here to cheer us on with dad Dave.

↑ ‘Happy Mother’s Day to the best mum, we love you eternally. Thanks for all you do for us all. Love Craig, Lottie and Cole.’

↑ ‘Happy Mother’s Day Cadhla and Sinead –thank you for taking us to football every week! Love Annabelle, Jess and Joey.’

↑ Happy Mother’s Day to Clare – ‘Thank you for bringing me to every United Women match’, says Isabelle.

YOUR TEXTS:

→ Happy seventh birthday, Amber. Enjoy the game! Love Daddy, Claire and Harry.

→ Happy belated first birthday, Harry Staig. Enjoy Old Trafford, son! Lots of love, Mummy, Daddy and Amber.

→ Happy Mother’s Day, Delores Costa, from your son Josh Costa.

→ Hi to fab mums Nat, Debbie and Sarah, who are here with their families, including their girls who play for Ashton Pumas U13s.

→ Happy Mother’s Day to ‘Tils’. From Nicole, Dane, Arron, Siso, George and Chloe!

→ David would like to give a Mother’s Day shout-out to Laura Cartwright.

→ Hello to Mum on Mother’s Day – and to Dad also! From Hasan, Esha and Zahra.

→ Happy Mother’s Day to Sarah Jones, who is here with her daughters and dad.

→ Happy belated 70th birthday Grandad, love Immy and Hattie Jones from Wrexham.

MARY EARPS

Born: 07/03/1993

Nationality: English

Trivia: Three clean sheets in seven previous meetings v Everton, including both ’20/21 WSL games.

MARTHA HARRIS

Born: 19/08/1994

Nationality: English

Trivia: Needs just one more appearance to join the 12 Reds to have played 50 United games.

DIANE CALDWELL

Born: 11/09/1988

Nationality: Irish

Trivia: The first Irish player to represent United Women, after making her Reds debut v Arsenal.

HANNAH BLUNDELL

Born: 25/05/1994

Nationality: English

Trivia: Got her fifth WSL assist of the season when she set up Leah Galton v Reading this month.

KIRSTY SMITH

Born: 06/01/1994

Nationality: Scottish

Trivia: Only five outfield members of current squad have made more total appearances.

VILDE BOE RISA

Born: 13/07/1995

Nationality: Norwegian

Trivia: Started away to Everton in November and has appeared in all but one game since then.

SOPHIE BAGGALEY

Born: 29/11/1996

Nationality: English

Trivia: Crowned 2019 FA WFA Players’ Player of the Year, when also named in PFA Team of Year.

MARIA THORISDOTTIR

Born: 05/06/1993

Nationality: Norwegian

Trivia: Got the assist for United Women’s first-ever goal at Old Trafford, v West Ham last March.

AOIFE MANNION

Born: 24/09/1995

Nationality: English

Trivia: Having suffered an ACL injury, the centre-back is working hard on her rehabilitation.

ONA BATLLE

Born: 10/06/1999

Nationality: Spanish

Trivia: Has missed just one WSL game since 8 November 2020, playing 33 out of 34 matches.

MILLIE TURNER

Born: 07/07/1996

Nationality: English

Trivia: Although unable to take part in full-contact matches, she’s back in training at Carrington.

KATIE ZELEM

Born: 20/01/1996

Nationality: English

Trivia: Scored final goal in our first-ever meeting v Everton, a 3-0 Conti Cup win in December 2018.

HAYLEY LADD

Born: 06/10/1996

National team: Wales

Trivia: Has more goals in ’21/22 (three) than across the previous two campaigns combined (two).

JADE MOORE

Born: 22/10/1990

Nationality: English

Trivia: The 50-capped England international made her Reds bow in our last game, v West Ham.

LUCY STANIFORTH

Born: 02/10/1992

Nationality: English

Trivia: On the road to recovery after undergoing knee surgery, having last played in December.

MARTHA THOMAS

Born: 31/05/1996

National team: Scotland

Trivia: Got our second goal in a 2-0 win when we last met Everton, in December’s Conti Cup tie.

IVANA FERREIRA FUSO

Born: 12/03/2001

Nationality: Brazilian

Trivia: Came off bench against the Toffees in December 2020 to make her first-team Reds debut.

