INSide
YOUR MATCH PROGRAMME
04 14 30 36
HEAD COACH’S COLUMN
TALK OF THE TERRACE
CAPTAIN’S COLUMN
JESS PARK EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW
ACADEMY ROUND-UP
FAN MESSAGES
BEST GAMES AGAINST ARSENAL
SIMI AWUJO’S LUCKY SEVEN
THE OPPOSITION
JUNIOR REDS
STATS AT THE BACK
ADDED-TIME QUIZ
MANCHESTER UNITED FOOTBALL CLUB
Co-chairmen Joel Glazer, Avram Glazer
Directors Bryan Glazer, Kevin Glazer, Edward Glazer, Darcie Glazer Kassewitz, Michael Edelson, Sir Alex Ferguson, David Gill CBE, Omar Berrada, Sir Dave Brailsford Secretary Rebecca Britain
Honorary president Martin Edwards
MATCH PROGRAMME TEAM
Editor Charlie Ghagan Contributors Mikey Partington, Helen Rowe-Willcocks, Sean Mullan, Jamie Spencer, Matt Brown, Joe Ganley, Harry Robinson
Design Tom Chase Photography Charlotte Tattersall, Poppy Townson, Ash Donelon, Zohaib Alam, Getty, Alamy Thanks to Ellie Decrop, Paul Davies, John Shiel, Ian Nolan, Mark Froggatt, Gareth Boyes
SKINNER Marc
THE GAMES ARE COMING THICK AND FAST, AND TODAY WE FACE A REAL TEST AGAINST THE GUNNERS -- BUT IT’S A TEST WE SHOULD ALL BE EXCITED ABOUT...
We’re ready to go again at Leigh Sports Village, just three days on since we were last here.
This afternoon we welcome Arsenal to LSV, knowing the threat Renee Slegers’s side will pose. We’ll need to be resolute in our defending, and show our togetherness to defend as one. In attack, we’ve scored nine goals in our previous two league games so we’ll need to continue our ruthless streak to take another three points.
One thing that is important, is that we are excited about the challenge our opponents will bring. It’s great to test ourselves this early in the season, and on home soil. Whenever Arsenal come to town, it’s always one of our loudest games – last season saw us break the LSV attendance record in this fixture and the atmosphere was electric. I look forward to
hearing that noise once again, and it’s important that you fans rally behind us and create as much sound as possible.
It is great to welcome Fridolina Rolfo for a potential home WSL debut today. Her experience and quality in these types of games will be vital for us, and it’s exactly why she wanted to join Manchester United. She, and our other summer signings – Julia Zigiotti Olme and Jess Park – have already made such an impact to not just games but the training environment. It’s fantastic to see how quickly they have bedded in.
We look forward to hearing you loud and proud – enjoy the game!
picture THE BIG
BLUNDELL’S BACK IN RED
It was May 2024 when Hannah Blundell last lined up for the Reds – and quite a lot has happened for her since then! The following month she got married, then in September she announced the exciting news that her and husband Tom were expecting a baby, with daughter Romi arriving in March.
Happy times for Han, then, but that’s not to say she hasn’t missed her football, so when our flying full-back got the opportunity to get her boots and no.6 shirt back on for the U21s’ recent Wednesday encounter with
Leicester, she had quite the fan club on the sidelines at Carrington, with Marc Skinner and his squad watching the action before departing for our away game in Norway that afternoon.
“We managed to move the game early enough so we could go and watch,” revealed the boss.
Following weeks of hard graft in the gym and on the training pitch, Hannah looked sharp in the PGA U21 Women’s League North fixture (in which some overage players can participate –
indeed, Rachel Williams also featured). Starting out at right-back, Blundell had a first-half shot from a cleared corner that went not too far over, in a contest the Reds dominated.
Hannah is pictured celebrating one of our goals with captain Jessica Anderson, and by the time our no.6 left the action in the second half, the U21s were well on their way to a 5-1 win.
It’s great to see you back, Hannah, and for more on our MUW Academy teams, turn to p21.
Terrace TAlk ofthe
ALL THE PRE-MATCH CHAT AHEAD OF TODAY’S BIG GAME...
The big games keep coming for Marc Skinner’s side, don’t they? They do. After the second leg of our UEFA Champions League qualifier against Brann here on Thursday night, it’s back to the Barclays Women’s Super League for the Reds this afternoon, with the small matter of a heavyweight visit from Arsenal. It is worth saying that these pages had to be printed before Thursday’s European outing, so we can’t factor the result of that one into this conversation, but one thing for sure is that
United will have already turned the page to the task ahead today. It’s a big one too, with the Champions League holders in town – it’s the first time we’ve ever faced the reigning Queens of Europe in a competitive fixture, so there’s an added incentive to claim victory, alongside our primary goal: to continue a perfect start to the WSL campaign.
