Two goals from Leah Galton helped Manchester United comfortably beat Brighton 4-0 on Saturday and stay first in the Women’s Super League title race.
Galton headed in Katie Zelem’s set piece in the 12th minute before squeezing in a second midway through the second half, taking the Red Devils three points ahead of Manchester City before their clash with Arsenal on Sunday.
United added two goals late on as substitutes Rachel Williams and Lucia Garcia both struck in the space of two minutes.
Defender Guro Bergsvand dropped out of the Seagulls’ starting XI for midfielder Libby Bance, while Vilde Boe Risa made her first league start for United in a year as Nikita Parris was named on the bench.
The hosts’ defending frustrated United during the opening ten minutes but the league leaders took advantage of some static set-piece defending to go ahead.
Lydia Williams couldn’t get close to Zelem’s corner and Galton stooped to nod in her seventh WSL goal of the season.
Brighton did push for an equaliser but couldn’t muster more than half-chances, with Poppy Pattinson shooting into the side-netting during a flat final ten minutes before half time.
United haven’t lost a WSL game when scoring the opening goal this season and the turf at Broadfield Stadium made goalscoring opportunities hard to come by. Brighton did squander one big opportunity to draw level just after the break, but Millie Turner did well to deny Lee Geum-min a chance on goal.
While Ella Toone and Alessia Russo looked threatening when United burst forward, it was Galton who struck again to seal the visitors’ grip on first place over the weekend and undo the good work Brighton offered after half time.
Hannah Blundell played Galton in past Jorja Fox and the 28-year-old rounded Williams before finishing from a tight angle.
A potshot from distance from Elisabeth Terland was easily held by Mary Earps while Russo tried to get on the scoresheet at the other end, eventually seeing a shot cleared. Toone soon had the ball in the back of the net but saw her strike disallowed for offside.
United’s second goal largely knocked the stuffing out of Brighton and two late strikes inflated the scoreline in the visitors’ favour.
Another Zelem corner caused havoc for Amy Merricks’ side and Williams was on hand to head in for United’s third at the near post.
They were gifted a fourth by some calamitous Brighton defending and an out of position goalkeeper as Garcia picked up loose possession to easily finish and hand United a fourth WSL…
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