KIRSTY HANSON

Born: 17/04/1998

National team: Scotland

Trivia: On target v Everton last May with United’s final goal of the 2020/21 WSL campaign.

JACKIE GROENEN

Born: 17/12/1994

Nationality: Dutch

Trivia: Recently captained the Netherlands for the first time, during a 3-0 win over Finland.

CARRIE JONES

Born: 04/09/2003

Nationality: Welsh

Trivia: Wales international signed first pro contract with United last November.

ELLA TOONE

Born: 02/09/1999

Nationality: English

Trivia: Toone has found the net in each of her last four WSL appearances against Everton. 7

LEAH GALTON

Born: 24/05/1994

Nationality: English

Trivia: Her goal v Everton in 2018 was her first for United and one of three in this fixture.

SIGNE BRUUN

Born: 06/04/1998

Nationality: Danish

Trivia: The forward scored 12 goals in seven games for Denmark throughout 2021.

ALESSIA RUSSO

Born: 08/02/1999

Nationality: English

Trivia: Our top 2021/22 scorer needs one more to reach 10 for first time in her senior career.

THE MANCUNIAN WAY.

HALF-TIME QUIZ

On a landmark day, we focus on other club milestones...

1. Which defender provided the assist for Lizzie Arnot to score United’s first-ever competitive goal, in August 2018? →

2. In that same game, against Liverpool, which member of the current squad became the first Red to come on as a substitute?

3. Which future Scotland international was the first player to score a home goal from open play for the Reds, in our 3-0 win v Sheffield United in September 2018?

4. Name the first team the Reds faced in successive competitive games. (Clue: they’re otherwise known as the Wildcats.)

5. The Reds’ first home win against a WSL side came in the Conti Cup in January 2019 – who were our opponents from London that night?

6. With how many games remaining of the 2018/19 campaign did United clinch promotion to the WSL? ↓

United

7. Of the players to make their club debut in the Reds’ WSL opener against Manchester City in 2019, who has since gone on to make the most United appearances? ↑

8. Who was the first Red to net a WSL brace? Hint: she’s still a member of the United squad.

9. Against which of England’s ‘big three’ did United first claim a WSL point: Arsenal, Chelsea or Manchester City?

10. In which year did United Women secure a WSL double, by winning both the Manager of the Month and Player of the Month awards for the first time?

11. Name the former Red who hit the final two goals in a 6-1 win over Bristol City in December 2020 – our biggest WSL victory so far. →

12. What was the final score in our first meeting with today’s opponents, Everton, back in December 2018?

?

ANSWERS: 1. Alex Greenwood; 2. Ella Toone; 3. Kirsty Hanson; 4.

Durham; 5. West Ham United; 6. Three;

7. Mary Earps; 8. Leah Galton; 9. Chelsea; 10. 2020 (November); 11. Tobin Heath; 12. 3-0 to

ZERO FANS, BUT TWO GOALS, THREE POINTS & COUNTLESS MEMORIES

Just four games into her Reds career, Maria Thorisdottir experienced one of her greatest (if most surreal) days as a player when we last lined up in M16. Our no.3 talks us through it all, from pre-match to full-time...

↑ “I’d never even been to Old Trafford before, so my first time was when we played there! I don’t think I knew how big it was until I walked into the changing room. It was emotional to see my shirt hanging up – unbelievable, to be honest. You know, I never have nerves, really, so, for me, I was really calm but very excited. I’d always heard about Old Trafford and I now knew what people were talking about. You get that feeling of how powerful and massive this stadium is; it does something to you. The early kick-off [11.30am] was a bit strange, but everything that morning was really cool.”

Interview Harry Robinson

↓ “I remember walking out and we just said, ‘look, we can’t have any excuses because this pitch is amazing’. It was so good, the environment was so good but just walking out there, I remember imagining we had fans there; if it was almost full. I remember thinking I’d love to play in such a game with fans. Well, I have in tournaments like World Cups and Euros, but not in England in club football. I was involved at Stamford Bridge once [with Chelsea], but didn’t play. So I really hope that when we play at Old Trafford again we get lots of people. It’ll be amazing.”

