Manchester United’s last-gasp 3-2 win over Aston Villa keeps their Women's Super League title dreams alive as the season reaches the latter stages.
With just three games left to play in the WSL Manchester United made sure they stay in the driving seat, seven points ahead of reigning champions Chelsea who have three games in hand.
It was an epically close game, and the fans definitely got their money's worth as two quality sides battled it out right to the bitter end. Millie Turner came on the field to head home the winner in the dying moments of stoppage time. It was the first time United had taken the lead in the entire game.
Aoife Mannion vs Millie Turner
Last week Mannion stole the show with her comeback performance against Arsenal, but this game saw Turner do the same by netting the winning goal. How is Marc Skinner meant to choose who deserves to start between the two centre-backs?
Turner has proven her worth week-in-week-out this season. Strong, stoic and reliable at the back, she works well with Maya Le Tissier taking the more sweeping role to Le Tissier's stepping in front.
Mannion is just pure strength, she bullies attackers and is a no-nonsense centre-back. It is only her second game back since her Anterior Cruciate Ligament injury, and the chemistry with Le Tissier doesn’t look comfortable. In both games, Le Tissier has resisted stepping forward, seemingly lacking in confidence or trust with a new partner whereas Mannion is happy to go on the aggressive.
What would a Mannion-Turner centre-back pairing look like? And could that work?
Staniforth shows quality United missed out on
Not only has she solidified herself in Aston Villa’s starting lineup, but Staniforth also delivered set pieces that were the first to punish her former club this season. Until this game, United had not conceded from a set piece so far this entire campaign, and Staniforth dismantled that fact with two perfectly placed corner kicks; resulting in Rachel Daly’s goal and Anna Patten hitting the crossbar.
First half vs second half
It could be argued that Marc Skinner's side underestimated their opponents on Friday night. In the opening minutes, the visitors hammered Hannah Hampton with chances, there seemed to be an aloofness about the clinical aspect of finishing, an attitude that came across like ‘it would come eventually’ over actually trying to put the game to bed early doors. It felt like a bit like a training session.
After the break, United turned up the intensity and went after Villa being 2-1 down. Skinner would have offered a passionate halftime talk to rile up his players - making it clear that if the scoreline stayed the same, they could kiss the league title goodbye, essentially.
The second half packed a punch with a lot more passion on the field, for both sides. The final few minutes before Turner’s goal was end to end action, each side on the counterattack - a fantastic, dramatic watch.
Five in midfield
Aston Villa manager Carla Ward said pre-match how she needed to do something different this time following the 5-0 battering Villa received earlier in the season against this Manchester United side. Putting five in the middle of the park gave United an edge. Wide players such as Ona Batlle, Leah Galton and Nikita Parris will punish any side when given enough space and that was demonstrated when Batlle assisted Galton’s goal and Parris netted the second from staying a little wider out on the field.
Skinner has proven that a back five is ineffective against this team having overcome it time and time again with a deep block this season. Instead, Ward opted for a back four that still left nine players behind the ball, yet it didn’t seem crowded (then again I'm not Ella Toone stuck in the middle of all that Claret and Blue). It was a Villa-esque tactical mission that kept certain key players out of the game entirely.
Awkward for Kirsty Hanson
Penny for your thoughts Kirsty? Can you imagine watching the team who ‘own’ you fight it out with the team you’ve played for all season?
Although part of United’s past, Ward wants her to stay with Villa on a more permanent basis. Skinner continues to lay claim to the forward as she's under contract with United until 2024 but I wonder what Hanson made of the game considering she knows both teams, their staff and coaches so well.
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