Manchester United came away from Kingsmeadow with only their second loss of this Women’s Super League campaign. Chelsea’s Sam Kerr lobbed Mary Earps early on to grant the Blues the lead with no reply, but it wasn’t for lack of trying.
Manager Marc Skinner went all out in the closing stages of the game to pull back the equaliser. His plan to move Hannah Blundell and Ona Batlle into the midfield left Aoife Mannion, Millie Turner and Maya Le Tissier holding the fort in a back three.
Batlle’s Spanish link-up with Lucia Garcia can be frightening and offered yet another threat down the right flank in stoppage time when she came on for Hayley Ladd to supply the Reds with another attacking option.
Skinner opted for a front four of Garica, Rachel Williams, Martha Thomas and Alessia Russo together, yet struggled to penetrate Chelsea’s defensive line.
Nikita Parris’ energy and dedication to prove herself worthy of that starting position got the better of Jess Carter and Niamh Charles but seemed stronger in her defensive game than in attack and was traded for fresh legs with 10 minutes to go, replaced by Mannion to mould into a smaller back line.
Left on the bench: Vilde Boe Risa, Lisa Naalsund, Estelle Cascarino, Maria Thorisdottir and Sophie Baggaley, primarily central midfield and defensive options with a backup goalkeeper, did Skinner run out of options?
Boe Risa has been working hard to improve her physicality and despite scoring a screamer against Durham from a set piece, she wasn’t called upon to battle with Jessie Fleming, Sophie Ingle and Melanie Leupolz, perhaps too much change in the middle would upset momentum.
We are yet to see Naalsund make an appearance in a United shirt and I honestly thought this game would be the chance to throw a curveball for Chelsea to deal with, but I was wrong. Plus the only player she could’ve replaced is Katie Zelem, who was having a strong game and is the set-piece maestro who turned it around against Arsenal in November.
Cascarino has also had limited time on the field with precisely 19 minutes in top-flight English football, against Leicester.
Left out of the matchday squad entirely was forward Adriana Leon. The Canadian talent has made only five appearances this league campaign and scored on her debut in United’s season-opening 4-0 win over Brighton.
She packs a pace that could have troubled a tired Chelsea, being their third game in a week and pretty sloppy play in places.
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