Manchester United Women v Sunderland Women match programme, WFAC, 08.03.25
MANCHESTER UNITED WOMEN
United’s FA Cup defence begins!
v Sunderland Women
ADOBE WOMEN’S FA CUP QUARTER-FINAL • SAT 8 MAR 2025 • 5.15PM
FAN MESSAGES
UNITED
LEAH
RACHEL WILLIAMS INTERVIEW
JUNIOR REDS
ADDED-TIME QUIZ
MANCHESTER UNITED FOOTBALL
Co-chairmen Joel Glazer, Avram Glazer
Directors Bryan Glazer, Kevin Glazer, Edward Glazer, Darcie Glazer Kassewitz, Michael Edelson, Sir Alex Ferguson, David Gill CBE, Omar Berrada, Sir Dave Brailsford, Jean-Claude Blanc Secretary Rebecca Britain Honorary president Martin Edwards
MATCH PROGRAMME TEAM
Editor Charlie Ghagan Contributors Zoe Hodges, Helen Rowe-Willcocks, Mikey Partington, Sean Mullan, Jamie Spencer, Matt Brown, Cerys Jones, Tom Chase, Joe Ganley Photography Charlotte Tattersall, Poppy Townson, Ash Donelon, Zohaib Alam, Getty, Alamy
Thanks to Ellie Decrop, John Shiel, Ian Nolan, Mark Froggatt, Jonny Cooper/statsperform.com
SKINNER
Digging deep for three vital points against the Foxes, before attention turns to the FA Cup this afternoon Marc
WE WON’T HAVE IT EASY AGAINST A TALENTED SUNDERLAND SIDE, SAYS MARC, BUT HE KNOWS HIS REDS
ARE HUNGRY TO PICK UP YET ANOTHER
WIN...
Welcome back to Leigh Sports Village for this FA Cup quarter-final against Sunderland.
I’m really looking forward to this one.
The Championship is such a competitive league and our opponents come into this game on the back of an important win against Durham.
I know Mel [Reay] well and we have played them before in the Cup a couple of seasons ago. It was a difficult tie in 2023 and they have progressed a lot since then. They are the only Championship side left in the Cup so they are going to come wanting to cause an upset.
We know that, and as such we know we are going to have to earn the victory. We always go into a game knowing that no matter who we play, we have to be at our best and we need to concentrate on our game to get the result.
Sunderland play good football, and we know they won’t sit back. We need to nullify their threats and show how hard we are to beat.
We want to keep building on the form we have been showing. Even when we don’t play like we know we can, we are grinding out results and competing throughout the full 90
minutes. There was a lot of really good stuff in the first half against Leicester last weekend but it was typical of a game just after the international break. It was about winning the game, and we knew it would not be easy.
It shows the attitude of the players that they are hungry to keep getting the wins. We want to be the best and the players show that not just on matchday but every day in training.
We know how passionate the North East is about its football and Sunderland will bring a lot of fans with them today. They will be coming to see the magic of the FA Cup but we want to show them how passionate we are as a team, both on and off the pitch. We perform our best when our fans are behind us – you are the extra bit of energy we need and we love it when we can hear your support. Enjoy the game.
numbers Run the
A STAT-BASED PREVIEW OF THIS LAST-EIGHT TIE
It’s game three of our FA Cup defence, as United’s tournament rolls into the quarter-finals with today’s tie with Sunderland. Ten months on from lifting the trophy under the Wembley arch, Marc Skinner’s side returned to the competition with January’s 7-0 win over West Brom and have since continued an emphatic start to our Cup campaign, by winning 6-0 at Wolves in the fifth round.
The reward for
those wins over third-tier opposition is just a second-ever meeting with second-tier Sunderland, who made us work hard to win the inaugural clash, in the 2023 edition of the Cup. A visiting United team dominated the ball (65 per cent to Sunderland’s 35) and had most of the shots (21 to Sunderland’s three) in that fourth-round fixture, but had to settle for a narrow 2-1 win, decided by Nikita Parris’s second goal of the day after Abby Holmes – now of Durham – levelled midway through the second half. We’ll be hoping for a similarly assertive showing today, ideally accompanied by a more comfortable scoreline, but should expect stern resistance once again from the Black Cats.
United made a winning return from the international break last weekend, defeating Leicester here at LSV, but we had to do it without four fresh absentees who had been away representing their nations in the February fixtures. Simi Awujo, Jayde Riviere, Anna Sandberg and Elisabeth Terland were all missing from the matchday squad – alongside Lisa Naalsund who has been recovering from a long-term injury over recent months – but, positively, the boss said post-match that the five aforementioned players are all considered “on the cusp” of being available again. 5
A sickness bug sidelined Sandberg, while a series of knocks prevented Canadian pair Awujo and Riviere, plus our February Player of the Month, Terland, from facing the Foxes. At the time of printing, it remains to be seen whether today comes too soon for their comebacks, but the boss will be keen to have as many of his charges fit and ready to feature across our season’s exciting and important final three months.
Anna is among those who could be available today
We hit Wolves for six in the last round
Just eight teams remain in the FA Cup and when this stage comes around, it always feels like the business end of the competition has officially begun. We’ve reached the quarter-finals on three previous occasions in our seven-year history, including in each of our last two campaigns,
en route to the most recent pair of Wembley finals. But the Reds’ first last-eight encounter came six years ago, when our Championship-winning side put up a great fight against then-WSL outfit Reading, but were beaten 3-2 in cruel fashion after a gripping period of extra-time. All five goals came in the additional period and United twice went ahead but were pegged back on both occasions, before Iceland international Rakel Honnudottir won it for the Royals with one of the last kicks of a back-and-forth bout. Our fortunes in the last eight have, of course, been better since, with south-coast victories at Lewes (3-1) and Brighton (4-0) being important triumphs in our recent runs to the national stadium. It means today’s match is our first FA Cup quarter-final here in Leigh, where we’ve won each of our last five ties in the competition – a run Skinner’s side will be determined to keep going.