← “We didn’t play too good in the first half that day. I remember in the dressing room [at half-time], Casey [Stoney] wasn’t happy at all [it was 0-0 at the break]. But as a defensive line, we won our duels in the box and I remember I had some good clearances. But again, you do miss the fans – when you put in a tackle, the best feeling is when you get that support from behind [in the crowd] – it makes you want to do it even more, to just smash into every tackle!”

↑ “After the second goal and as the game went on, I just remember I felt like we had really good control, and I was kind of just enjoying the moment because I knew we were going to win. I lived in the moment and tried to take all the feelings in, which I kept for the rest of the day. After the game, I sat in the car and drove down to London, and I was flying. That drive down to London, four hours, it went so quick. I was just living on that feeling of playing at Old Trafford. We won, we had a clean sheet, I got the first assist. It was a bit surreal, like a nice dream.”

↑ “Ah, the first goal [on 49 minutes]! I remember heading the ball and I saw it going in myself and thought I was going to score... but when I saw LJ [Lauren James] standing there and she touched it, I knew it was going to go in. I was just really happy in general that we scored but it was cool to have an assist. It was a big moment.”

↓ “We knew we had to step up in the second half, and I was really happy that we as a team managed to turn it around, play good football and do what we were meant to do. That goal from Christen [Press, on 55 minutes], I think it was an assist from Jackie. It was just a really good bit of play, and as you can see I just get really happy whoever scores!” ▶

↓

→ “It was nice after the game, with everyone taking photos on the pitch. And for me it quite special to see [West Ham manager] Ollie Harder – he was my manager at my old club back in Norway [Klepp] so my first time meeting him again was actually against each other at Old Trafford. I remember we took a picture and it was a really special moment for both of us, because we didn’t ever think four or five years ago we would actually play against each other at Old Trafford! That was quite emotional for both of us, actually.”

↓

“This is a special photo, but quite funny to look at [the social distancing] and think back to how it was! My beginning with United was really tough, changing club in the middle of the season, during Covid. I struggled outside football with my life and it was just so tough. I really wanted to show the fans who I really am but I didn’t have a feeling that they saw the real me, so I’m really pleased that, this season, having them back I can show them who I am, and getting the support from them has really helped me. Last March was special, but I feel like I’m ready for this game when we can have thousands of fans and feel the atmosphere properly.” ●

EVERTON

It’s been a chaotic campaign for the Toffees over at Walton Hall Park, but the talent is certainly there for them to challenge nearer the top...

The 2021/22 season may have been a tough one for Everton but under the leadership of interim boss Chris Roberts since early February, the Toffees have begun to pick up both some momentum and much-needed WSL points in their attempts to rise up the table. “The one thing we can always rely on with this group is to fight and to stick together,” said Roberts recently.

After an impressive fifth-place finish last term, two wins from their opening six games in all competitions spelt the end of Willie Kirk’s two-and-a-half seasons at the helm, which included a run to the 2020 Women’s FA Cup final. Treble-winning former Lyon boss Jean-Luc Vasseur’s unhappy spell lasted only 10 games, but Everton have certainly improved since Kirk’s no.2 Roberts took charge, alongside new assistant Claire Ditchburn.

The new manager has tweaked the formation slightly, from a 4-3-3 to a slightly more solid 4-2-3-1, with two of Izzy Christiansen, Aurora Galli and Nathalie Bjorn lining up as a double-pivot to help protect the back four. Christiansen, a former United youth-team player, Champions League winner with Lyon and 31-time England international, leads the Toffees’ assists chart in the WSL this term and the 30-year-old’s top-level experience is vital. Further forward, usually as a no.10 but also on the right wing, summer signing Kenza Dali has completed more WSL dribbles than any Everton player this season, while only ever-present centre-back Gabrielle George has carried the ball forward more yards than the France midfielder. Intense training session are now translating to matchday performances. Beginning with a 2-0 FA Cup

A strong start to March has lifted morale across the Merseysiders’ talented squad

INTERIM MANAGER: CHRIS ROBERTS

Roberts has been with the club since late 2018 as assistant manager, and admitted it was a “whirlwind” to find himself leading the team following Vasseur’s exit. A big step up from any of his previous roles, the Scottish tactician has been assisted in the dugout by Claire Ditchburn, who also moved up from the coaching staff. Rebuilding the confidence of the players has been their priority since then – or, as Roberts puts it: “getting back to playing on the front foot and showcasing why they’re such fantastic football players”.

