BARCLAYS WOMEN’S SUPER LEAGUE
SUNDAY 5 MARCH 2023 • 12.30PM £2
04
_ HEAD COACH’S COLUMN ↑
_ INSIDE STORIES
_ LAST TIME OUT
_ CAPTAIN’S COLUMN
_ THE OPPOSITION
_ JUNIOR REDS
_ FAN MESSAGES
Top of the world Mary Earps had high praise for those who helped her on her way to an incredible achievement in Paris on Monday.
Rachel Williams In a revealing interview, the Leicester-born striker opens up about life at United, and her challenging journey to get here.
MANCHESTER UNITED FOOTBALL CLUB
_ PLAYER & TEAM STATISTICS
_ REDS ON REWIND
Co-chairmen Joel Glazer, Avram Glazer Directors Bryan Glazer, Kevin Glazer, Edward Glazer, Darcie Glazer Kassewitz, 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, Courtney Hill, Jamie Spencer, Matthew Brown, Matthew Holt Design Tom Chase, Andy Ball Photography Ash Donelon, John & Matt Peters, Madeleine Penfold, Getty, Alamy Thanks to Steve Bennett, Elayna Currie, John Shiel/MuPrint.com. © Manchester United 2023
Hello and welcome back to Leigh Sports Village. As we enter March, we know we’ve got a big month of fixtures ahead of us – a group of matches we’re all excited about: three big Women’s Super League games, including another at Old Trafford, and an FA Cup quarter-final away at Lewes.
As clichéd as it sounds, we really do take each game as it comes, and don’t get too far ahead of ourselves. It is so important to remain in the present, to play the version of football we want to play in the moment.
Compared to this time last year, this group of players have more understanding of winning now, of the consistency and expectations they have of themselves as individuals, each other and as a team.
It has been a big 12 months for a lot of our players, with lots of learning and development, and accolades and achievements along the way too. Two I’d like to highlight today are Millie Turner and Mary Earps.
It was an honour to present Millie with a commemorative shirt to mark her 100th appearance for Manchester United last week. She is a unique character within our team and has this wonderful energy and simplicity about her. It’s football, life, laughing and friendship with Millie. To come through what she’s been through with her injury but be the same great soul is testament to the person she is. We’re delighted she’s signed a contract extension.
Earlier this week, Mary was named the Best FIFA Women’s Goalkeeper for 2022. We are all so proud of her. She continually impresses me with the steely
willpower she’s built up and the challenges she’s overcome to get to where she’s at now. She is a wonderful, driven goalkeeper – one of, if not the best, I have been fortunate enough to work with and a key part of what we’re building here.
She will no doubt be keen on a clean sheet against our visitors, Leicester City, today. They may be at the bottom of the league table currently, but I think they’re possibly in the best form of those teams battling to avoid relegation. And with a good result against Liverpool behind them, we have to expect them to come here with a renewed vibrancy and determination to get a result.
They’ll try to be aggressive and get on the ball; they will try to play because that’s what Willie Kirk wants to do. We’ve got to be right at our game, but that’s what I’d expect. We’ll look to control what we can control, be focused and energetic from the start. If we do that, we’re going to give ourselves the best chance of winning this game.
Enjoy the match.
With just three minutes of the first half to play in our last home outing, and with the FA Cup tie against Durham still goalless, the Reds won a free-kick 25 yards out, just to the left of the opposition goal – the perfect spot for Katie Zelem to shoot at goal... you would think. But while Zel stood close to the ball, it would be team-mate Vilde Boe Risa that took aim after referee Melissa Burgin had applied her vanishing spray and blown her whistle –and boy, did Vilde make it count, as she fired in an unstoppable shot that goalkeeper Naoisha McAloon was never going to keep out. Vilde’s fourth goal of the season, it was a moment our no.8 celebrated wildly (far right), setting us up nicely for a dominant second half. “I’ve scored a few [free-kicks] in training, so I told Zel, ‘If we get a free-kick today, I’m going to take it’,” smiled Vilde after the game. “When that one came, I thought ‘this is my time to shine – but I need to score or I’m never going to take a free-kick again!’” After such a moment of brilliance it would be fair to say we’ll probably see Vilde lining up a shot once again before too long...
Reds have a spring in their step as a hugely exciting month begins today
There’s nowhere else we’d rather be on a Sunday lunchtime than right here at Leigh Sports Village cheering on the Reds, especially now the stakes are getting increasingly high as the March schedule begins with Marc Skinner’s side top of the Women’s Super League, and into the last eight of the Women’s FA Cup.
It’s the former of those two major competitions that’s been the focus for the squad this week, following an impressive return from the international break seven days ago, when we put five past Durham without reply in the Cup.