The Reds have started very strongly in the league. Maximum points is great and the nine goals scored from two games is a real positive too… It certainly is. In fact, the prolific form Skinner’s team have shown in front of goal during the 4-0 and 5-1 wins over Leicester and London City respectively makes this our best start to a WSL campaign. We’ve taken six points from the opening two games in four of our last five league campaigns but never have we found the net so frequently – six strikes in that time was our previous record from both 2020/21 and 2022/23. Our opponents have been limited to just the one goal down the other end too (and even that came from a former Red in Nikita Parris last weekend!) It’s early days, but the defensive form that was a backbone of our top-three finish last term looks to have carried over and now we’re set for a true early-season test of where we’re at, against another side that has also got off to a flyer in the league.
Tell us more about Arsenal’s start to the season, then... The Gunners may have a bigger target on their backs this season as Champions League holders, but they’ve carried that weight extremely successfully so far. Like United, they’ve won both of their opening WSL games, after matching our league-leading nine goals through two fixture rounds. They came from behind to beat London City 4-1 on the opening weekend and again recovered from a losing position last time out, before going on to beat West Ham 5-1. It would be fair to say that we’re also their biggest test to date in 2025/26, but the north Londoners arrive at Leigh Sports Village on song and with multiple key players already firing. No-one had more combined goals and assists through the first two weeks than Alessia Russo’s four, while Beth Mead led the assists chart with three. To add to that, Stina Blackstenius and Frida Maanum have got on both scoresheets in their two recent wins.
we’resetfora trueearly-season testofwherewe’re atintheWSL,against anothersidethat’s gotofftoaflyer
You mentioned Russo there – did any WSL player get as many goals and assists as the former United striker through two games?
Only our own Melvine Malard. The Reds attacker has taken her opportunity to start both matches with two hands, excelling as a left winger against Leicester and our central forward away to London City. The WSL’s current top scorer notched two goals on both occasions – something she hadn’t managed to achieve in our red shirt before this season – and is very much in form going into today’s encounter with an opponent that she likes to face. Mel scored in both of our last two home meetings with Arsenal, and oh how we’d love
It’s been a busy September for the players and staff, with the small matter of Liverpool away next Sunday before the month’s out
Blackstenius and Maanum both offer a real threat
her to continue that streak this afternoon. And we have to say, her goal celebrations are almost as entertaining as seeing the ball hit the back of the opposition net.
It sounds like we’re in for a clash worthy of a bumper Leigh Sports Village crowd. What sort of attendance are we expecting? If this fixture in each of the last two seasons is anything to go by, there shouldn’t be many spare seats dotted around LSV this afternoon – United v Arsenal here has been the hottest ticket in town over recent years. The 2023/24 meeting – a 2-2 draw early on in that campaign (above) – set our women’s team’s attendance record for a game in Leigh with an 8,312 crowd, before that count was beaten by the 8,348 that witnessed last season’s 1-1 draw. The latter is a record that still stands, but it would be ace if it was broken again today. At the time of writing on Wednesday afternoon, the ‘tickets sold’ count had exceeded last season’s figure, and the 2.50pm kick-off must surely help the many matchgoing families who have junior football on a Sunday morning. Yes, there might be a bit of rain again, but hopefully that won’t put anyone off from heading to LSV. And surely the weather can’t be any worse than the Leicester game for our last WSL home outing!
We can survive anything after that one! And finally, how is our squad looking? Is there any team news to be aware of?
It’s difficult to know exactly what kind of squad we’ll have without the context of the Brann second leg, but Millie Turner seems certain to miss this one after being stretchered off at London City. Thankfully, as Skinner confirmed on Wednesday: “It’s a knee injury but it’s not an ACL, it’s not an LCL or an MCL, so we’re just looking at the knee cap. But it’s not what people probably feared.”
Elsewhere in the squad, Simi Awujo and Leah Galton haven’t featured yet this term but are due to be nearing returns, while (as covered on p6-7) Hannah Blundell is progressing in her comeback from giving birth, having played for the U21s last week. ●
Malard netted against the London club at LSV on her WSL debut in October 2023
The boss addressed concerns about Millie’s knee injury in midweek
Official Electrical Styling Partner of Manchester United
Maya THE CAPTAIN
IT’S A RED-LETTER DAY AT LSV, AND THE SKIPPER CAN’T WAIT TO GET GOING IN FRONT OF FOUR FULL STANDS
United versus Arsenal is always one of my favourite games to play in, especially when it’s at home. Both teams are already scoring a lot of goals this season, and whenever we face Arsenal it’s a tense match-up –we always seem to really push each other. They won the Champions League last season, which was massive – not just for them but for women’s football in England – and there will be a lot of interest in this game. The crowds when we face Arsenal are
always huge, and it’s so good having that atmosphere as you walk out onto the pitch here. We can always hear the fans wherever we go but walking out and seeing four full stands at LSV is something else. The ticket numbers we have sold today are amazing, and hopefully we can keep these sorts of attendances up for the rest of the season because it always gives us that extra push out on the pitch.
This game comes just three days after we faced Brann, but having two home games back-to-back is certainly easier than two away games! We have to prepare differently in a two-game week but having them both here in Leigh does help. This is our home and our surroundings, and we have a strong record here. It’s where we want to play and having the crowd on our side can make all the difference.