“THE ONE THING WE CAN ALWAYS RELY ON WITH THIS GROUP IS TO FIGHT, TO STICK TOGETHER” – CHRIS ROBERTS

defeat of Charlton in late February, Everton went on three-game winning run, with six morale-boosting points in defeats of Aston Villa and Leicester. Victory over the Foxes is testament to the squad’s resolve. Trailing 1-0 to Jemma Purfield’s early goal, the Toffees’ high-pressing tactics brought rich rewards as top scorer Anna Anvegard twice robbed the Leicester defence inside eight first-half minutes, first playing in Toni Duggan to round the goalkeeper and then side-footing home to score herself five minutes before the interval. Forced to go again after conceding an equaliser, Everton scored what proved to be a deserved winner thanks to Swedish wide forward Anvegard’s backheeled flick in the 52nd minute.

Everton picked up 17 points from their first 16 games of the current campaign – eight fewer than they recorded at the same stage last season.

17/16 3/9 8

Having ex-Barcelona and Atletico Madrid forward Duggan, Anvegard and the returning Valerie Gauvin (left, alongside Dali) – all capable of switching positions at will across a fluid front four – is another boost ahead of what is a tricky period for the Toffees. Plucky, yet outclassed in a 3-0 reverse to Chelsea a fortnight ago, they faced successive trips to Manchester City, in the FA Cup last Sunday (losing 4-0) and in the WSL in midweek. Yet, as Everton proved in the 1-1 draw between today’s sides earlier in the WSL season, they have what it takes to frustrate opponents. “We have good, experienced players in the dressing room,” says Roberts. “We need to rely on every player to get us through a challenging period; one that we’re excited for.”

One third of the club’s nine summer arrivals were Sweden internationals from Rosengard –top scorer Anna Anvegard, record signing Hanna Bennison and defender Nathalie Bjorn.

England international Toni Duggan was a big-name recruit last July after eight years away, having previously played Champions League football in her first spell with the club.

PLAYER PROFILES

All you need to know about today’s visitors to Old Trafford, whose talented squad includes experienced internationals from across the continent...

18 / GK – Courtney Brosnan

Age: 26 / Nationality: Irish

Born and raised in New Jersey, then played in France, before spells with West Ham and Everton. Has 11 caps for Republic of Ireland.

4 / DF – Rikke Sevecke

Age: 25 / Nationality: Danish

Joined from French club FC Fleury 91 in July 2020 and scored her first goal for the club in a 3-1 WSL win over Birmingham in September.

6 / DF – Gabrielle George

Age: 25 / Nationality: English

England international who spent part of her youth development at United’s Centre of Excellence and is a cousin of Jesse Lingard.

21 / DF – Leonie Maier

Age: 29 / Nationality: German

Named in 2016 FIFA FIFPro World XI after helping Bayern Munich win back-to-back league titles. Played for Germany at two World Cups.

1 / GK – Sandy MacIver

Age: 23 / Nationality: English

Player of the Match in 2020 FA Cup final despite a 3-1 defeat to Man City and won her first senior England cap last year.

3 / DF – Danielle Turner

Age: 30 / Nationality: English

Came through youth system and been in senior squad for eight years, playing in 2014 FA Cup final alongside Millie Turner.

5 / DF – Nathalie Bjorn

Age: 24 / Nationality: Swedish

One of three Swedes to join Everton last July, helping her country to win the silver medal at the Tokyo Olympics in August.

20 / DF – Megan Finnigan

Age: 23 / Nationality: English

Academy product who made her debut in 2015. Capped at various youth levels, helping England to third at the 2018 U20 World Cup.

30 / DF – Poppy Pattinson

Age: 21 / Nationality: English

Spent time with Sunderland and Man City before a breakthrough campaign with Bristol City in 2018/19, joining Everton in 2020.

7 / MF – Kenza Dali

Age: 30 / Nationality: French

A regular in the France squad, having played for various clubs in her homeland, including Lyon and PSG. Joined Everton last summer.

17 / MF – Lucy Graham

Age: 25 / Nationality: Scottish

A key player for Hibernian, she scored four Champions League goals for them before joining Everton and becoming captain.