It’s win-or-go-home today, and there
could be a cup-final
feeling to each of our upcoming WSL contests too
If we’re successful today, we’ll keep alive our hopes of this being the first of to play in 2024/25. The Reds have seven matches remaining in the league, while this will be the first of three ties in the Cup should we achieve our aim of reaching the final for the third year in a row. It’s win-or-go-home in this competition, and there could be a cup-final feeling to each of our
upcoming league contests too, should we continue our recent run of seven successive WSL victories. United closed the gap to leaders Chelsea to five points last weekend and will hope to keep the pressure on when we resume our campaign at Anfield on Friday. Today, all focus is on the Cup though and fulfilling the immediate goal of being one of the four teams in April’s semi-finals.
How we’d all love a Wembley return this year
*date and kick off time subject to change
FINAL DAY DETAILS
Trip
to the Emirates confirmed, for what could be a crunch WSL finale
The details for the final day of the Barclays Women’s Super League season have been set, with the date and kick-off time for United’s trip to Arsenal now confirmed.
Marc Skinner’s Reds will round off the league campaign with a blockbuster clash away to Renee Slegers’ Gunners, which will be played at the Emirates Stadium. It will get under way at the same time as the other five matches in the top division, at 12.30pm on Saturday 10 May.
The final day was initially slated to be on Sunday 11 May, but has been brought forward
with confirmation of the full schedule. Elsewhere in the capital, Chelsea host Liverpool while, back in Manchester, City are due to face Crystal Palace at Joie Stadium. Everton play Tottenham on Merseyside while the remaining two games – Aston
PAIR UP FOR PFA PRIZE
Reds Jayde Riviere and Elisabeth Terland were this week both nominated for the February PFA WSL Fans’ Player of the Month award.
The United pair impressed during our February league schedule, which consisted of two wins from two, in games which they both started.
Jayde lined up on the right of defence for the win at Spurs (1-0), and at home to Palace (3-1), as part of a rearguard that continues to look solid. As for Terland, she netted the game’s only goal at Tottenham, before bagging a brace against the Eagles – her third and fourth goals of the month alongside
Villa v Brighton and Leicester v West Ham – are set to be contested in the Midlands.
The WSL has also confirmed a slight adjustment to the kick-off time of our league clash with Everton at the end of this month.
Brian Sorensen’s side will be the visitors to LSV on Sunday 30 March, with that game brought forward two hours to noon, so it can be broadcast live in the UK on the BBC.
WSL fixtures to be played between 30 March and the final day are still subject to change as a result of broadcast selections.
ANFIELD AWAITS...
We’re off to Liverpool next Friday night at 7.15pm, for what is an exciting WSL clash: a first trip to Anfield, an 11th meeting with one of our biggest club rivals, and a chance to extend our winning league run to eight games.
If you haven’t yet secured your ticket(s), they are priced at £10/£5/£4 – to buy, visit tickets.manutd.com. her cup goal at Wolves. Voting for the award closed on Friday after we went to print, but keep an eye on ManUtd.com to see if either picked up the prize, which team-mate Ella Toone won for January.
Joining us here next Friday?
We’ll conclude our WSL season on a Saturday
Jayde and Teri were key performers last month
MELVIVE MAKES HER MARK
Photo
taken: Sunday 2 March 2025,
Leigh Sports Village
What’s the story? Melvine Malard keeps her cool as she finishes past Leicester keeper Janina Leitzig to put the Reds a goal up in our eventual 2-0 win in the WSL last Sunday. While it wasn’t our finest display of the season to date, with it coming just two days after so many of the squad returned from international duty, the list of post-match positives was extensive: a seventh straight league win, a division-high 10th clean sheet of the season, and – most importantly – another three points on a day when leaders Chelsea drew at Brighton, with United now sitting five points below the Blues in second place, and Sonia Bompastor’s side due to visit LSV next month (got your tickets yet?) For Malard, it was a reminder of her quality as she led the line in Elisabeth Terland’s absence due to injury – presenting Marc Skinner with, in his words, “a great headache” when it comes to his attacking options as a big month in two competitions continues today...
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Captain’s column
MLT
THE SKIPPER ON FAMILY, TOGETHERNESS, AND FA CUP AMBITIONS...
Last weekend was a massive win after the international break. The first game back can always be a bit of a banana skin because so many of the players have been away.
It was really important to get three points on the board, and we did just that against Leicester. We weren’t happy with our performance in the second half and that just shows our mindset – we always strive for better; we always want to improve.
To get another win and another clean sheet when we had players out was important, and we want to keep that momentum going into today’s FA Cup game against Sunderland. We’ve had a really good run in the Cup in the past few seasons and of course we’d love to have another long run this time around.
Our squad is so together and that showed with the players who came in last weekend. They’d been waiting for their chance and they took it well. Ever since I’ve been at United, I’ve felt that togetherness of this squad. Even as a new player, I could sense that everyone looks after each other, no matter what.
We’ve had some difficult personal situations this year and we’ve really tried to help players as much as we can, and I think everyone would say the same. I’m proud to be part of this group.