With second-placed Chelsea –who we face next weekend – not in WSL action until Wednesday night on account of their Conti Cup final against Arsenal, victory today against Willie Kirk’s Foxes would put us four points clear at the top, although Chelsea would have two games in hand, underlying the importance of next Sunday’s trip to Kingsmeadow.
Nothing will be taken for granted against Leicester, however, with Kirk’s side enjoying a much-needed boost in form in recent weeks as they bid to climb out of the drop zone.
United won the previous meeting between the sides by a tight 1-0
margin in October, while our last WSL game at home, against Everton exactly one month ago, ended 0-0 following a frustrating 90 minutes.
So maximum concentration, hard work and some cool heads when the opportunities arise will be what Skinner asks from his Reds ahead of kick-off, and pleasingly the boss has almost a full squad to pick from for this game. In his midweek press conference, the manager confirmed that January arrival Lisa Naalsund is fit and has joined the squad fully in training, meaning the Norwegian midfielder could be in line to make her debut. With Aoife
The Reds are looking forward to playing in front of another large LSV crowd today
Mannion back to fitness, only Jayde Riviere – another mid-season arrival awaiting her bow – remains out, with the Canadian defender expected to be available by the end of the month. March will conclude, of course, with our fourth fixture at Old Trafford, with ticket sales going very well for the WSL game against West Ham (not got yours yet? Get yourself over to ManUtd.com/tickets then!) A positive start to the month against Leicester
The voting for the Reds’ Player of the Month award was open this week on the United app, with Hannah Blundell, Leah Galton, Maya Le Tissier and Millie Turner the four nominees, as decided by club journalists. The winner each month is decided by you fans, with last month’s POTM – the first such winner following its launch, being Mary Earps. The winner this time around was announced on
and Chelsea will only increase anticipation further for our big day in M16, as we look to beat the 30,196 attendance on our last visit there.
So all in, it’s a pretty good time to be a Red, as Skinner’s side look to emulate the recent trophy-lifting celebrations of the men’s team. And as ever, your support makes a massive difference, so don’t be shy to make some noise once that first whistle goes today. Come on United!
Friday, so if you don’t yet know who claimed the trophy following another unbeaten month for Marc Skinner’s side, visit the app or ManUtd.com.
United have been drawn to face Lewes away from home in the quarter-finals of the Women’s FA Cup. The Reds will travel south to East Sussex to face the Championship side at their home, The Dripping Pan (above), on Sunday 19 March (date and kick-off TBC). Having only previously once reached the last-eight stage, in our inaugural 2018/19 season, United will hope to reach a first FA Cup semi-final. Lewes were seventh in the Championship ahead of their midweek meeting with Bristol City, having won four, drawn four and lost four under manager Scott Booth. The Rooks have so far beaten London Bees, Ipswich and Cardiff to reach this round – the first FA Cup quarter-final in their history. The Reds have previously faced Lewes twice, winning both meetings in our 2018/19 Championship campaign. The other quarter-final ties are Aston Villa v Manchester City, Birmingham v Brighton, and Reading v Chelsea.
ALL IN, IT’S A PRETTY GOOD TIME TO BE A RED, AS SKINNER’S SIDE LOOK TO EMULATE THE RECENT TROPHY-LIFTING CELEBRATIONS
United goalkeeper Mary Earps was named Best Women’s Goalkeeper at FIFA’s ‘The Best’ awards in Paris earlier this week.
Our much-loved stopper has enjoyed a whirlwind 12 months for club and country, having claimed the Euros with England last summer.
The new episode of The Women’s Football Show is out now, and it’s packed with the usual array of expert opinion, fun player features, plus a few goals to enjoy from recent weeks. As ever, it’s hosted by MUTV’s Zarah Connolly (above), who is joined in the stands of Old Trafford by BBC Sport journalist Emma Sanders, as well as Manchester Laces founder Helen Hardy. As well as discussing recent results, they look ahead to our forthcoming game at Old Trafford. Elsewhere, eight players pair up for a game of ‘Guess Who?’ that makes for amusing viewing! You can watch the episode on the club app, ManUtd.com, MUTV, or simply scan the QR code below on your device.
Earps kept four clean sheets and conceded just two goals during the Lionesses’ triumphant campaign, resulting in the 2-1 win over Germany at Wembley in front of over 87,000 fans. At club level, Earps has played a major role in the Reds’ rise to the top of the Women’s Super League, keeping 10 clean sheets in 15 games in all competitions so far this season.
Earps beat off strong competition in the way of Chelsea’s Ann-Katrin Berger and Lyon’s Christiane Endler, marking an remarkable rise from Mary’s days as a youth player with today’s opponents Leicester City.
Having been with United since the summer of 2019, our 1-0 win against Reading last month was her 50th shut-out in the WSL – making her the first goalkeeper to achieve such a feat.