We’re all determined to give you plenty to cheer about this afternoon.
A lively atmosphere (with optional matchday accessories!) is a certainty when we take on the Gunners at LSV
TWO
--
DAYS ON FROM HER REDS DEBUT AT LSV, WE SIT DOWN WITH EXCITING NEW SIGNING JESS PARK
AND THERE’
S MUCH
TO DISCUSS, FROM SWAPPING BLUE FOR RED, TO UNITED’S ORIGINAL ‘J. PARK’ , TO FIRING IN ROCKETS AGAINST THE GUNNERS...
Interview Charlie Ghagan
Let’s start with your United debut against Leicester, Jess – how did you enjoy the experience (despite the horrendous conditions by the time you came on to the pitch in the 57th minute!)?
Oh my gosh, that rain was so strong! But I really enjoyed it and it was a great atmosphere. I heard the fans cheering me as I came on, which made it even more exciting. I just wanted to show them what I can do and what I’m about – to drive at players, to pick the ball up and beat players, and to run with the ball. I tried to do that as often as I could and I definitely could hear the fans on my side, which was nice.
FACTFILE
FULL NAME Jessica Park
DATE OF BIRTH 21 October 2001
POSITION Midfielder
PLACE OF BIRTH
Brough, East Riding of Yorkshire
YOUTH CAREER
Hull City, York City
SENIOR CAREER
2017-25 Manchester City
119 games, 22 goals
2022-23 Everton (loan), 22 games, 5 goals
2025- Manchester United 3 games, 1 goal
INTERNATIONAL CAREER
England: 20 caps, 3 goals
HONOURS
FA Cup 2019/20; League Cup
2018/19, 2021/22; UEFA Women’s Championship 2025; Women’s Finalissima 2023; Arnold Clark Cup 2023
We did hear your name being sung – which reminded us that you’re not the first ‘J Park’ to play for the Reds – another explosive, attack-minded midfielder came before you! Yes, I did know about that, that’s crazy! I can’t fully recall what he [Ji-sung Park, below] was like as a player because I was very young when he was at United. But I do remember seeing him in the season when I first started to watch proper games.
One thing you don’t have in common with Ji is your shirt number: he wore 13, you’re now wearing 8. Was that a number you were keen to have at United, as you previously wore 16 at City? I was given 16 at City, but my favourite shirt numbers are 8 and 10, so when I saw that 8 was available, I wanted it. I grew up with 8 on my back. I didn’t think it would be available here but it was [smiles]!
Would you consider yourself to be more of an ‘8’ than a ‘10’, tactically speaking?
It’s hard to say. I’m happy to play wherever, as long as I’m looking to attack – if I can find the pockets on the pitch then I’ll go and play in them.
And it must have felt a bit strange to pull on a red shirt after an entire senior career in blue (including Everton). When was the last time you played in red – at York as a youngster?
Probably as a kid, yes, and I wore red at primary school. I thought I looked alright in the United shirt, for sure! It’s always going to feel a bit strange when you’ve spent so long at one club, but it was a ‘good strange’ – it was refreshing and I enjoyed wearing my new kit. You just want to get out there and do what you do to show the fans you’re proud to wear that shirt. I certainly tried to do that.
Moving on to the Arsenal fixture, clearly this will be a challenging game, as it always is when we face them. What did you make of their start to the WSL season, as they beat London City Lionesses? I only saw some of the first half – I was driving home as we had training that day. Arsenal are always a strong team, and they are going to be even stronger now on the back of their Champions League win. They are going to want to show what they are about even more in the league this season, and they will have ambitions to win it. They’ll be challenging to play against, so it’s up to us to stop them. We’re United and we’ll fight.
Are you in regular contact with your former Manchester City team-mate turned Gunner, and fellow Euro 2025 winner, Chloe Kelly? Yeah, I speak to Chloe. We might chat ahead of this game but it will be minimal as the game gets closer – both teams will just be focused on what they need to do to win in this match.
Here’s a good omen: this time last year, on the same weekend, you hit a WSL Goal-of-the-Month winning strike against Arsenal from the edge of the box. Another one of those would be nice, wouldn’t it? And where does that stand on the list of your favourite goals? Oh really, I didn’t know it was on the same weekend
anysortofgoal, whetheryouassistor score,youwanttobe partofit...Buti’lltake anotherhalf-volley fromdistance!
– okay, yeah I’ll give it a go! It was pretty special that goal – a half-volley, that I smashed top bins. I think that’s probably my best goal, yeah.
And it went in off the crossbar, which made it even more satisfying to watch. Are such long-rangers your favourite type of goals?
To be honest, whether it’s a long-range shot, an intricate team goal, or beating a couple of players and finishing it off... any sort of goal, whether you assist it or score it, you just want to be part of it. But a half-volley from distance, of course I’ll take another one of those [laughs]!