Every day going into training with the staff and players is an absolute blessing.
My family were at the game last weekend which was really special – I think my granny is more famous than me now! She loves coming to games when she can. It can be a little difficult with the flights [from Guernsey] and that’s the first game she’s come to in over a year, so she was buzzing. She was a bit gutted because she forgot her hat but the truth is my mum refused to carry it through the airport because it was a huge United one!
My granny is a massive support for me. She’s had a tough time recently so it’s really nice that she could put on her shirt and come and watch me play. She doesn’t stop giving me her opinions on the games either and I’m sure that’ll be the same after today’s game!
Maya was proud of how we got the job done last Sunday
CRUNCHING
OVERALL RECORD
DOWN THE CUP
Our fifth-round win at Wolves was our 20th FA Cup outing –– here we look at the journey so far…
77,390
6,876
MULTIPLE WINNERS
PLAYERS TO WIN THE CUP WITH UNITED AND ANOTHER CLUB
x4 NIKITA PARRIS
MAN CITY (2017, 2019), ARSENAL (2021), UNITED (2024) x3
HANNAH BLUNDELL
CHELSEA (2015, 2018), UNITED (2024) x2 RACHEL WILLIAMS
ANOTHER CURRENT RED TO HAVE WON THE CUP ELSEWHERE
BIRMINGHAM (2010), UNITED (2024) DOMINIQUE JANSSEN ARSENAL (2016) 15
AND THEN THERE WERE EIGHT…
THE 55TH EDITION OF THE WOMEN’S FA CUP HAS REACHED THE QUARTER FINAL STAGE, WITH THE REMAINING TEAMS –– SEVEN FROM THE WSL AND ONE FROM THE CHAMPIONSHIP –– NOW JUST TWO STEPS FROM WEMBLEY...
Words Charlie Ghagan
well-worn cliché) the magic of the Cup is all about shock results and unexpected heroes, with the long road to Wembley always throwing up upsets. With every FA Cup tie settled on the day – via extra-time and penalties if necessary – the underdogs so often find a way to prevail, especially if they have a lead to hold on to with all their collective fight.
United v Sunderland is the only Saturday fixture in the quarters, with the other three games taking place tomorrow, beginning with City v Villa at Joie Stadium. Gareth Taylor’s City will naturally be pleased to be at home, but above all, they’ll be thankful for not having to face Chelsea. The reason?
From the 134 ties played in the first qualifying round in early September – the wonderfully named Appledore, Long Itchington, Bishops Cleeve, Borrowash Victoria and Toby among those to progress – just seven fixtures remain in this season’s Women’s FA Cup, four of which will be played over the course of this weekend.
A glance at the quarter-finals schedule – City v Villa, Chelsea v Palace, United v Sunderland and Arsenal v Liverpool – might suggest the draw couldn’t have gone any better for the established ‘big four’, who all avoided each other while also claiming home advantage. Never before have the semis consisted of City, United, Arsenal and Chelsea, however – just two of that quartet have progressed in each of the past two seasons – and (to use that
City’s schedule immediately after this game reads: Chelsea (League Cup final), Chelsea at home (Champions League quarter-final first leg), Chelsea at home (WSL), Chelsea away (UWCL quarter-final second leg). City were first out the hat when the FA Cup draw was made in the Wembley dressing room on 11 January, but DJ Monki spared Taylor’s charges a fifth back-to-back game with Sonia Bompastor’s side after she pulled Villa out as the away team.
Villa have had a turbulent time of it since Carla Ward’s exit as manager last summer, with their latest boss, ex-Real Sociedad boss Natalia Arroyo, following Robert de Pauw, and then interim head coach Shaun Goater, into the hotseat this season after she was appointed in mid-January. City and Villa last met as recently as late January, in what
Can United make it three Wembley finals in a row?
was Goater’s final game as gaffer, with City winning a topsy-turvy encounter 4-2 at Villa Park. The Villans have struggled defensively this season but with attacking threats such as ex-Red Kirsty Hanson, Brazilian international Gabi Nunes and versatile Lioness Rachel Daly to call upon, they’ll always be a threat. Indeed, Daly is already into double figures for the season in all competitions – can their prolific no.9 help them spring a shock in Manchester?
As for City, what a huge month March is set to be – yes, they might have lost ground in the title race, but if they can get past Chelsea in two knockout tournaments, while beating Villa in a third one, all of a sudden they’ll be plotting a cup treble. The return to fitness of key players Lauren Hemp and Alex Greenwood could be key in this respect – the pair are back in training following knee injuries, but Taylor has suggested that he’ll be cautious about rushing them back too early, despite the importance of their March fixtures.