The 29-year-old’s recent displays also helped her win United’s inaugural Women’s Player of the Month award, as she goes from strength to strength.
Upon receiving her FIFA award at the star-studded Paris event, Earps
spoke with real honesty about the path her career has taken, referencing how she came close to quitting the game several years ago, before things started to take off in an incredible way.
“Thank you to everyone who vote for me, I feel honoured to be holding this trophy,” she said. “I just want to say thank you so much to my loved ones who have picked me up off the kitchen floor to be here today.
“Thank you so much to all of my team-mates, without them this wouldn’t be possible. The coaching staff at Manchester United and England but particularly [United and England goalkeeping coaches]
Ian Willcock and Darren Ward.
“Anyone who has ever been in a dark place, just know that there’s light at the end of the tunnel. Keep going. You can achieve anything you put your mind to. Sometimes success looks like this, collecting trophies; sometimes it’s just waking up and putting one step in front of the other. There’s only one of the you in the world, and that’s more than good enough. Be unapologetic for yourself. Thank you everyone.”
Alongside another Red in good form at the event!
Congratulations on your award, Mary. Everyone at Manchester United is extremely proud of you.
We are proud of Manchester United to have earned the Ecolab Science Certified™ seal.
A comprehensive, science-based program to help deliver a cleaner and safer stadium and training grounds for their fans, visitors, players and staff.
Learn more about how Manchester United achieved the seal at cleanmatters.ecolab.com
RECAP OF THE REDS’ MOST RECENT FIXTURES
Sun 26 Feb, 12pm, Women’s FA Cup
Boe Risa 42, Galton 52, Blundell 67, Russo 78, Parris 88 0
United progressed to the last eight of the FA Cup following a comprehensive victory over Championship side Durham.
The Reds were quick to make a lively start, demonstrating nice link-up play between midfield and attack. But for all our possession, the first real chance didn’t come until the 15th minute. Katie Zelem lifted a teasing ball into the box, met by the head of Leah Galton, but Durham keeper Naoisha McAloon was equal to it.
At the 30-minute mark, the visitors had a big chance as Mollie Lambert won possession just outside our area, before unleashing a thumping effort on goal. Mary Earps was alert to the danger, though, and made a big save to deny Durham the lead.
Just before half-time, Vilde Boe Risa delivered a moment of magic to break the deadlock. Our Norwegian no.8 stood over a free-kick, won by Hannah Blundell, and buried it brilliantly into the top corner.
United came out for the second half with real intent, flooding the opposition half in search of a second goal, which duly arrived on 52 minutes. And it was another excellent goal as Zelem’s searching ball over the top was right into the path of Galton who, one-on-one with the keeper, made no mistake in lifting the ball into the net.
To the delight of the home fans, the Reds kept peppering the Durham goal at any given opportunity – and Blundell added a third soon after the hour mark. Boe Risa rattled the crossbar before Ona Batlle picked up the loose ball and played it into her fellow full-back, with our no.6 taking the shot first time on the half-volley and sweeping it into the bottom corner.
A handful of changes in the final 20 minutes included Alessia Russo entering the fray and she needed just five minutes to make an impact. Zelem was the creator for the Reds once again, lifting a dangerous free-kick into the box where Russo rose highest to head up and over McAloon.
Minutes before the end, substitute Nikita Parris put the finishing touch to a five-star afternoon as she poked home United’s fifth of the game.
UNITED (4-2-3-1): Earps; Batlle, Le Tissier, Turner, Blundell (Mannion 74); Ladd, Zelem; Garcia (Parris 58), Boe Risa (Russo 73), Galton (Leon 73); Thomas (Williams 73). Subs not used: Baggaley, Thorisdottir, Toone, Tounkara
DURHAM (4-3-3): McAloon; Robert (Salicki 70), McFadden, Wilson, Ayre; Hepple, Lambert, Crosthwaite (Christon 75); Galloway (Noonan 61), Clarke (Farrugia 70), Bradley (Briggs 70). Subs not used: Saunders, Hardy.
Booked: Robson
Referee: Melissa Burgin Att: 1,461
First of all, I’d just like to say we’re all over the moon for Mary. Winning the Best FIFA Women’s Goalkeeper award is nothing less than she deserves. She’s had some incredible seasons for Manchester United, and winning the Euros last summer with England as well was so special. We’re so proud and happy that she’s our team-mate.
It’s great to have Mary back with us after the awards night in Paris, and for all of us to be back at home again after a good result here against Durham last weekend – and what a free-kick by Vilde to open the scoring! She had been doing that in training for a few weeks, so we decided between us that she would take the first one if we got one in range, and I’d take the second. I’m not sure I’d have been getting that second one though after that strike!
We’re really excited to continue our journey in the FA Cup – and it really will be a journey all the way down to Lewes. Before then though, we’ve got some very big games in the league. We’re ready and the games are coming thick and fast. It’s perfect for us coming back up after the international break with a
5-0 win, then heading into these March fixtures in good form and playing with confidence.
