Manchester United 4 – 0 Leicester City
By Catherine Mackenzie
Above: United celebrate their win. Photo: ManUtdWomen on X.
Manchester United kicked off the new WSL season in style with a 4-0 demolition of Leicester City.
Whilst Leicester City are currently reeling from the controversial sacking of head coach Amandine Miquel 11 days ahead of the new season, United have already been in action this summer – facing PSV and Hammarby in Champions League qualifiers.
The Red Devils are looking to sustain their top-three finish from last season and compete in Europe, which made Sunday’s opening day duel with Leicester a must-win. With Rick Passmoor in interim charge of a Leicester team tipped for relegation this season, their trip to Leigh Sports Village provided a difficult start for the head coach.
The teams
A common complaint from United fans is that the club’s summer transfer business (comprising of Julia Zigiotti Olme, Fridolina Rolfö and Jess Park) has not provided enough depth to cover runs in four competitions. Their bench against Leicester exemplified this: only five players were named, including a goalkeeper and academy prospect Mared Griffifths.
Despite Millie Turner returning to fitness, Swedish international Anna Sandberg has enjoyed strong pre-season performances and was given the nod at left-back with Dominique Janssen continuing to partner Maya Le Tissier in the center. The midfield comprised of a WSL debut for Zigiotti Olme alongside Toone and Miyazawa. Leicester were missing a number of the key players from last season, including England international Ruby Mace. 20-year-old new signing Olivia McLaughlin started on the bench.
The action
With a trip to Norway awaiting them later in the week, United were eager to get the game done and dusted early. It was an electrifying start for the Red Devils, as they capitalised on an understandable lack of cohesion within the Leicester midfield. Manchester native Toone was in particularly fine form; the signing of Zigiotti Olme giving her more space to be creative in the number 10 role.
For Leicester, the opening stages were resigned to defending, however it did not take long for United to break the deadlock. They were afforded space inside the box, and in a characteristically unselfish move, Elisabeth Terland tapped the ball into Toone’s path, leaving Toone to slot home.
The partnership between Sandberg and Malard down the left was particularly effective in disrupting the Foxes every time they managed to break out of United’s press – winning the ball back and getting it back towards the Leicester box. They did not have long to wait for the second goal, as Terland met a sublime cross from Riviere, claiming her goal with a strong header.
With a midweek trip to Norway in mind, United took their foot off the gas after their second goal. Leicester failed to capitalise on this despite a few miscommunications amongst the United back-line. They had the occasional chance but lacked the quality to get the ball over the line.
Following the break, play continued in much the same vein: United dominated without creating much, with Leicester occasionally making a charge on the break. A third goal did eventually come for the hosts, as Dutch defender Janssen perfectly placed her cross for Malard to head in, and the French forward got her second goal only minutes later.
Jess Park was given her debut, and she made a quick imprint on the game, using her technicality to get the ball into the box through a packed Leicester defensive line. A debut goal was not to be, but a positive impression on a first outing.
Player of the match – Ella Toone
Toone was everywhere. Given license to be creative, the midfielder can be electric, and she appeared to enjoy linking up with Terland and Malard.
What was perhaps most impressive was that whilst United did lose some of the attacking momentum they started the game with, Toone was consistent in her press throughout the whole 90 minutes; evidenced by her goal and assist coming at either ends of the match.
An honourable mention does need to be paid to Malard, Sandberg, and Janssen – none of whom put a foot wrong throughout the 90, and who all contributed in some way to the build-up of the goals.
Final thoughts
It was a positive afternoon for United, and they will be pleased with their goalscoring form ahead of their final Champions League qualifier mid-week. However, there were points for improvement: the communication between shot-stopper Tullis-Joyce and her backline was missing at times, and head coach Marc Skinner will have been worried to see a few players go down with knocks.
Leicester struggled – particularly defensively – at times, and most worryingly lacked a sense of on-pitch leadership. There were the occasional forays forward, but Passmoor has a lot of work to do ahead of a tricky run of fixtures, facing Liverpool and treble-winners Chelsea in the coming weeks.
United head to Norway where they face Brann Kvinner in their final qualifier for the Champions League this Thursday, before facing newly-promoted London City Lionesses next Sunday. Leicester await a Liverpool side beaten 4-1 by rivals Everton in their first outing.
TEAMS: MANCHESTER UNITED (4-2-3-1): Tullis-Joyce, Riviere, Le Tissier, Janssen, Sandberg, Zigiotti Olme, Miyazawa, Bizet, Toone, Malard, Terland. Substitutes: Middleton-Patel, Turner (for Sandberg 69’), Park (for Janssen 57’), Naalsund (for Zigiotti Olme 65’), Griffifths.
Scorers: Toone 13’, Terland 25’, Malard 73’, 87’.
LEICESTER CITY (4-2-3-1): Leitzig, Thibaud, Boureille, Kees, Ale, Tierney, Cayman, O’Brien, van Egmond, Cain, Eiríksdóttir. Substitutes: Kaczmar, Clark, Wellesley-Smith, Payne (for Cayman 70’), Las (for Eiríksdóttir 65’), Sherwood, Rantala (for Cain 82’), Ayane, McLaughlin (for O’Brien 46’).
Attendance: 4,325
Referee: Grace Lowe
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