Heading into the FA Cup quarter-finals, Chelsea are favourites to lift the trophy – as they are for the WSL and League Cup, although Barcelona and Lyon are slightly shorter odds for the UWCL. The Blues are unbeaten all season under Bompastor (23 wins and two draws – against Leicester and Brighton in the WSL). Chelsea’s previous meeting with their FA
ARSENAL HAVEN’T LIFTED THE ICONIC TROPHY SINCE 2015/16
AND WILL FEEL THAT SUCCESS NUMBER 15 IS WELL OVERDUE
Cup quarter-final opponents Palace was a 7-0 away win at Selhurst Park back in September, but the Blues made much harder work of it when facing the Eagles in last season’s FA Cup, with Mayra Ramirez scoring late at Kingsmeadow to give the Blues a 1-0 fifth-round win. Palace – who last week sacked manager Laura Kaminski – will surely have their work cut out at Kingsmeadow, as the club competes in the quarters for the first time. Chelsea loanees Lexi Potter and Aniek Nouwen will both be ineligible, but the rest of the squad will no doubt see this short trip across south London as a nice distraction away from their WSL relegation battle. That Chelsea v Palace game kicks off at 2.30pm tomorrow, as does Arsenal v Liverpool, with Meadow Park in Borehamwood hosting this one. The Gunners are the most successful side in the competition’s 55-year history, having won it 14
Cup favourites Chelsea face Palace, having knocked the Eagles out of the tournament last season (pictured)
Beard’s second spell as Liverpool boss ended last week
City: not facing Chelsea for a change this month
times, but they haven’t lifted the iconic trophy since 2015/16. Arsenal have lost two finals since then –both to Chelsea – and as such will feel that success no.15 is well overdue. Much like City and Chelsea, Arsenal do have UWCL distractions in March – in their case a double-header with Real Madrid – but Renee Slegers’ side will probably feel the FA Cup is their best chance of silverware in the weeks ahead.
For the Merseysiders, it was 1996 when they last reached the Women’s FA Cup final and Liverpool still await their first success in the Cup. Last week saw them sack manager Matt Beard, with Amber Whiteley taking interim charge. As we saw under Beard in recent seasons, Liverpool are very capable of plucking a big result out of nowhere – Arsenal will remember that from the WSL last season, when the Reds of Merseyside silenced 55,000 home fans at the Emirates – so don’t be surprised to see a tight affair in Borehamwood, especially if the visitors can benefit from a timely ‘new manager bounce’.
And that leaves the holders – and the only side to have beaten Chelsea in this competition since Everton managed it in September 2020. How Marc Skinner and his Reds (not to mention us fans) would love a third FA Cup final on the spin come May, but no one will be thinking of a Wembley return yet, with Sunderland next up today. The Black Cats are the only non-WSL side left in the Cup, but much like Palace at Chelsea this weekend – and to a lesser extent Liverpool at Arsenal, as well as Villa at City – the pressure and expectation will be off them as they aim to reach the semi-finals. Our only previous Cup meeting with Sunderland, played two years ago, was far from one-sided as we progressed by a 2-1 scoreline, and Skinner will be demanding a totally professional display, as we saw against two other lower-league sides in West Brom and Wolves in the previous rounds.
It’s all set to be an exciting weekend of action, with all four games broadcast live – three, including this LSV game, on the Women’s FA Cup YouTube channel, with City v Villa on BBC One tomorrow lunchtime. For the four winners it’s £90,000 in prize money (the defeated sides will receive £22,500), but more importantly it’s the opportunity to get within one game of Wembley, with the semi-finals to take place on the weekend of 12/13 April. ●
The second-tier Black Cats are the outsiders in the quarter-finals
Villa edged past Brighton in a fifth-round thriller
Arsenal saw off London City Lionesses in the last round
PLAY WITH STYLE
WHAT IS STYLE?
It’s Control. Creativity. And being prepared to cross that line. It’s the freedom to do your thing and play to your own whistle. It’s the ‘I’ in Individuality and the ‘You’ in UNITED.
www.remington.co.uk/manutd
Isaac loves the Reds and cheers us on with his mum from behind the goal.
Here’s Ruby, whose favourite player is Lisa.
James and Yvonne loved their recent chat with Rachel.
Alyssa, aged nine, thinks Phallon is an inspiration, both on and off the pitch.
Summer Gibson is 14 and follows Leah and the Reds up and down the country.
‘Come on United!’ says Ellie Anson, pictured with all her matchday crew at Wembley.
Here is Megan and Rukia with Rachel.
● Belated birthday wishes to Will Owen, who recently turned 13. ● Dylan Owen celebrated his birthday on 16 February – we hope you had a brilliant one! ● Happy 16th birthday to Hannah Price for earlier this month ● Enjoy your day at LSV, Paul Hayes! ● Happy birthday, Dad – 57 years a Red! Lots of love, Eloise
Happy birthday to Rachel who is attending the game with husband Lee and daughter Hannah. Also a happy silver wedding to Rachel and Lee for 11 March.
Izzy Pearson sent us this selfie –we hope you all enjoy the game!
...are the team for me!
CERYS JONES KNOWS HER STUFF WHEN IT COMES TO THE MIGHTY REDS AND THE STUDENT-TURNED-SCRIBE IS DREAMING OF A WEMBLEY RETURN THIS SEASON...
I never could have imagined that United Women would have changed my life like they have.
Growing up going to Old Trafford and playing myself since I was six, it stung that there was no women’s team at my club, so there was always a separation between me and the game I loved. I clearly remember the moment that changed, watching the first WSL Manchester derby with my mum at the Etihad. From my reaction when Jackie Groenen hit the post and I thought we had equalised, I knew I had another United team that was going to make or break my weekends. Since then, United Women have taken me to stadiums across the country, led me to a brilliant community, and set me on the path to my dream career.
I’ve always loved football, but anyone who saw my lanky 11-year-old self play could’ve told you there wasn’t a career for me on the pitch! What I’ve always been good at, though, is writing. I started my journalism degree at Sheffield in 2022 and after the 2023 Women’s World Cup, I decided to try my hand at football journalism. Now I spend most weekends traipsing back and forth across the Peaks on packed trains, jumping in my parents’ car at Stockport station to get a lift to Leigh so that I can report from the press box. It’s a privilege to be able to ask the managers questions I know fans want the answers to, whether it’s about tactics, new transfers, or our young players coming through.