Leicester come here today after an impressive win over Liverpool and we know we can’t take them lightly, especially since Willie Kirk has taken over as manager. They look really organised and they’re in a battle for points, too.
After today we head back to London, where we’ve enjoyed some success so far this season, to face Chelsea. The match against them here in November didn’t go the way we wanted, of course. But we know what we need to do – we need to bring an extra level of performance, especially as it’s at Kingsmeadow.
I’m sure plenty of you fans will be making that trip south and we look forward to seeing you there, and here this afternoon, of course.
Enjoy the game!
THE
SKIPPER,
THE REDS
It is clear to all who follow United how important it is for the club to promote our own. Katie Zelem, Ella Toone and Millie Turner all progressed through the ranks of the Regional Talent Club (RTC), with Keira Barry and Alyssa Aherne among the the latest to be involved in the senior set-up. Ensuring this pathway remains well trodden is as key to the players as it is to the fans. Towards the end of 2022, Mary Earps and Sophie Baggaley spent time with budding goalkeepers in the RTC, and last
month Hayley Ladd became the latest first-teamer to lead a session as she put the Under-10s and Under-16s through their paces.
The Wales international made the short trip to Eccles Sixth Form College, home of the RTC, where she watched each age group train, before joining the U10s for a kickabout and a Q&A session. She then linked up with the U16s to deliver a tactical masterclass on pressing from the front.
“It was an absolute pleasure to meet the girls and see the exciting
talent coming through,” said Hayley. “Having the opportunity to coach the girls and develop my own skills in that area was really beneficial to me and something I’m looking to do more of. I really hope the girls took something positive away from it.”
“To have any of our first team not only attend but lead a session is an incredible experience for the girls,” Matt Johnson, RTC technical director, added. “It’s great for the young players to see there is a strong connection between the RTC and first team, not only in terms of a clear pathway for them to progress, but also in terms of actual support from the current players. It fosters a feeling of togetherness which is invaluable.”
This sentiment was certainly shared by the young players. “I was so excited to meet, then play against Hayley Ladd,” said U10 player Hallie. “I’ve seen her play live for United, so for me to be able to join her session was super special.”
Following on from Hayley’s session, the RTC were treated to yet another workshop with Reds goalkeeping coach Ian Willcock –scan the QR code below to see Ian put the girls to the test!
Hayley enjoyed every minute of her time with the RTC
Born: 29 November 1996
Nationality: English
United apps/goals: 10/0
Born: 5 June 1993
Nationality: Norwegian
United apps/goals: 44/1
Born: 25 May 1994
Nationality: English
United apps/goals: 47/2
Born: 18 April 2002
National team: England
United apps/goals: 19/2
Born: 7 July 1996
Nationality: English
United apps/goals: 101/6
Born: 7 March 1993
Nationality: English
United apps/goals: 84/0
Born: 10 June 1999
Nationality: Spanish
United apps/goals: 65/3
Born: 24 September 1995
Nationality: English
United apps/goals: 20/0
Born: 22 January 2001
Nationality: Canadian
United apps/goals: 0/0
Born: 16 March 1995
Nationality: French
United apps/goals: 5/0
Born: 5 February 1997
Nationality: French
United apps/goals: 1/0
Born: 13 July 1995
Nationality: Norwegian
United apps/goals: 39/5
Born: 6 October 1993
National team: Wales
United apps/goals: 76/7
Born: 2 September 1999
Nationality: English
United apps/goals: 119/44
Born: 24 May 1994
Nationality: English
United apps/goals: 97/28
Born: 2 October 1992
Nationality: Canadian
United apps/goals: 9/3
Born: 8 February 1999
Nationality: English
United apps/goals: 47/20
Born: 20 January 1996
Nationality: English
United apps/goals: 118/29
Born: 11 June 1995
Nationality: Norwegian
United apps/goals: 0/0
Born: 31 May 1996
National team: Scotland
United apps/goals: 42/8
Born: 14 July 1998
Nationality: Spanish
United apps/goals: 17/2
Born: 10 March 1994
Nationality: English
United apps/goals: 17/6
Born: 10 January 1988
Nationality: English
United apps/goals: 13/4
We progressed to the FA Cup quarters last week. How much would it mean to you to win the cup with United?
I love the FA Cup. I’ve won it already with Birmingham [in 2012] and I was at the FA Cup final for both the men and women last year and I just remember thinking, ‘I’m going to be in this final next year’, so it’s a little target I’ve set myself that I want to win it again. And to do it with United, in the form we’re in, would be brilliant.
We’ve got two big WSL games before our Cup campaign resumes, starting with Leicester – the club you started your career at, of course...