Park’s contract runs until 2029
All smiles ahead of her debut
I donowfeellike Manchesteris myhome.ButI’ll neverforgetmy yorkshireroots
It’s clearly been a full-on couple of months for you, what with the Euros, and then joining a new club. At least with it being a local move, we like to think that away from football you haven’t had too much upheaval – has that been the case? Yes, definitely. Being able to stay where I live has been a massive advantage. When you have to move house following a transfer, that’s extra stress with everything else that’s going on. The week of the move was challenging – it happened very quickly, and it was hard for me to be mentally ready to go straight into a game after a week like that. But obviously just being able to go home as usual, a 20-minute journey away, was great. I was able to just go home, put my feet up and try to drown out the noise. It was good to do that but at the same time it was all good noise – from the City fans to the United fans it was all very nice and I appreciated how they all handled it.
That’s good to hear. Talking of home, you were born near Hull – do you still get back across the Pennines much?
My family is still there in Brough [approximately 10 miles west of Hull]. I don’t go home too much – it’s hard when I have such a busy schedule – but they come over here to watch every game. After the game
they’ll come back to mine, they’ll see the dogs, and we’ll have some food and stuff. It’s nice.
Would you consider yourself a proud ‘Yorkshire lass’, or have you been a Manchester girl for too many years now?
[Smiles] It does feel like I’ve been here for so long – I was 16 when I moved away, and once you hit a certain age you start to grow up, don’t you? So for who I am now, I do feel like Manchester is probably my home. But I’ll never forget my roots and where I come from.
Your development over the last eight seasons has been really impressive, with your season at Everton being a key part of that. How do you look back on that 2022/23 campaign with the Toffees, when you played 22 games, scoring five goals? That was a breakthrough season for me. I was starting games, and I was playing week-in, week-out in back-to-back games, which really helped me develop as a player. I learned how to play within a different structure, and play a different way, which really helped me. It was then [September 2022] when I got my first England call- up, which was brilliant, and I got to push on from there. So I’d definitely say that my year at Everton was a special one for me.
A key term spent in Merseyside in 2022/23
Beth Mead is another England team-mate Jess could face this afternoon
MUW ACADEMY
READY TO STEP UP
Under-21s prove their worth, while younger Reds enjoy Junior Premier League success...
SENIOR OPPORTUNITIES
“The biggest highlight of the summer was three players going away on pre-season tour with our senior team,” reflects Amanda Goodwin, Academy manager. Midfielder Sienna Wearing continued her strong progress, building on her 2023/24 Under-16s Player of the Year award, to be involved with Marc Skinner’s senior set-up, alongside Jess Anderson and Scarlett Hill (below). The latter pair of 17-year-olds impressed sufficiently on pre-season to earn squad places for our UEFA Women’s Champions League qualifiers against PSV Eindhoven and Hammarby.
“That’s a big achievement for two U21 players,” said Goodwin. It’s also a sign of the Academy’s continued success in producing talent ready to step into the senior environment.
PRODUCTIVE PRE-SEASON
United’s staff organised a tough pre-season campaign for the U21s, with fixtures against senior women’s opposition. That both readied the young Reds for what might be to come and provided an insight into what more they need to work on to reach senior level. The season proper also includes senior tests, with games against Wythenshawe (1-1) and Wolves (1-3) in the Women’s National League Cup. “It’s always tough, playing against senior sides, and there’s nothing to be ashamed of in defeat to Wolves,” explained Goodwin. “They are top of tier three. We’re looking forward to a similar test against Stoke at the end of the month.” The league campaign has also begun, with a crazy opening fixture against rivals City finishing 8-3 in the Blues’ favour. United responded with a 1-1 draw at Sunderland and a 5-1 win against Leicester.
Our Under-16s get hold of some early-season JPL silverware – great work,
THREE-IN-A-ROW FOR U16s
After a solid third-place finish at the prestigious SuperCupNI (formerly known as the Milk Cup), United’s U16s enjoyed pre-season wins over Arsenal and Chelsea, and drew 2-2 with Liverpool. That put the group in good form going into the biannual Junior Premier League peer-to-peer tournament, which United won both editions of in 2024/25. The young Reds secured a third successive title, defeating Leicester, Sunderland and Tottenham in the group stages, then Birmingham and Manchester City in the knockouts. That set up a second meeting with Spurs in the final, where United were 1-0 winners, as Chloe was named Player of the Match. That’s not been the only success for the U16s group. “We’ve had a couple of players step up and play for our U21s, which is the reward for performing in their own age group,” said Goodwin. “Ellen Marsh and Casey-Leigh Lamb have consistently been playing up, with others coming in and out.”
EDUCATIONAL SUCCESS
Off the pitch, several players secured scholarships at prestigious universities in the United States, where they’ll balance their academic futures with elite-level football. Phoebe Chadwick will attend Harvard, Liv Moulton has a spot to study at Michigan University, Anna Fletcher is headed to Rhode Island University, Aoife Farrall to Eastern Florida State and Zaiba Ishaque to Wake Forest. Congratulations and good luck to them all. Each move reflects both their own personal achievement and the Academy’s commitment to creating well-rounded individuals.