My work led to me getting a message from Conner, who runs the All For United WFC channel, to see if I’d like to come on the show. That was in January 2024. Since then, we’ve been nominated at the Football Content Awards at Spurs’ stadium, I present a live tactics show with hundreds of viewers, and we’ve got over 10,000 amazing followers on X who love hearing us talk all things United Women. This January, I was blown away when one viewer from the USA was visiting Manchester and got in touch to offer me and my dad two free tickets to the men’s game against
May 2023 – which included Ladd’s derby day cracker – was a month Cerys will never forget
Southampton, just because he loved the channel. It was an incredible gesture and just shows the community this team has created.
Reporting on United Women has given me memories I’ll always cherish. In September, I watched United beat West Ham 3-0 on the opening day of the season from the Old Trafford press box. That was somewhere I’d only squinted at from our seats in the Sir Alex Ferguson Stand, and not somewhere I would’ve dreamed I’d be at age 20. My matchdays aren’t usually that glamorous, though, and some of the best ones have been in the stands.
The FA Cup final at Wembley last season was incredible, but even better was the semi-final against Chelsea. I think a bar at the back of the North Stand terrace is probably still dented from how tightly I was hanging on, but the feeling at full-time was unmatched. Liverpool away on the last day of the 2022/23 season is another highlight, but my favourite ever United game – men’s or women’s – was the derby at Leigh the week before. I had to convince my dad to drive me all the way back to Sheffield afterwards so I didn’t miss a uni exam the next day, but that Hayley
“From my reaction when Groenen hit the post in the derby, I knew another United team was going to make or break my weekends...”
Ladd goal made it completely worth it – I can’t even remember what the exam was about now!
The final year of uni is stopping me from taking on too many away days, but I’m excited to be back at Leigh for this FA Cup tie. Some of our players are in such fantastic form – particularly Tullis-Joyce, Miyazawa, Tooney, Bizet, and Terland – and I wonder if I’ll get to tick reporting on United from the Wembley press box off my bucket list…
You can read more from Cerys on X @reallycerys, or hear from her @AllForUnitedWFC
With Mum and Dad (and a strong selection of United shirts!) at last season’s Women’s FA Cup final
2024/25 POSTER LEAH GALTON
#28 Rachel Williams
FACTFILE
DATE OF BIRTH 10 January 1988
PLACE OF BIRTH Leicester
POSITION Forward
YOUTH CAREER
Linden Old Girls, Leicester City
SENIOR CAREER
2004-08 Leicester City
2008-10 Doncaster Rovers Belles
44 games, 15 goals
2010 Leicester City
3 games, 0 goals
2011-13 Birmingham City, 49 games, 28 goals
2014 Chelsea 12 games, 6 goals
2015-17 Notts County
43 games, 15 goals
2017-20 Birmingham City
41 games, 9 goals
2020-22 Tottenham Hotspur
38 games, 6 goals
2022- Manchester United 73 games, 21 goals
INTERNATIONAL CAREER
England: 15 caps, 4 goals
Great Britain (2012 Olympics) 1 cap, 0 goals
WHETHER IT’S COACHING OR CO-COMMENTARY, WILLIAMS IS STARTING TO THINK ABOUT THE FUTURE
–– BUT TODAY OUR EVERGREEN FORWARD WILL ONLY BE FOCUSED ON MAKING AN ON-FIELD IMPACT IN A COMPETITION SHE HAS A PROUD HISTORY IN, HAVING FIRST WON THE CUP 13 YEARS AGO...
Interview: Zoe Hodges
We have Sunderland next in the FA Cup, Rachel – what are you expecting from this game?
When it comes to Sunderland I think ‘physicality’ – you know, they’re from up north, they’ve been around a long time. Whenever I’ve played them, it’s always been tough and relentless, with them having a never-say-die attitude. We’ve just got to make sure that it’s about us, that we really take the game to them, and we make it hard for them.
You played the full 90 when we last faced them in 2023 – what are your memories of that day, on what looked like a tricky pitch to play on... I remember it being really windy and the pitch being bad. Their fans can go really close to the pitch, so they made the atmosphere loud and nervy. Those are the kind of games where you feel like you need to do more, but actually probably less is more sometimes. I remember it being physical. There were a few tackles going in, and it’s exactly what they’ll do again in this game but it’s at Leigh so that’s our fortress now. We’re on a good run in Leigh and a lot of teams we speak to say they hate coming to our place.
The FA Cup is a competition you have many great memories of, not just at United. Generally speaking, how much do you love the Cup?
Just being a kid, watching the men and following it with friends and my brother... the FA Cup is in my heart, I’ve always loved it, and I’ve always had a good run in it. I remember thinking a few years ago, I need another final in my life – I hadn’t been in one for a while, and now we’ve done two in a row.
Tell us about your memories of the 2012 final, when you first won it, with Birmingham. Does it →
almost feel like a different competition these days, considering its huge growth since then? Yeah, well, it felt really big back then! But where the game is now, it’s such a massive occasion, and a lot of players can struggle with the nerves of how big it can be at times. But I think for Birmingham at the time, it was really important for the club. Both finals I’ve won are two very different feelings but both have felt just as big and empowering to me.
