Manchester United manager Marc Skinner has admitted the club still needs more ‘investment and recruitment’ if they are to challenge for multiple trophies per season in the coming years.
Having finished fourth in each of their three previous WSL seasons to date, narrowly missing out on Champions League qualification in the latter two, United came into the 2022/23 campaign determined to get over the line and break up the league’s established status quo.
No teams other than Chelsea, Arsenal and Manchester City – not always in that order – have finished in the top three since Liverpool won the title in 2014.
United always intended to win trophies in the women’s game. Yet the team have arguably exceeded expectations this season by being, not just in a top three battle, but firmly in a title race.
Ahead of facing Arsenal in a huge game at Leigh Sports Village on Wednesday evening, Skinner’s team are top of the table, three points clear of the third place and Gunner and fourth place City. United have a superior goal difference, so avoiding defeat would eliminate the advantage of Arsenal’s game in hand. Chelsea are one point behind in second, but have a game in hand too.
Where United have seen massive improvement this season is in putting games to bed – as many as 10 points were dropped from winning positions in the final 15 minutes of matches in 2021/22. They have also managed to grind out results in game that might previously have got the better of them – like Rachel Williams’ late winner against Reading, holding out with 10 players at the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium and a big second half performance against West Ham at Old Trafford.
Ahead of facing Arsenal, United have the WSL’s meanest defence (nine goals conceded in 17 games), its best attack (46 goals scored in 17 games) and the most different league goalscorers of any team (14 players have netted, plus own goals).
But United have undoubtedly benefitted from having a very settled team. They haven’t yet had to balance Champions League football, which with qualifiers and the group stage could be an additional eight or 10 games before even thinking about knockout rounds. A heavily rotated side also fell out of the Conti Cup before Christmas, although disappointing, meant less distraction.
Chelsea, in reacheing the Conti Cup final, will face United in the FA Cup final and potentially yet the Champions League final, have used every inch of their squad to cope with those demands and have still,…
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