26 / MF – Grace Clinton

Age: 18 / Nationality: English

Young midfielder who made her debut against Liverpool in the Conti Cup last season, signing her first pro contract in April 2021.

9 / FW – Toni Duggan

Age: 30 / Nationality: English

Highly decorated from previous spells with the Toffees, Man City, Barça and Atletico Madrid, she rejoined hometown club last year.

11 / FW – Claire Emslie

Age: 28 / Nationality: Scottish

Made history with Scotland’s first World Cup goal in 2019, at the end of a season in which she helped Manchester City win two cups.

14 / FW – Nicoline Sorensen

Age: 24 / Nationality: Danish

Won league titles in Sweden and her native Denmark, moving to England from Brondby during the summer of 2020.

8 / MF – Izzy Christiansen

Age: 30 / Nationality: English

Former United youth-teamer was 2015/16 PFA Players’ Player of the Year and won Champions League with Lyon.

22 / MF – Aurora Galli

Age: 25 / Nationality: Italian Midfielder helped Juventus to three successive Serie A titles, then became the first Italian to move to the WSL last year.

28 / MF – Hanna Bennison

Age: 19 Nationality: Swedish Everton’s record signing, from Rosengard in September. She previously attracted interest from French giants Lyon.

10 / FW – Simone Magill

Age: 27 / Nationality: N. Irish Scored Everton’s equaliser v United earlier in the campaign, Magill has been with Everton since she was a teeanger.

13 / FW – Valerie Gauvin

Age: 25 / Nationality: French

A prolific scorer in France with Toulouse and Montpellier, Gauvin also has 37 caps for France, scoring 17 goals.

19 / FW – Anna Anvegard

Age: 24 / Nationality: Swedish

Swedish international striker is top scorer for Everton this season, bagging two against Leicester earlier this month.

Barclays is celebrating 20 years of commitment to the game we all love, first as title sponsor of the Premier League, and now the Barclays FA Women’s Super League. And it’s still all to play for.

Visit Barclays.com/20years to see the full story

Barclays is celebrating 20 years of commitment to the game we all love, first as title sponsor of the Premier League, and now the Barclays FA Women’s Super League. And it’s still all to play for.

Barclays is celebrating 20 years of commitment to the game we all love, first as title sponsor of the Premier League, and now the Barclays FA Women’s Super League. And it’s still all to play for.

Visit Barclays.com/20years to see the full story

Visit Barclays.com/20years to see the full story

OLD TRAFFORD, 22 APRIL 1989

Remembering when this afternoon’s visitors won the Women’s FA Cup at the Theatre of Dreams, in poignant circumstances 33 years ago...

Today’s WSL fixture isn’t the first time that Old Trafford has hosted a competitive women’s match in front of fans. In September 1990, a crowd of 435 was in attendance for England’s 0-0 draw with Norway in a Women’s Euro 1991 qualifier, while it’s far more likely that you readers will recall the two games played here at the 2012 Olympics, which included a thrilling 4-3 win for the USA v Canada in the semi-finals (attendance 26,630).

In club football, however, we have to go back to April 1989, when M16 was the destination for the Women’s FA Cup final, with Leasowe Pacific – the Wirral team that would become Everton – lifting the Cup for the first time. The Merseysiders were underdogs against Friends of Fulham – a side including England star Hope Powell – but such was the awful backdrop to the final, it nearly didn’t take place. Exactly one week earlier, the Hillsborough disaster had claimed the lives of 95 football fans (a figure

that now stands at 97), with three of the Leasowe players, as well as their manager’s daughter, in the Leppings Lane End to witness it. All four were able to safely evacuate.

Leasowe’s game the next day was called off, and following emotional talks between the squad and their coach in the days ahead, they made a collective decision to play the final in tribute to the people of Merseyside.

A minute’s silence was observed ahead of kick-off at Old Trafford, and the 90 minutes that followed was enthralling, Leasowe battling back from 2-1 down at the break (Powell scoring both for the Londoners) to win 3-2. Although only about a thousand people were at United’s stadium to witness it, extended highlights were shown on Channel 4 the next day (and in a peak-time Sunday slot of 5.30pm). That same Sunday, the players of both teams were at Anfield to lay a memorial wreath on the pitch to remember the Hillsborough victims.