You were instrumental in the competition last year, scoring in both the semi-final and the final – are they up there with some of the best goals you’ve ever scored, in terms of importance? Absolutely – the season before as well, coming on against Brighton and getting the winner to send us through [to the final]. I’ve got a bit older and I have to keep reinventing myself, no matter what that will be. I’m getting known for being a super sub but I just remember getting the nod for the semi-final [v Chelsea] and Leah was sat next to me, and we grabbed each other and kept saying it was the biggest 90 minutes of our life – if we can get a goal, and then another one, we’ll have momentum. We’ll have
control. And the second goal we scored [by Rachel], in those few moments, we looked at each other and said, ‘this could actually happen!’, but you want to stay in the moment and not get carried away. Then I got given the start in the final. Even if I didn’t start, like we’re a team – we win, lose and draw together – so to start, then lift the Cup... it blew my mind. You can want something so bad and it’s in your control, so you give everything so you can get it.
Your heading ability proved vital last season on our path to silverware, and it continues to be a key part of your game. Is heading something you’ve had to practise over the years, or is it just something you were a natural at? Growing up, I was always that kid who’d watch someone do something, and think ‘I want to do that’. I want to be as fast as those I’m playing with, the boys, and be as strong as them too. My brother was always saying to me, “If you play with us, you need to be as strong as us and if anyone hurts you, don’t cry, you get up and carry on.”
So it was probably thanks to my brother, he gave me that no-fear attitude that if he crossed the ball, I was going to head it. A lot of people say →
Rachel was in lethal form against the Baggies in round four, even if she had to make do with just the two goals (turn the page for more on that)
UNITED TO DELIVER EXCELLENCE
“Both FA Cup finals I’ve won have felt just as big and empowering to me”
that, with my head, I’m a cheat code, because I can do things with it that they’ve not seen before. But if you’ve got that fearless attitude to head in, and you just learn the angles and little flicks and tricks, it can be such an advantage.
Would you say that the experience of winning the club’s first major trophy has been the catalyst for the squad’s fantastic start to the current season? It’s definitely made us hungry for more. A lot of this season’s all-round game has been down to the staff. They’ve worked incredibly hard on what they want from us, areas we need to improve on. They’re constantly teaching us individually, if we do our clips with the staff, or if we’re in a big group in the analysis room. It’s those little advantages and everyone’s bought into it; everyone’s got their heads down and cracked on. We’ve just got such a togetherness that we want the best for each other, no matter who’s starting or finishing the game. Squad players that aren’t getting on as much – they’re supporting, encouraging, being around the team, organising
...while she was on the scoresheet again at Wembley 12 years later, and this time almost 80,000 were watching from the stands
social nights. We’ve got to keep riding that wave as it keeps us humble. We’re not looking at the table or anybody else, and we want to make sure that wherever we finish, we’re there because we deserve it.
Let’s look to the future: you’ve spoken before about life after football and the possibility of going into coaching. Where are you up to with that? Have you taken any coaching badges? I’ll be starting my badges this season. I always said I was never going to do coaching, I’d go back into plastering [which Rachel did alongside football before turning professional] – I love all of that but as I got older, I’m enjoying the game more. I do like to coach and help players. So, I like the idea of being a forwards coach. I like spotting players with talent and helping them get on different pathways. I’m definitely going to do my badges and see where that leads. Who knows, maybe one day I’ll be on United’s coaching staff!
Not that we want to see you retire any time soon, but it must cross your mind a bit as to ‘what’s
Taking on today’s visitors in the Cup just over two years ago
The 2012 final saw Rach and Birmingham beat Chelsea in front of 8,700 fans at Ashton Gate...
next? We also reckon you’d make a great TV pundit with your enthusiasm and personality... I’ve been told that loads of times when I’ve done interviews and been on TV. I’ve had a lot of positive feedback, friends, family, and one time, Dion Dublin messaged me and said he really liked my interview, that it was down to earth and grounded. That was a nice message to receive! So yeah, I would go into punditry. I’d need a bit of media training, because I’d probably forget myself and think I was just being a fan, or maybe say the wrong thing, or swear [laughs]! But anything to do with football, I’m passionate for it. Being in the women’s game for so long, helping to build it to where it’s at now, for me to have to retire, I’m going to struggle with that one. So maybe I won’t quite retire, I’ll probably drop down and play lower league. I’ll probably still be playing when I’m 50, trying to get into that Man United team [laughs]!
How do you think Maya has handled stepping up to the captain’s role this season? While you don’t wear the armband, such is your experience you must be considered one of the most authoritative voices in the squad – would you agree with that statement, and is that a role you enjoy? Maya has been absolutely brilliant. You know, she was so young coming in but she’s grown by about 10
“Maya’s grown by 10 feet as captain, but she knows there’s a few of us older ones she can bounce off”
feet. She does everything on and off the pitch. So for me, it was a great choice from the staff for Maya to be captain. She’s young, hungry, and so professional in what she does. Hats off to her for getting the armband. She knows there’s a few of us older ones she can bounce off for anything she needs. I don’t always feel the need to speak up, it’s very much a team thing. But at times I’ve spoken up – like against Villa, I went in the changing room at half-time and said a few words for the girls, and just told them to take a breath. Then I’ve been put in the leadership group as well. So Maya knows she’s got quite a few of us there to help with whatever she needs help with.
You’ve said previously that you think your pace is getting better with age. What’s your secret? And where would you finish in a squad sprint race?
Whether as a starter or from the bench, Williams’s importance to the United cause remains as strong as ever in her third season with the Reds
I don’t know where I’d finish, but I feel like I’d be up there, definitely. I think it’s through years of playing, I’ve just been able to hold a pace for a long distance. I’ve always kept my power and my pace quite high in the gym, whether that be hamstring, glute work, I’ve always been quite strong. So just my gym work, really. Also what keeps me hungry is I’m very competitive, and having these young whipper-snappers coming in and out-doing me – I’m too competitive for that!
