Currently second in the Women’s Super League, Manchester United have only surrendered three points this season and finally look settled under manager, Marc Skinner, who took over last season. But despite their standing, things haven’t been handed to them on a platter and have been earned in 90-minute increments.
After all, this is a team that for years languished under the poor support of leaders who seemingly forgot Man United had a women’s team at all. That is changing, but even so, there are still on-field problems that haven’t been eradicated from last season and beyond. And yet, Man United keep finding a way to get results nonetheless — so, just how far can they take it?
Given where they are now, what are United’s chances of a coveted top-three finish on the table, or even securing a first Super League title?
On-field progress and results to follow
Just three short matches ago, Manchester United were having their weaknesses exposed by reigning WSL champions, Chelsea. Against a team built with world class players, the Red Devils seemingly had neither the experience nor that last few percent that takes a team from very good to world beaters.
Yet when the team from the red side of Manchester travelled to London for their next league outing two weeks later, they looked a side renewed and refocused against the Gunners. Indeed, Man United appeared unwilling to let themselves be overrun by the crushing experience of an Arsenal team that won a first domestic title 26 years before United founded the full-time in-house women’s team that plays today.
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United have been far from faultless this season, and the vulnerability of previous campaigns remains. They’ve shown similar errors to ones made in their three previous seasons in the WSL — the mistakes that took them from possible title contenders to participation trophy winners, unable to finish higher than fourth.
Yet after their loss to Chelsea, when it looked like they were about to spend another season toiling only to finish just shy of the Champions League placings reserved for the top-three finishers on the table, the Red Devils stepped up and put in a commanding first half performance against an Arsenal team not at their best.