Leasowe Pacific pose with the trophy, following the 19th Women’s FA Cup final – the only time it’s been played at Old Trafford. After becoming Everton in 1995, they’d win the Cup again in 2010

Photo Jill Salisbury

15 PROUD YEARS

As the club’s associated charity reaches a special birthday, we look at how it’s helped so many young people across Greater Manchester...

Manchester United Foundation is 15 years old this month, and what a journey it’s been. From day one, the modus operandi has been to head into some of the most disadvantaged areas in Greater Manchester, using football as a tool to engage and inspire some of its most vulnerable children.

From four projects in the early years to a whopping 97 projects today. Millions raised. Tens of thousands of items provided to support external charities. Visit the Foundation’s website and you’ll find truckloads of stats that demonstrate the scope of the work undertaken.

But stats are one thing. Stories are where the true impact of the Foundation can be seen, heard and felt. Stories like Hannah Mitchell’s. Now a female development officer at the Foundation, it’s clear how radically her life’s been transformed by the club’s associated charity. “It kind of saved my life,” she begins. “I don’t really have much of a secure family base. I wasn’t the best in school; I really struggled. Being involved with the Foundation put me on the straight and narrow. They heard I wasn’t the best within school,

There’s Hannah (circled) – now the Foundation’s female development officer – at the launch event

intervened and worked with me there, so I got through school and did well. They used football as the tool: if I didn’t do well in school, I couldn’t play. It changed my life, because of the path I was going down. It became the family I needed.”

Hannah first became involved aged 10, via a community football session. After impressing in a trial, she joined the Foundation’s girls’ team. “I didn’t really enjoy being at home, so if I wasn’t training, whenever I could I’d be down at The Cliff [training ground],” she continues. “Later,

when I was in college, I was always asking about volunteering. As part of my sports course project I was getting hours through volunteering with the younger girls’ sessions.

“Then I also started doing Street Reds [a free football sessions programme] at Old Trafford Sports Barn. I was there doing coaching to get experience. I did two years voluntary, and they rewarded me with a casual wage. When I was 20, a full-time role as female development officer came up, which I got.”

Speak to Manchester United Foundation’s chief executive, John Shiels, and Hannah’s story seems like an ideal scenario for what he and

his colleagues are trying to achieve. “We try and build people to survive,” he says. “It’s a long process around giving our children skills. We talk about being healthy, physically. We talk about being happy, because mental health is a major issue for kids. And we talk about being connected; being part of something.

“Because one of the big things that comes back from the children is that they don’t feel a part of anything. Some haven’t got families. In days gone by, it might have been your church, or your football club. But if your mum and dad are struggling to put food on the table, you can’t play organised football. The youth clubs are gone. And that feeling of belonging is really important.”

Throughout his time in charge, Shiels has tried to find new ways to make the Foundation’s support for local kids more comprehensive. Groundbreaking partnerships with schools such as Brentwood School and College in Sale, which caters for pupils with severe learning difficulties and complex health needs, are one example. “I’ve seen a very different side to what big football clubs can offer,” says Brentwood’s headteacher Jude Lomas. “People can be negative about football and big money, and I want to be able to say: look at the difference it’s making to our students and their families!”

Brentwood’s new-build school has fantastic facilities, but there were concerns that when the students finished their education, those facilities were unavailable to them. Likewise, the facilities were not available in school holidays, despite the critical importance of encouraging students to engage in physical activity outside of term time.

The Foundation’s SEND (special educational needs and disabilities) officer, Conor Muldoon, has been working at Brentwood since 2017,

and has been key in developing holiday provision for the students. There are also interventions with individual pupils who have been struggling because of specific needs.

The work doesn’t just benefit the school and the students accessing the extra support. It also benefits the wider community, by further integrating young people with different needs within the local area.

“It really does give our students a sense of identity,” explains Lomas. “We’ve got United shirts in our corridors, and photographs of our students engaged in activities that are offered by the Foundation. It is very much a partnership, with clear objectives. What the Foundation offers has been such a positive thing for us.”

As Shiels (inset) points out, much of this work is based on the long term. But perhaps the most important success story in the Foundation’s recent history came during the Covid-19 pandemic.

vulnerable children... show them a glimmer of light in a dire situation.’ What came back were stories of them buying washing machines, bedding, curtains, food...”