Do you ever feel like, ‘I wish I was 10 years younger because the women’s game is starting to boom’, or do you look at it in more of a glass-half-full way – that you’re still at the top level aged 37, and you’re so grateful to play at such an exciting time? Yeah, I’m not one for thinking I wish I could have done this or that... I’ve seen where the women’s game has come from and I appreciate we had nothing back then. We paid to play, so to see where these girls are at now, I just think to them, go and enjoy yourself. Make the most of it, but stay humble with it. Don’t get too arrogant with it, because I think that’s what’s been really good with the women’s game – that we’ve made it like a family day out, we interact, it’s sportsmanlike. My journey, I think it’s because of going through all that, that’s why I’m still going now. I’ve done the hard work and now I’m getting to enjoy it. ●
BIZET TAKES THE TREBLE!
One FA Cup talking point that has gained traction in recent weeks surrounds Rachel’s first goal in her hat-trick v West Brom, with much debate as to whether Celin Bizet got the decisive touch – and therefore a treble herself, with Celin going on to score two more. We can now confirm that the goal has been awarded to Celin... and naturally we had to ask Rach about that! “Well, what happened is I got given the matchball, I had it the whole week and got everybody to sign it, and I was to take it home – and then the stat group notified the club to say the hat-trick was being giving to Celin,” she tells us, before adding with a smile: “So then I kicked off and said, ‘Well, I don’t want the ball then!’ [laughs] and so the ball has just been sat in the changing room ever since.” Recalling the goal – a towering header (below) which bounced down off the bar and on to the goal line before Bizet tapped it home to put us 2-0 up, Rach says: “As soon as it happened, I said to Celin, ‘Is it yours, mate? Did you touch it?’ She was a bit wary of the answer, because I don’t know if something happened before that – if there was an incident or an offside – and it was my birthday weekend, so she was like, ‘no Rach, you have it for your birthday!’ So there was a discussion, but none of us were bothered. We were just happy to get into the next round.”
Rach uses her head once again – but Bizet would tap the rebound over the goal line
Rach credits the togetherness of the entire squad and backroom staff for our strong recent form
FOR THE FANS...
Premier
League project gives young Reds memorable matchdays – get involved!
Junior fans, including some Manchester United Foundation participants, are benefiting from a series of new matchday activities here at Leigh Sports Village, which have been put in place during recent home matchdays for United Women.
The Premier League Fans Fund is enabling our young people to access exciting new opportunities, as part of a programme that strengthens connections between football clubs, fans and communities.
Chief among these new experiences being offered at LSV is the chance to take a penalty at half-time against Fred the Red! Last weekend, Holly –a partner primary school pupil at Partington Central Academy – experienced that for herself.
“I was nervous about taking a penalty but once I got on the pitch, all my worries went away because the crowd cheered, and it made me feel good,” said Holly.
“I really enjoyed taking the penalty against Fred – and I loved how the stadium announcer said my name too! I feel very lucky to be given this opportunity by my school and the Foundation.”
The Foundation nominates two participants to take part in
the half-time activity, which occurs for each LSV clash with a daytime kick-off. Primary delivery officer Emma Henson explained why Holly was chosen to participate. “Holly is a kind and caring classmate who is determined and driven to succeed,” she said. “She has taken on the additional duty of a play leader at school, stepping into the role with confidence. She is a great role model to all the younger children.”
The Fans Fund project also includes free football sessions for all fans (juniors must be accompanied by an adult) on LSV matchdays, from two hours prior to kick-off. These sessions, delivered by
Foundation coaches, take place on the MUGA (multi-use games area) pitch behind the nearby Whistling Wren pub, with more than 120 fans taking part in the first four sessions. And post-match, our coaches facilitate meet-and-greet opportunities for Junior season ticket holders with their Reds heroes – with 140 fans benefiting from the first four opportunities of this kind.
For more information, visit ManUtd.com/lsvmatchday
For our young supporters such as Holly (also pictured below), the new LSV activities have added extra fun to matchdays!
Today’s visitors:
SUNDERLAND
About our opponents...
Nickname: The Black Cats; The Lasses
Founded: 1989 (as The Kestrels)
Ground: Eppleton Colliery Welfare
Ground, Sunderland (2,500 capacity)
Last season: Championship 3rd; FA Cup fourth round; League Cup quarter-finals
Top scorer this season (all competitions):
Eleanor Dale (12)
Best achievement:
WSL 2 (second-tier) champions 2014; FA Cup runners-up 2008/09
Sunderland have played a big role in the modern history of English women’s football. The North East is a hotbed of talent and future Lionesses Jill Scott, Steph Houghton, Lucy Bronze, Beth Mead, Jordan Nobbs, Demi Stokes and Lucy Staniforth all came through with the Black Cats before enjoying stellar careers.
Today’s visitors last appeared in the WSL in 2018. Despite playing top-flight football during the previous decade, their application to join the new league in 2011 was unsuccessful. Promotion finally came four years later and they were a competitive mid-table side, but subsequent restructuring denied them a place in either the new-look WSL or Championship in 2018, meaning they were forced to start afresh in tier three. When successive National League seasons were voided due to Covid-19, a 2021 application for promotion
into the Championship was granted, where they’ve remained ever since. Last season saw Sunderland finish in third place, only four points behind promoted Crystal Palace – a major improvement on their previous ninth and 11th place finishes. A highly competitive Championship in 2024/25 has seen them fall off the pace, however – they currently lie in sixth, eight points adrift of leaders Birmingham with just five games left to play (and only one side going up).