Robinson
girls!
Stands IN THE WHO
↑ It’s James’s birthday tomorrow and he’s here today. Have a good one!
↑ Happy birthday Rebekah Davies who turned 23 on 19 September –her favourite player is Leah Galton.
’S HERE FOR TODAY’S BIG GAME?
↓ Scarlett (age 9) would love to appear in the United v Arsenal programme. Your wish is granted!
↓ Elliott Spencer, born 7 September, stealing the show on Amy & Jamie’s first anniversary, (big sis Millie is also in the photo!)
Wishing Molly (right) a happy 12th birthday. We love the Maya hat! ↑
← Katie is turning 18 on 28 September and her top player is Jayde.
↑ Flora is turning 12. Her no.1 player is Maya and she loves to watch the Reds home and away.
↑ Happy 11th birthday Charley Taylor. Enjoy the game with Mum and Cayley.
↓ Harper can’t wait to see the girls this season.
↑ Happy 13th birthday to Izzy Vitalis who is starting her 4th year as a regular.
YOUR TEXT MESSAGES
● Happy 10th birthday to Niamh, love from Mum & Dad.
● Happy 40th birthday Helen – have a fantastic day celebrating with your family and friends at today’s match.
● Happy 10th birthday Alexa, love Mummy, Daddy & Noah.
● Cerys (10) and her friend Hope (9) are huge MUW fans and are visiting from Glasgow as a joint birthday treat.
● Happy 13th birthday Kaelyn – we love you forever and always – from Mum, Dad, Danielle and Kadie.
We’re here for it all
From the grandstands to the grassroots, Barclays has invested millions in community sports since 2001.
Supporting the superstars and the future stars.
Because there is no football without grassroots football.
Search ‘Barclays Football’ to find out more.
Sandberg ANNA
MANCHESTER UNITED
VOTE FOR MAYA!
Our skipper is counting on your vote for a Northwest Football Award
Maya Le Tissier is in the running for a Community Champion award at this year’s Northwest Football Awards.
The Reds defender has been shortlisted in the category which includes four other players from across the top two tiers of the women’s game, having been recognised by Manchester United Foundation as our PFA Community Champion last season.
During 2024/25, Maya visited two of the Foundation’s partner high schools in the city –Manchester Enterprise Academy and Buile Hill Academy –helping to inspire pupils with educational and playing advice.
After receiving the award in May, Maya said: “I’m delighted to receive the PFA Community Champion award. Working in the local community is incredibly important to the club, especially given how big football is in Manchester.
“It’s great to give something back, and I really enjoy visiting the schools and making a difference to the young people we meet.”
With players from Manchester City, Liverpool, Everton and Blackburn Rovers also up for the award, the winner will be decided by the public, with voting open until 5pm on Friday 26 September.
SIGN UP FOR THE SLEEP OUT!
The Foundation’s annual Old Trafford sleep out is returning for its fourth year this November –giving fans the unique chance to bed down for the night at the Theatre of Dreams to support its charitable work, by showing solidarity with young people
Men’s team player Amad is also in the running for the equivalent award, with winners to be announced at the ceremony in Manchester on 3 November.
You can vote for Maya and Amad at northwestfootballawards.com/ public-vote-nwfa-2025/
experiencing hardship this winter. The event is open to supporters aged 18+, with a registration fee of £35 and a minimum fundraising pledge of £250 to Manchester United Foundation. Scan the code to register or find out more.
Maya holds her PFA Community Champion award – and our skipper is now up for another prize
1. KAYLA RENDELL
Our no.1 won Southampton’s Goal of the Season award in 2021/22 after scoring a dramatic late equaliser for her former club in the FA Cup, against Ipswich.
2. ANNA SANDBERG
The left-back played 22 games in her maiden Reds season of ’24/25, and the young Swede looks set to really kick on this season, having started all five games to date.
6. HANNAH BLUNDELL
Back in action following maternity leave, our 2022/23 Players’ Player of the Year lined up as a senior for the U21s last week – her first game since baby Romi’s birth in March.
SQUAD SN APSHOTs
ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT THOSE IN RED
3. GABBY GEORGE
Gabs was absent from just two matchday squads last season –both against former club Everton – and got her first competitive minutes of the season last Sunday.
7. ELLA TOONE
A double Euros winner with England, our record scorer and appearance maker has started ’25/26 strongly, scoring our first goal of the new WSL campaign.
4. MAYA LE TISSIER
Maya has a century of games under her belt since signing from Brighton in 2022. She took the skipper’s armband last summer, and fired in a penalty on Sunday.
8. JESS PARK
The England midfielder, 23, arrived from Manchester City on deadline day, and she already looks at home here – the high point being her goal last Sunday.
The French forward made her loan move from Lyon permanent in July 2024. A menace inside the box, she’s been brilliant so far this term, with four goals to her name.