Then there was the tonnes of food sent out into the community, day after day. “The Sir Alex Ferguson Stand was like a supermarket,” Shiels marvels. “There were three massive articulated refrigeration trucks outside. It was tremendously inspirational and motivational to be a part of.”

“What we did was survival stuff,” he states. “We had some money, so we gave our partner schools £10,000 of non-ringfenced money. We said: ‘Go serve your community, the most

That work really cut through to supporters, but Shiels cautions that conditions are even worse for Greater Manchester kids than before the pandemic. “The message is: we’ve just got to be motivated to do more,” he insists. “I’m very proud of what we’ve been a part of. It’s organic, it’s evolving. We’re an optimistic organisation. The main thing to say is that we’re grateful. Grateful that more and more fans are getting involved and they can see the power of what we’re doing. Grateful that our partners trust us. Grateful that we can get up every day and know we can change someone’s life for the better.” Here’s to the next 15 years!

Hannah (right) helps distribute food to local organisations and hospitals during the pandemic

APPEARANCES, GOALS & TABLES

FA WOMEN’S SUPER LEAGUE TOP SCORERS, 2021/22

Right: no.4 Jade Moore is the latest addition to our appearances chart following her debut against West Ham United 11 days ago

FA WOMEN’S SUPER LEAGUE TOP ASSISTS, 2021/22

OTHER RECENT WSL FIXTURES

WEDNESDAY

YESTERDAY

FIXTURES & LINE-UPS, 2021/22

AHAAAHAAA!

Nope, that wasn’t the noise from the crowd when Zel scored v Everton in 2019 (below), but rather our curious run of fixtures v the Toffees, which has meant you fans have only witnessed one previous home game against them...

Whether it’s league or cup, the women’s teams of United and Everton have seen a lot of each other since the Reds became a professional side in the summer of 2018, with today being meeting no.10 since then – a joint-record tally we’ve only matched against Manchester City. And of the nine games to date against the Blues of Merseyside, seven have been away from home (where we’ve fared rather well, winning five, drawing one and losing just one) while last season’s Leigh Sports Village league fixture (a 2-0 win) was played behind closed doors – meaning zero fans, and therefore no match programme! So the only previous programme we have to look back on here comes from 8 December 2019 (above), in which Millie Turner recalls her four-year stint with the Toffees (including a starting berth in the 2014 FA Cup final, aged 17), goalkeeper-turned-columnist Siobhan Chamberlain discusses on her first bit of TV co-commentary for MUTV (Shiv’s been a bit busier behind the mic since then!) and manager Casey Stoney reflects on a painful 3-2 loss to West Ham in our previous game: “A tough lesson, but I trust my players to react in the right way”. And they certainly did against Everton (led by Casey’s former United assistant Willie Kirk), as a Lauren James brace, either side of Katie’s Zelem’s 11th-minute penalty (below) saw us to a spritely 3-1 comeback win. It was a committed display across the pitch, embodied by Martha Harris at full-back and Jackie Groenen in midfield, in particular, and one which saw United leapfrog Everton into fourth place. Unbeknown to everyone at the time, that’s where we’d remain, with just five further games played that season, first on account of Storm Ciara, before Covid-19 ended the 2019/20 campaign early in March.

Zelem beats Tinja-Riikka Korpela from the spot, before celebrating with fellow scorer James (inset) in front of 1,805 fans at LSV

THE MANCUNIAN WAY.

Vilde

MANCHESTER

Hayley Ladd

Ivana Ferreira Fuso

Jackie Groenen

Diane Caldwell

Signe Bruun

Ona Batlle

Kirsty Hanson

Kirsty Smith

Millie Turner

Alessia Russo

Carrie Jones

Mary Earps (GK)

Sophie Baggaley (GK)

Lucy Staniforth

Karna Solskjaer

(GK)

#allredallequal

Sandy MacIver (GK)

Danielle Turner Rikke Sevecke

Nathalie Bjorn Gabrielle George

Dali

Izzy Christiansen

Toni Duggan

Simone Magill

Claire Emslie

Valerie Gauvin

Nicoline Sorensen

Lucy Graham

Courtney Brosnan (GK)

Anna Anvegard

Megan Finnigan

Leonie Maier Aurora Galli Grace