I’ve got a lot of respect for Leicester and I love playing them. I’m from there, been brought up through the ranks, but you have to do a job in the shirt you’re in. Leicester had a difficult start to the season, but they’re starting to hit a bit of form now. I’ve said it many times: in the WSL you can’t take any team for granted – where they are, what they’ve produced the week before. We have to stay focused and make sure we hit the ground running to get the victory.
What kind of memories do you have from your time at Leicester City?
I came through their centre of excellence, but they didn’t have a women’s team at the time. When I left the centre of excellence we begged [their coach] Rehanne Skinner and our other manager to form a women’s team, and they formed Leicester Women. So it’s a team I’ll always hold in my heart. I’ve got memories from when we started lower [beginning in the Leicestershire County League], because the league said it wouldn’t be fair to put us straight into the top divisions, and I think we’d got to the old combination league when I left [for Doncaster Belles, in 2008].
THE EXPERIENCED STRIKER HAS HAD A FINE START TO 2023, AND TODAY SHE COULD FACE A SIDE THAT WILL ALWAYS MEAN A LOT TO HER. AS WELL AS HER OLD LIFE IN LEICESTER, SHE TELLS US ABOUT STEPPING UP AS A
FULL NAME
Rachel Louise Williams
DATE OF BIRTH 10 January 1988
PLACE OF BIRTH Leicester
YOUTH CAREER
Linden Old Girls, Leicester City
SENIOR CAREER (Stats league only, unless stated)
2004-08 Leicester City
2008-10 Doncaster Rovers Belles
2010 Leicester City
2011-13 Birmingham City, 38 games, 21 goals
2014 Chelsea 8 games, 2 goals
2015-17 Notts County 28 games, 9 goals
2017-20 Birmingham City (right, up against current Leicester defender Abbie McManus), 30 games, 5 goals
It was after the Belles, when you joined Birmingham in late 2010, that you moved from midfield into attack… Yeah, it was when the Women’s Super League first started [in 2011] that our forward picked up an injury and we didn’t really have another out-and-out forward, and [Birmingham’s football consultant] Marcus Bignot had been watching the way I played in midfield. Back then I was just this little energy bunny; I just wanted to run around and help everyone do their job. I remember the week before the season started, we had Bristol in the opening game, and he literally tapped me on the back and said, “I need you to go up front.” I said, “What do you mean?” But that year I finished top scorer in the league [14 in 14 games].
2020-22 Tottenham Hotspur 41 games, 8 goals (all comps)
2022- Manchester United 13 games, 4 goals (all comps)
INTERNATIONAL CAREER
England: 13 caps, 4 goals
Great Britain (above left) at 2012 Olympics
football, and it grew me as a person. I wanted to prove I could do a full-time job and be the best I could possibly be in the league. But that’s where women’s football was at the time.
As well as winning the FA Cup with Birmingham, are there any other highlights of that period of your career that stand out?
I’d say the first three years I did in that transition period at Birmingham where I was still working [as a plasterer]. I was working all hours, then training. But especially the first two years, having a full-time job and then playing at the level where we hoped to start turning women’s football around; I’d say we were semi-professional then. Those first three years were significant for me to be like: you’ve got to work a full-time job, run a home life, and do the best you can in
The changes you’ve seen are testament to how much women’s football has grown... When I was coming through it all, I never thought it could be as good as it is now. There were only a few girls around where I grew up that played football. I gave up nights out with mates to one day make it and be on that scale. We started to get glimpses of it from the 2012 Olympics, with the exposure there. We were in Cardiff [for Team GB’s Olympic fixtures] and people were just coming up to you, it was getting aired on TV, you were starting to get a bit more of a crowd at games. For all my journey that I’ve had throughout my career to where it is now, it’s nice to see all the hard work – not just me, but staff, the FA, people in the background, grassroots... it’s just brilliant to see where the game is now. Young girls now can have a career in this sport. But you’ve got to have the love of football, because it is hard work; if you don’t have that love you’ll fall off pretty soon. You have to have that passion and drive to stick at it and if you do, the world is your oyster now with women’s football. You can go and play wherever you want. I love watching it grow each year.
You’ve become quite the super sub for Marc Skinner in the league, namely for that winning goal at Reading. What were you thinking as the ball hit the net?