Our new no.10 (‘Teri’ wore 19 last season) has started ’25/26 as strongly as Malard, with five goals in five games – four of which have come in our UWCL qualifiers.
9. MELVINE MALARD 10. ELISABETH TERLAND 11. LEAH GALTON
One of our remaining ‘Originals’, the winger has 44 goals in 162 games. Once back to full fitness following injury she’ll be keen to add to those numbers in 2025/26.
ROLFO
The left-sided summer signing is equally comfortable in attack or defence, and won her 100th cap for Sweden at the Euros. She made her Reds debut on Sunday.
The Norwegian forward has a new name after getting married this summer. She got off the mark for ’25/26 in our opening game, v PSV – her seventh goal for the Reds.
The 27-year-old became United’s first summer signing in late July when she arrived from Bayern Munich, where she won a league and cup double last season.
Only Ella Toone and Leah Galton have more Reds goals among the current squad than Rach, who returned from injury as part of the squad v London City Lionesses.
The Canadian won the Breakout Star award in May’s World Sevens, and she’ll be keen to add to her 17 appearances in midfield in ’25/26 once she returns from injury.
Lisa missed a large part of last season through injury but came off the bench in five of the final seven games, and featured in all of our opening five in 2025/26.
Having overcome injury in her debut campaign of 2023/24, last term saw Hini have a much bigger impact, and she’s been a regular starter so far this season.
Another to sign a new deal this summer, the 20-year-old keeper won her first Wales cap in 2023 and played for them at Euro 2025 – their first major tournament.
Named in last season’s PFA WSL Team of the Year, Jayde’s started the new term strongly, scoring her first United goal on Sunday, in what was her 50th appearance.
The versatile midfielder started the first four games of this season at centre-back alongside Maya Le Tissier, helping to keep three clean sheets in the process.
The ever-dependable centre-back has been the ultimate team player since her 2018 debut. Last Sunday saw her leave the action through injury away to London City.
PTJ kept an impressive 18 clean sheets in 30 games across all competitions in 2024/25 and didn’t concede in any of the first three fixtures of this season.
47. JESSICA ANDERSON (MF); 48. SIENNA WAREING (MF); 52. SCARLETT HILL (DF)
TheRe’s Drama! GUNNER BE
Galton celebrates her leveller in a back-and-forth clash in 2023 that would ultimately finish level
WHEN UNITED MEET ARSENAL, EDGE-OF-YOUR-SEAT ACTION SEEMS ALMOST GUARANTEED. HERE’S OUR COUNTDOWN OF THE TOP FIVE PREVIOUS CLASHES -FROM A DECIDEDLY REDS PERSUASION, NATURALLY...
5
United 2-2 Arsenal 6 Oct 2023, WSL, Leigh Sports Village
Over 8,000 fans flocked into Leigh Sports Village for a Friday-night game with an intriguing sub-plot: Alessia Russo’s first return to the place she used to call home before her move south that summer. Despite the ’23/24 season still being in its infancy – this was only United’s second game, and first at home, due to a delayed start following the World Cup – there was no danger of rustiness as the sides played out a high-quality, four-goal thriller. Stina Blackstenius cut in from the left to slot in the visitors’ opener, but a missed kick from Sabrina D’Angelo allowed Leah Galton to roll into an empty net before half-time. After Russo was twice denied by Mary Earps, and also hit the post, debutant Melvine Malard looked to have earned a famous win when she poked home after coming off the bench. However, there was still to be one last twist, with Cloe Lacasse’s long-range effort earning a share of the spoils in stoppage time. “I cannot be prouder of the players,” Marc Skinner told Sky Sports afterwards. “It was a top-level game. We flipped the script and she’s [Lacasse] hit a worldie.”
Words: Matt Holt
These meetings at LSV always bring plenty of noise – away fans included!
4 Arsenal 2-1 United
7 Feb 2019, League Cup, Meadow Park
Yes, this was a United defeat but given the achievement at the time, we think it merits a place on this rundown. Coming during the Reds’ first campaign since reformation, and while still playing in the second tier, a narrow loss to the reigning League Cup holders (and, as it would turn out, that season’s eventual WSL champions) was a high-stakes semi-final, played on Arsenal’s patch. The 2018/19 season had already seen United wins over four top-flight clubs across both domestic cups, but this proved that Casey Stoney’s Reds were absolutely ready to mix it with the big guns. On a gloomy night in Borehamwood, it took two clinical finishes from the ever-prolific Vivianne Miedema to break United’s resistance. Mollie Green expertly found the bottom corner from the edge of the box to pull one back and create real tension in the closing minutes, but Arsenal held on to reach the final. “We’re seven months into the start of a journey,” said Stoney after the game. “We want to get promoted. We want to go and compete next season in the WSL.” That mission would soon be accomplished, with this narrow loss only adding to the belief the Reds carried up with them from the Championship.
