The game turned after the halfway point in the first-half when United hit their stride in attack with the players in red getting a hold of the ball and cutting in and around their opposition. Although there was a deflection from Leah Galton’s initial effort, the incisive move was deserving of a goal and indeed, the visitors should and could have had a second whilst they were in the ascendency.
The most pleasing side of things for United came from their balance on the pitch, and the measured way they attacked, utilising everyone in red to overload their opposition. Each match — save for their mistake-ridden loss to Chelsea — has had different players filling the starring roles. Even though it was Galton and Hannah Blundell getting the plaudits on Sunday, the tremendous work of the United midfield to nullify their opposition by dropping to help defend as well as aiding their attack has been a consistent highlight this season, with captain, Katie Zelem always getting through a tremendous workload in the middle of the park.
As United boss Skinner said in his post-match press conference, “You can’t work on one side of the game, we work on all sides of the game; we work hard at defending but this is a team game. My teams will always play like teams, not like individuals. I give them the freedom to play as their individual selves so they never lose their own identity but our identity is hard work: we’re going to stop the opponent form playing and then we’re going to maximise our potential from there.”
And indeed, that team ethos is palpable in how United approaches the game and how they’ve adapted against their opposition this season, finding the wherewithal to play on the front foot against the three teams who have finished above them each season they’ve been in the WSL.