I was sat on the bench watching the game and I thought, ‘this Reading keeper [Jacqueline Burns] is decent today’. I remember having a chat with kit manager Jon [Humble] and he was like, “Rach, if you get on, put it up high”. We weren’t sure if she would move quite as quick if the shot was hit up in the air. It got to about 82 minutes and I thought I wasn’t going to get on, but then all of a sudden it was like, “Rach, get ready.” The atmosphere was already tense, you could see everyone was getting a bit stressed as it was getting to 90 minutes. I got on to the pitch [on 84 minutes] and I gave out the info, and as the ball fell back to me [on 87 minutes], I remember one [Reading player] fell over, then something else happened, and then I could see
Martha [Thomas] on the far side, and I didn’t think I could get it to her, and that little voice was like ‘put it up if you’re shooting!’ So all I was thinking was about getting a little bit of backlift on it, and see what happens, even if it made the keeper work and she spilled it. I kind of shot and spun, and saw it go in as the keeper just stood in the centre of the goal. I just couldn’t believe it worked. That’s how important it is when you’re sitting on the bench – you’re just as important as that starting XI, because if you’ve got to come on and help the team see a game out or win it, you have to be sitting on the bench knowing you’ve got a plan going on. You can prepare all week for the game, but wherever you play a part, you have to be ready. I just remember me and Jon, we were cleaning up in the changing rooms afterwards and we just fell about laughing – we couldn’t believe how it worked!
“WHEN I WAS COMING THROUGH, I NEVER THOUGHT WOMEN’S FOOTBALL COULD BE AS GOOD AS IT IS NOW. I LOVE WATCHING IT GROW EACH YEAR”Feeling the love from her team-mates after a crucial goal at Reading in January
Right: taking pride in her ‘little blue trophy’
You won the WSL Goal of the Month award for that, which we assume made it even more special for you? Yeah. I don’t know what it is, I’ve just always loved those little blue WSL trophies! [laughs]. Every year, I’m like “I want one!” and I remember a couple of times last year I’d missed out to [then Tottenham team-mate] Ashleigh Neville, and rightly so she’s a great player, but when I heard I was up for Goal of the Month I was thinking, ‘could this be when I’m going to get a little blue trophy?!’ I’ve scored a lot of goals over the years but I think the significance of that goal and what it meant to us, the late drama of it all... it was kind of written that I was to get one like that. It’s sitting right on the centre of the windowsill in the living room!
How well do you feel you’ve settled into the club, generally speaking?
It does take time, and for me the first half of the season was learning the ‘United way’ – learning about my place in the team, whether that’s starting or coming off the bench. One thing I like to do quite early is just fit in, get to know everyone, show what I can do and how I can help, and off
the back of that you get to know the girls on a personal level as well, and know we’re there for each other. You have your own little gym buddies – me, Aissa [Tounkara] and Leah [Galton] have a little upper-body work-out. I’ve never ever seen this as a job. I’ve just been really lucky to have a hobby and a passion that I love become my job, but I never really treat it like work. Every day is just fun for me. I just go in with the same attitude: to learn, and to work hard. Every day I just love doing what I do.
A lot of United players talk about the togetherness of the squad and we can see that out on the pitch. What’s it like being part of such a strong unit? It can be powerful. When you’ve got that closeness and togetherness that I feel we’ve got with United, you go on the pitch and you feel unbeatable. You know that no matter what happens, everyone is on that journey with you. Individually, everyone’s ability to bring what they bring is brilliant, but if you do have that togetherness and that fight for one another, just that alone, the feeling that will bring towards the opposition... I’ve been on the end
“WHEN YOU’VE GOT THAT CLOSENESS AND TOGETHERNESS THAT I FEEL WE’VE GOT WITH UNITED, YOU GO ON THE PITCH AND YOU FEEL UNBEATABLE”Rachel and Adriana Leon have both impressed whenever they’ve stepped into the Reds’ attack this season
of United last year [with former club Spurs, as United won 3-0] and you think you can do your job by stopping one player from playing their game, but then someone else will pop up and you know the opposition go, ‘oh god, I thought we’d managed to sort that problem out but now this one is popping up’. It’s just a great feeling to have [togetherness], and you can use it as a bit of a weapon, it’s powerful.
Stepping away from the pitch, what do you like to do outside of football? How do you switch off?
My family is everything. As much as I can, I go home to Leicester to see family, and I absolutely love games! If I can have a family night with games, it can be anything from Monopoly or bingo, I just love being with my family, socialising and playing games. That’s pretty much how I switch off. Oh, and I still have my hand in the plastering! I still do jobs for people who need it. My sister rings to tell me she wants help with her kitchen and I keep telling her when I get some time off we will do the kitchen. So DIY, family nights, games nights is what I do to switch off.
We’re back at Old Trafford later this month. You scored there when we played Villa in December. As far as special career goals go, we’re guessing that one is up there… I didn’t know how important it was to score at the Stretford End! I’ve got a lot of friends who are United fans who told me. But again, I was just sitting on the bench and watching the game thinking about getting on and getting a goal, and to get it at that end, now I realise how important it was. Someone at the club told me my shirt is going in the [Old Trafford] museum because I scored at the Stretford End that day! So that’s pretty awesome.
How great would it be if we could smash our home attendance record yet again at Old Trafford?
