On Sunday, Manchester United’s run of nine consecutive WSL matches without losing ended in bizarre fashion. Over the weekend they were perhaps harshly beaten, going down at home to Aston Villa 1-0. The loss has ignited pressing inquiries for head coach Marc Skinner. He vociferously called for reinforcements in January’s transfer window after the horrendous showing.
The historic game was held at United’s home ground, Old Trafford. Aston Villa continued their dominant defensive stretch, recording their fourth clean sheet of the season. Likewise, United continued to threaten with chances from Rachel Williams and Ella Toone putting their sights on goal. Villa’s goalkeeper Sabrina D’Angelo and defender Anna Patten made incredible clearances to keep the visitors at bay.
Match Overview
Miri Taylor was the hero for Aston Villa, as her goal was the only one of the match. The winning goal came from an unexpected source—a corner kick. As a result, Phallon Tullis-Joyce of United misplayed the clearance, which gave Taylor the ideal opportunity to take advantage of the misplay and make it 1-0. An impressive victory. This upset is nothing short of a massive shock for United. They were the bookmakers’ favorites going into the match and they would have had an opportunity to trim Chelsea’s lead to just a single point with a victory.
Skinner didn’t hide his discontent following the game. He admitted his side “weren’t ruthless enough” and needed to be “a touch more direct” in their attacking possession. He lamented the lost chances. He stressed that if we are to prevent these types of projects from moving forward again, we must prioritize quality in the right places.
“We needed a little bit of quality in certain areas, especially getting into the attack. When you don’t do that, you’re at risk of their goal. They came here not to lose the game, and they’ve gone away with three points.” – Marc Skinner
Villa’s Solid Performance
Aston Villa head coach Natalia Arroyo celebrated the victory as a “massive win,” and said it was an important reflection of her team’s character and performance. The win is most impressive given that it comes on the heels of Villa’s last outing against Everton in which they struggled immensely. Arroyo’s crew has been the most in-form team this season, now undefeated in their first seven games with just one loss.
This is a massive win. And even through all the changes, I’m still pumped! I have always believed in our ability to do this, but I’m surprised and thrilled by such a robust performance. Arroyo remarked after the match.
Looking Ahead
In the wake of this loss, Skinner’s plea for new signings is all the more urgent. Manchester United have their eyes set on returning to winning ways and competing for the title once more. First order of business will be strengthening the squad, or risk getting left in the dust as their league standings continue to slip.
This outcome serves as a reminder of the unpredictability of football. It’s a reminder that even the most powerful actors can trip when you least see it coming. United will have to bounce back quickly with their next match coming just a few days later. They’ll be looking to return to winning ways and continue to put pressure on the leaders in the league.
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