Last weekend’s 2-0 win over Durham severely dented their regional rivals’ own promotion hopes, but it may have come too late for Melanie Reay’s side. They’ve won home and away against Durham in the league this season – something United were unable to achieve in 2018/19 – with the first of those victories in October sparking a four-game winning streak.
Currently sixth in the Championship, the Black Cats have scored 13 goals in three FA Cup ties, conceding just once
LAST LINE-UP:
v DURHAM (HOME), CHAMPIONSHIP, 02.03.25
SUBS USED: WATSON, JONES, M c ATEER, CASSAP, BEER
RECORD V THE REDS
Played: 1 (29.01.23, Eppleton CW, right)
Sunderland wins: 0
United wins: 1
Draws: 0
Sunderland goals: 1
United goals: 2
But a slow start to the campaign, along with a disappointing recent run that’s seen them take eight points from a possible 18 since mid-December, underlines a lack of consistency.
One key player who won’t feature today is top scorer Eleanor Dale, ruled out for potentially the rest of the season after injuring her knee against Birmingham last month. The 23-year-old striker had been in blistering form, with 12 goals for the season, including a four-goal haul against Exeter in the fourth round of the FA Cup. Fourth-tier Huddersfield (4-0 at home), and Championship rivals Portsmouth (2-0 away), have been their other wins en route to today’s trip to Leigh.
HEAD COACH LOCAL STAR
Much like her famous cousin, Alan Shearer, Melanie Reay was a prolific Newcastle striker as a player. She started out as a junior with the Kestrels, the club that later became Sunderland, before joining Newcastle in 2006. After morphing into a player-coach with the Magpies, Reay returned home to the Black Cats a decade ago, first as an assistant, and she’s led their senior side since 2017.
Hailing from Bishop Auckland in neighbouring Co Durham, Emily Scarr is among the locally raised contingent in the squad. The 25-year-old forward made the switch from Middlesbrough in 2020 after showing her potential as a goalscorer. She’s been named the club’s Player of the Season in each of the last two years and signed a new contract last summer.
LOAN TALENT
Republic of Ireland
international Jessie Stapleton is spending the season on loan from West Ham as she aims to establish herself in senior football – by her own admission seeking to build “experience and maturity” in the fledgling stage of her career.
The 20-year-old defender, who is a technically able ball-playing centre-back, had a similar spell at Reading in the second half of 2023/24.
(ANSWERS AT FOOT OF PAGE)
WHO’S MISSING?
COMPLETE THE STARTING XI FROM WHEN WE LAST PLAYED SUNDERLAND, IN JANUARY 2023… WE’VE ADDED THE FLAGS FROM THEIR NATIONAL TEAM TO HELP!
GK _____
RB BATLLE
CB LE TISSIER
CB TURNER
LB BLUNDELL
CM ZELEM
CM ___ ____
RW ______
AM TOONE
LW PARRIS
ST WILLIAMS
CAN YOU FIND ALL FIVE OF THE TEAMS WE FACED EN ROUTE TO WINNING THE FA CUP LAST SEASON?
L H Y G
S M U
Leah Galton;
Mared Griffiths; 3. Ella Toone
PUT THESE PREVIOUS FA CUP OPPONENTS IN ORDER OF HOW OFTEN WE’VE FACED THEM (IN ALL COMPETITIONS), STARTING WITH THE ONES WE’VE PLAYED MOST...
1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th REARRANGE THE LETTERS TO FIND THREE REDS WHO’VE SCORED IN THE FA CUP THIS SEASON…
Helping our young people tell their stories.
FOLLOW ALONG
Stats AT THE BACK
WOMEN’S SUPER LEAGUE TABLE, 2024/25
UNITED APPEARANCES & GOALS, 2024/25
WSL TOP SCORERS, 2024/25
WSL TOP ASSISTS, 2024/25
A CLOSER LOOK...
By finding the net against Leicester last weekend, both Leah Galton and Melvine Malard (left) reached five for the season, joining Celin Bizet, Grace Clinton, Elisabeth Terland and Ella Toone in reaching at least that number for 2024/25. We’re still awaiting a first Red to reach double figures, with Terland (9) leading the way ahead of her recent wrist injury. Who’ll be first to reach 10?
FIXTURES + RESULTS
ADDED-TIME QUIZ
Which Reds defender was in Marc Skinner’s Birmingham side that faced Chelsea in the 2017 FA Cup final?
2.
Who are the northern-most side United Women have ever faced in a league fixture?
Who were our opponents in the Reds’ first-ever FA Cup quarter-final, in 2019 (played at the stadium below)?
1. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7.
Who was the first-ever player to score for United Women in front of an Old Trafford crowd?
During United’s debut season, in the 2018/19 Championship, which future Red finished second in the WSL scoring charts, with 19 for Manchester City?
What is the sum total of the two squad numbers Maya Le Tissier has worn for United since her 2022 arrival from Brighton?
Excluding loans, for which WSL club have the most members of the current squad also played, with three Reds having been with this team in the past?
8.
Who has the most international caps among the current United Women squad, having represented her country more than 100 times?
9. 10.
Against which team have the Reds drawn the most competitive games, with four of 17 meetings finishing level after 90 minutes?
Who has scored United’s quickest goal so far this season, doing so in the second minute (pictured and pixelated below)?
Gabby George and Millie Turner): 8. Dominique Janssen, 9. Manchester City; 10. Ella Toone (v Brighton at home)