It’s showing the hard work by every person that puts work into the women’s game, just how much it’s improving it, to be getting attendances like that. It’s mind-blowing how things have changed. I remember my French teacher at school saying to me – because I never really liked it! – that I might need French one day because of football. I said I didn’t want to, but now I’m playing with Aissa and Casa [Estelle Cascarino] and I’m like, ‘damn, Miss Wilson was right, I should’ve learned French!’ But I do get them to teach me, and I get Ona and Lucia to teach me some Spanish, but I’m useless. But that’s what the game is doing; it’s mad how it is changing. And I love to see now that kids just see football as football. When I was growing up, it was ‘girls can’t play football’ but I said I can play, and at the youth club I used to go to, by the next time it came to picking teams I was getting picked first and my brother would be fuming because I’d get picked before him!
With such a vital league run coming up, including a particularly big one against another of your old sides in Chelsea, what are your hopes for the weeks ahead, both personally and as a team? Every year, my own standards are to try and win the league. No matter what. I always start by wanting to compete for the league – picking up anything individual on the way is a bonus – and I want to win the FA Cup. For me, at the minute, I’m on track personally for both of those. By coming to United and seeing what they did last year, I’ve been right to hold those standards of myself as well. We’ve got ourselves in a good position competing for the league, and we’re still in the FA Cup, so we’re not doing too bad!
And finally, you’ve had quite the journey to get to where you are now. If you could give a message to your younger self, what would it be?
I don’t know... I’ve been very happy, and very lucky in my career, in where it’s taken me and what I’ve achieved. I have no regrets. I’d maybe tell myself to stay at Chelsea an extra year... but even then, I had to move back home to take on my younger siblings after my mum passed away, so I can’t even really say that. I’ve just loved every single bit of my career and where it has taken me. Right, I’ve got my answer: ‘Big Me’ is going to tell ‘Young Me’ to learn Spanish and French. Miss Wilson, you were right! ●
Promoted in 2021, the last two seasons have followed a similar pattern for Leicester in the WSL: the Foxes – remarkably – lost their opening nine league games in both campaigns, before hitting a vein of form and picking up wins. But make no mistake, they rarely get turned over: three of their opening nine defeats last term were by a single goal, while this season there were five one-goal defeats over that same period.
The Foxes’ first-ever win as a WSL club came against relegation rivals Birmingham in their 10th game. That was the start of a run that saw them take 12 points from 18, which proved enough to leapfrog Birmingham and survive. This season, their 10th game once again yielded a first league win, and it also came at home against some fellow strugglers – Brighton. Since then, Leicester have beaten Liverpool in their most recent fixture, moving the Foxes to within touching distance of those above them.
Willie Kirk has suggested a frozen pitch postponement helped their upturn in fortunes. They were originally due
to face Liverpool in December, only a week after a heavy loss to Chelsea at a time when they, in the boss’s words, “were struggling for bodies”. A Conti Cup tie against Manchester City also fell foul of the weather that month, so the winter break gave Leicester nearly six weeks off, after which they returned by thrashing Sunderland 5-0 in the Conti Cup, before beating Brighton 3-0 four days later.
They have a few familiar faces. Jess Sigsworth is still recovering from an ACL injury, the striker joining from United in the same summer as defender Abbie McManus. In midfield, Carrie Jones has been a regular starter on loan from United but is ineligible today. (Ex-Red Charlie Devlin is also at Leicester, but out on loan to Birmingham.)
Kirk’s side still have much work to do if they are to dodge the drop, but despite their predicament, it’s a positive environment that has certainly impressed Marc Skinner: “We wouldn’t have [loaned Carrie] if we didn’t feel Leicester was a great place that people could keep progressing and get better,” says the United boss.
The 44-year-old Scot was manager at Bristol City from 2015-18, before being recruited to assist Casey Stoney at United, where he was noted for his record in developing young players. Kirk was soon offered the top job at Everton and has been at Leicester – initially as director of football – since last summer.
The skipper only joined last summer after five years at Brighton, where she was a team-mate of Maya Le Tissier. Whelan helped Brighton reach the WSL and remain in the top flight, while for Leicester she scored and assisted in a win against her old team in January. She also has WSL experience with Notts County.
A huge loan coup for Leicester in January, the 23-year-old German was a regular starter for Bayern Munich last season, playing in Champions League quarter-finals. She has already kept two clean sheets in three WSL games and was among the nominees for January’s WSL Player of the Month award.