3
United 1-0 Arsenal
8 Nov 2020, WSL, Leigh Sports Village
There may have been no fans in attendance due to Covid-19, but that took nothing away from the huge sense of pride at a first-ever win over the Gunners, in late 2020. The Reds had begun the season with 13 points from the first 15 available, but
Left The first United side to face Arsenal so nearly stunned the top-flight hosts
Right Future Gunner Russo celebrates our winner against them in the spring of 2023
Below Press battles for possession during another famous win
the visitors were in even stronger form, with five wins from five and an incredible 29 goals scored. Despite that potency in attack, Arsenal struggled to create meaningful chances at LSV, and it was instead United who looked more dangerous through chances for American duo Christen Press and Tobin Heath. Then, with 83 minutes on the clock, Jess Sigsworth surged forward before cutting back to square for Ella Toone, whose first-time effort was swept home to perfection via the post. It proved to be the difference and ended Arsenal’s run of scoring in 30 consecutive WSL games stretching back to December 2018. Even more satisfyingly, it put Stoney’s team top of the table, and while some mixed results in the second half of this strangest of campaigns would see us narrowly miss out on European football, this victory is worthy of a rightful place on our podium.
2
United 1-0 Arsenal
19 Apr 2023,
WSL, Leigh Sports Village
Many will remember this hard-fought success as one of the best moments of a 2022/23 WSL campaign that so nearly ended in title glory. Both teams were still in contention in the penultimate month of the season, with United holding a three-point advantage over Arsenal, albeit having played a game more and with Chelsea sandwiched
arsenalhadwonsixfromsix andconcededasolitarygoal.
Butthatrecordwasonce againrippedupbyUnited
between the sides a further match back. With so much on the line, it was perhaps understandable that the first 45 minutes proved a cagey affair, although the decisive moment arrived seconds before the break, when Nikita Parris picked out Russo (then playing for us!) to slide in the only goal from inside the box. The scorer was denied another in the second half by goalkeeper Manuela Zinsberger, who almost snatched an incredible 97th-minute equaliser herself when she volleyed narrowly off-target after Earps had punched a corner clear. “There were moments of real class from us,” noted Skinner at full-time. “We showed resilience and it shows we are learning as a team. Arsenal are a top, top team and have been for many years, so for us to win and do the double over them is a massive sign of our growth.” It was the third of seven straight United victories to end the season, but the title sadly went to Chelsea – the only team to beat the Reds in the WSL that season. But speaking of that memorable double over the Gunners...
1Arsenal 2-3 United 19 Nov 2022, WSL, Emirates Stadium
Coming in the same season as no.2 on our list, the Reds’ 3-2 win on a brisk night at the Emirates had everything. Just like two years earlier, the hosts went into the game on the back of a perfect WSL start, winning six from six and conceding a solitary goal. But that record was once again ripped up by United, as Toone broke the first-half deadlock in front of more than 40,000 fans when she tapped in at the back post after Zinsberger failed to claim Hayley Ladd’s delivery. Arsenal stirred into life after the break and were level 37 seconds into the second half – Frida Maanum’s deflected effort was hugely unfortunate for the helpless Earps. Their second was more spectacular, as Katie McCabe’s ball was brilliantly volleyed in by Laura Wienroither. That looked to have settled the contest but, typical of the grit the Reds have often shown in this fixture, victory was snatched from the jaws of defeat. First, Millie Turner nodded in via the crossbar, before Russo’s own header, in stoppage time, completed the most dramatic of turnarounds. Almost three years on, we’re not sure we’ve seen away-day limbs at any United Women game to match that sensational November night in north London.
Our maiden trip to the Emirates would have the most dramatic conclusion
SeVEN LUCKY
ONE RED RANDOMLY PICKS SEVEN BOXES, EACH CONTAINING AN OFFBEAT QUESTION -- HERE, SIMI AWUJO LANDS ON SOME POP-CULTURE POSERS...
Q: What’s the last film or TV series you watched that you’d recommend?
“I’ll say Wednesday [on Netflix] – it’s like a spin-off of The Addams Family [based on the character Wednesday Addams]. I do feel a bit like ‘should I be sooooo into this?!’ but I just think it’s such a good little show. I never really watched the original Addams Family stuff but it doesn’t matter. There are two seasons, and season two is in two parts – I’m looking forward to watching part two soon.”
Q: What’s your favourite shirt number?
“I don’t really have a favourite, as it’s changed so much over the years. My very first was no.1. I didn’t like that number and I don’t know how I ended up with it as I definitely wasn’t a goalkeeper, so it wasn’t following protocol. I do like 7, and 13 has grown on me – as well as United, I wear it for the Canada national team also. I didn’t know about the superstition behind the number until I came to England when I was a kid. One of my aunts lived here, and she told us how in England there’s often no flat 13... no floor 13... I asked her why and she explained. But it’s never been a superstition for me so I was happy to take it!”
Q: If you had to go in goal for one game, how do you think you would get on?
