Manchester United 7-0 West Bromwich Albion
by Catherine MacKenzie (13/1/25)
Above: Manchester United celebrate one of their seven goals. Photo: @ManUtdWomen on X
Substitutes made the difference as Manchester United thrashed West Bromwich Albion 7-0 to reach the FA Cup fifth round.
United were rusty in the early stages
Looking at the scoreline, you would be forgiven for thinking that the FA Cup fourth-round match between Manchester United and West Bromwich Albion had been a dominant thrashing, with the losing team barely touching the ball. However, that was not the case in a freezing Leigh Sports Village, as United were held to a close 1-0 for almost 60 minutes.
Initially, United seemed to be showing a level of rustiness which could perhaps be understandable given that this was their first outing since the Christmas break. There were wayward passes that a more technically astute opposition would have exploited, and although chance after chance was created, nothing really happened for much of the early stages of the game.
The difference between professional and semi-professional was clear
West Brom approached the game to defend and make life difficult for United, and they succeeded for the first hour, with 11 players behind the ball at all times. They were pragmatic in not attempting to play out from the back, going for the long ball instead. Although this made them difficult for the hosts to break down, United had a height advantage and won every ball back in midfield.
The visitors did have the occasional chance, with their first coming near half-time. Their major problem was that they took too long decision-making on the ball, which an experienced United back line had little trouble deciphering. They rarely looked dangerous, and any chances they did have were a result of mislaid United passes.
That said, it is important to remember that West Brom play in the third tier of English women’s football – the National League Northern Premier Division. The league is semi-professional, with most players’ football careers coming alongside regular other work.
It makes sense that players will not have the same technical ability or quick decision-making of Manchester United (who are professional), and in this context, there are some real highlights for West Brom to take from the game. Their defence stood strong for a solid hour, with Seren Watkins making several good challenges that kept United at bay.
Substitutions changed the tempo
For the opening hour, the main creative outlet for United came from their wide players, with both Jayde Riviere and Geyse making many crosses into the box for Melvine Malard or Elisabeth Terland to claim. United struggled to capitalize on their chances, however, and the scoreline remained 1-0 for 60 minutes. Not helped by a defensively organised opposition, United looked frustrated in front of goal, a common theme of recent months.
Around the hour mark, West Brom started to tire and lost their defensive discipline. This was compounded when United made their substitutions – first Celin Bizet, Rachel Williams, and Anna Sandberg, followed seven minutes later by Aoife Mannion and Ella Toone making her return after being injured for two months. The fresh faces brought a new energy to a frustrated United team, and they quickly found a rhythm that the visitors struggled with.
What followed was probably a combination of United brushing off the rust and West Brom feeling the effects of their earlier defensive efforts. Rachel Williams scored her first and United’s second, and the floodgates opened. A mere 18 minutes later, United had scored an additional five goals (courtesy of Toone, a Bizet brace, and Williams completing a hattrick) and the visitors were well and truly defeated.
What this means for Manchester United
If you asked most Manchester United fans for a review of the team’s 2024, it would likely not be a positive response. The year was dominated by headlines about what was happening off the pitch – from being moved out of their own training facilities so that the men could use them, to facing comments from their majority shareholder that the women’s team is an ‘opportunity’ and insignificant compared to the men’s team.
For fans of United, these headlines have provided an accompaniment to uninspiring on-pitch performances and a focus on playing it safe rather than aiming to win.
The major highlight of six years of Manchester United Women also came in 2024, however, as they beat Tottenham Hotspur 4-0 at Wembley Stadium in the FA Cup final. They won their first piece of major silverware in an exciting and attack-focused performance that left the team from London grasping at straws to catch up.
That joy was short-lived, however, as a mere six days later United received a 6-0 thrashing at the hands of Chelsea in the final game of the season at Old Trafford; as Aggie Beever-Jones commented on Instagram, the stadium really was the ‘Theatre of Dreams’ (for the wrong team!).
United started the 2024-25 league campaign in a very mixed fashion, with excellent defensive performances combined with a lack of creativity and low number of goals scored. There is a real need for something positive to happen around this team, particularly as off-pitch news continues to dominate.
A real sign of growth for the club would be to continue their success in the cup by having a strong run for the second time. The ability to build on previous successes is not one that has been shown by Manchester United in the past, and this year’s FA Cup is a good opportunity to change that.
Teams: MANCHESTER UNITED (4-2-3-1): Tullis-Joyce, George, Le Tissier, Malard, Galton, Riviere, Janssen, Terland, Miyazawa, Turner, Geyse. Substitutes: Middleton-Patel, Mannion (for Riviere 65’), Sandberg (for George 58’), Bizet (for Geyse 58’), Griffiths, Toone (for Terland 65’), Anderson, Williams (for Malard 58’).
Scorers: Malard (23’), Williams (78’, 79’, 90+2’), Toone (83’), Bizet (89’, 90+7’).
WEST BROMWICH ALBION (4-5-1): Miller, Brown, Reynolds, Green, George, Orthodoxou, Watkins, Rabjohn, Warner, Miller, May. Substitutes: Jhamat (for Miller, 83’), Mahmood (for May, 83’), Oakley (for Warner, 66’), Harris, Haughey, Evans, Whittick.
Referee: Lucy May
Attendance: 2,313.
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