Although Leicester have struggled to get points on the board against us, the Foxes frustrated United in the reverse fixture at the King Power Stadium in October. We’d scored 10 goals in the first three WSL games of the season, yet were limited to a single Nikita Parris header to win it. Leicester even had a chance to snatch a point but for an outstanding Mary Earps save. Other league clashes have been more one-sided, however: the Reds ran out 3-1 winners at the King Power in Marc Skinner’s second game in charge, while the last meeting in Leigh was a 4-0 rout (above), including an incredible Katie Zelem brace, both direct from corners. Back in our second-tier days, we won 7-0 away and 6-1 at home, but a Conti Cup tie at Leigh in December 2021 finished 2-2, with the Foxes taking the penalty shoot-out bonus.
“WE NEED TO FORGET THE LEAGUE TABLE –WE’RE CONFIDENT THAT IF WE HIT OUR TARGETS, WE’LL BE SAFE”
– LEICESTER MANAGER WILLIE KIRK
It’s another big week for Mary Earps, who turns 30 on Tuesday! To celebrate, here are six pics of our super-stopper’s various kits throughout her twenties...
↓ All geared up in green for Bristol Academy one month later in 2014
↑ In the yellow for England U23s against Germany in March 2014
↓ Wolfsburg came calling in ’18/19 – new surroundings, plus a cool new orange kit!
↑ Into 2015, and ‘Mearps’ is pointing the way in purple for Bristol Academy
↑ Rocking the dark grey for Reading, who she played 37 games for between 2016-18
↓ Best in the world while wearing blue for the Reds. Many happy returns, Mary!
Can you fill in the gaps by answering our four clues? We’ve down one line for you!
Call yourself an expert? There’s only one way to prove it: 9/9!
1. At which ground will we be facing Chelsea in the WSL next weekend? →
2. Which teenager was recently loaned from United Women to Bristol City?
3. Against which side did we last wear a change kit (the bright ‘solar slime’ green kit, to be precise!)?
1. Who headed the game’s only goal when we last faced Leicester, in October? →
2. Which Red has the most assists to her name in all competitions so far this season?
first team we beat this season
Women’s top goalscorer in 2021/22
3. How many players have worn the no.1 shirt in a game for United since we were formed in 2018?
1. Our largest attendance so far this season came against which side in the WSL?
← 2. Our next FA Cup opponents are Lewes. What is the unusual name of their stadium, where we last played in the 2018/19 season?
3. Name the only player to have ever lined up for United Women whose surname begins with ‘D’.
→ Liam Scott, turns 33 today and hopes to be celebrating with three points. It’s his first year as a season ticket holder, along with wife Bethany. Have a great day!
SEND
→ Isla waited very patiently to meet her favourite player Ella Toone following the Durham game last weekend – and she was one happy little girl when they finally met!
←
seven last month, and travels to every home game from Worcestershire with her grandma, great-grandad, and little brother. Looks like the perfect family day out!
KEY: WSL – Women’s Super League CC – Continental League Cup
FA – Women’s FA Cup Scorers Bold + own goal • Penalty ↑/↓ won/lost on penalties Yellow/red card Subs used: 1st 2nd 3rd 4th 5th concussion sub
The signing of autographs here at Leigh Sports Village is a post-match activity that fans and players alike have enjoyed since our very first home outing five years ago.
And while the ever-increasing numbers in the stands inevitably makes it harder for the senior squad to greet everyone as they walk around the pitch’s perimeter, it continues to be a brilliant way for them to show their appreciation to as many of you matchgoers as possible.
United shirts, goalie gloves and traditional autograph books will always be a common accessories for those also holding a Sharpie pen, but the centre spread of the match programme (certainly in our humble opinion!) remains the best place to collect some scribbles, which is why you’ll sometimes see fans holding an older issue, as they attempt to ‘complete the set’ across several games (see inset for an example from 2018/19).
Pictured above is former Reds striker Jess Sigsworth (now with this afternoon’s opponents Leicester, of course), penning her name for some younger fans following our 2-0 win against Liverpool in 2019 (a game played in front of 2,813 fans, as opposed to the 7,666 for this season’s equivalent WSL fixture).
Later into the 2019/20 season the pandemic would result in a halt to such post-match mingling, as the players adhered to social distancing regulations, so everyone here at LSV was delighted to see its return last year. Should you manage to fill your centre spread, we’d love to see it – you can email a photo to muwomenfamily@manutd.co.uk
And here’s our only bit of advice: it’s a lot easier if you remember to bring a pen!
Courtney Nevin
Sam Tierney
CJ Bott
Abbie McManus
Georgia Eaton-Collins
Molly Pike
Jessica Sigsworth
Aileen Whelan
Lachante Paul
Erin Simon
Josie Green
Sophie Howard
Carrie Jones
Remy Siemsen
Missy Goodwin
Hannah Cain
Ashleigh Plumptre
Jemma Purfield
Shannon O’Brien
Kirstie Levell (GK)
Ruby Mace
Ava Baker
Janina
MATCH OFFICIALS Referee Melissa Burgin • Assistants Hristo Karaivanov, Lewis Dawson Fourth official Jane Simms