“Hmm, I think I’d be rated like, six out of 10. I feel like I can handle a football with my hands pretty well – my hand-eye coordination is up there. What will score me down is that I just won’t want to dive – I don’t know if I could bring myself to really dive in a game [laughs] so we’d have to see in the moment if I could
Interview Charlie Ghagan
Whether it’s in Montreal or Manchester, these two Reds can’t get enough of the Canadian tunes
bring that out of me. If I can’t dive, maybe I’d be a three out of 10. Of the squad, I’d say Millie would be best – I could see her doing whatever needs to be done to stop the ball.”
Q: Do you have a skill outside football that would surprise people?
“Not everyone knows this, but I can play the piano, and I can sing – but I’m also really shy about it so I don’t do it often. But my team did force me to play and sing after our Cup final win last year so I did One and Only by Adele. I have to learn songs on a piano – I’m not naturally gifted like some people who can just go at it. So I’ll learn a song, and I’ll keep practising it.”
Q: What was the last concert you went to – and was it any good?
“It was Drake, and PartyNextDoor featured as well. And yes, it was good! I went with Jayde, – as Canadians, we were always going to enjoy it. It was at the Co-op Live in Manchester –we both said we have to go and watch this concert. It was super enjoyable, but we did find it funny that we were seeing them play in Manchester rather than Canada.”
myhand-eye coordinationisup there...Whatwould scoremedownin goalisthatIjust won’twanttodive
Q: What’s a film you’ve seen 10+ times?
“People might not expect to hear this one as a favourite movie, but The Sound of Music. I’ve seen it a lot! It’s very old [1965], but it is in colour. I think maybe I even watched it on a VCR when I was young. There’s something about it – I love it and it really stays with you.”
Q: If you could have one superpower for a day, what would it be?
“Oh, it would be teleportation. I’d want that for a lifetime. I’d probably go home [to Canada] first. It would just be so convenient – anything I needed to do that day, say I had an appointment back in Manchester, I could just teleport back for five minutes, then return. It would be so useful.”
Simi would dust down the VCR to enjoy a classic musical from the 1960s
ARSENAL
It seems a long time ago now, but Arsenal were the very first visitors to Leigh Sports Village in a WSL setting, in September 2019. The Gunners arrived as defending champions after winning all but two of their 20 WSL games in 2018/19, but United showed no signs of intimidation and fought bravely until conceding a scrappy 89th-minute winner, scored by Danielle van de Donk (right). The level of celebration, Reds boss Casey Stoney remarked afterwards, showed just how much Arsenal “knew they were in for a game”. Meetings between us over the years since have continued to provide plenty of drama (as we recall from p30), so could we be set for another thriller today?
RECENT FORM
The Gunners came into 2025/26 as reigning European champions for the first time since lifting the UEFA Women’s Cup (as it was then known) in 2007. Their 1-0 underdog triumph over Barcelona in the Women’s Champions League final in May capped a remarkable journey that began in the first qualifying round, encompassed a managerial change and produced a semi-final annihilation of Lyon. It also puts a target on their back, but Arsenal began the current campaign with a handsome win over the ambitious London City Lionesses. Renee Slegers’ side won that game 4-1 at the Emirates, before hammering West Ham 5-1 away in another all-London clash. Both fixtures followed a similar pattern: Arsenal falling behind early on, before eventually overpowering their opponents – it’s been 37 attempts at goal across 180 minutes thus far, so they certainly won’t panic if they concede first today.
After falling behind, the Gunners were ruthless in front of goal away to West Ham last time out
WHO TO LOOK OUT FOR...
Olivia Smith’s July switch from Liverpool –completed near the start of a monumental summer in the transfer landscape – saw her become the first £1 million player in the women’s game. The Canadian winger, known for pace and directness, wasted little time opening her Arsenal account, scoring the Gunners’ first goal of the season to kick off the comeback against London City Lionesses, as well as assisting off the bench against West Ham after replacing Beth Mead in the second half. At the back, homegrown Katie Reid (left) has started both Arsenal games so far at the heart of the defence. The teenage centre-back was on the fringes of the first-team last season but has stepped into the XI to cover the injured Leah Williamson, ahead of the more senior pair Laia Codina and Lotte Wubben-Moy.
RECENT LINE-UP
Formed: 1987 Nickname: The Gunners Major honours: English league champions 1992/93, 1994/95, 1996/97, 2000/01, 2001/02, 2003/04, 2004/05, 2005/06, 2006/07, 2007/08, 2008/09, 2009/10, 2011, 2012, 2018/19; UEFA Women’s Cup/Women’s Champions League 2007, 2025; 14 x Women’s FA Cup; 7 x Women’s League Cup Last season: WSL 2nd place, FA Cup quarter-finals, League Cup semi-finals, UWCL winners; top scorer 2024/25 (all comps): Alessia Russo (20) Record v United: P13 W6 D3 L4 F20 A15
the leaders
After delivering Champions League glory a matter of months into her Arsenal stint that began as an interim appointment, Renee Slegers is targeting the club’s first WSL title in what will be seven years come May. With as much expectation as the Gunners face, the 36-year-old Dutch coach has found success by promoting a calm environment in a bid to relieve the pressure on her squad. Wearing the armband is Kim Little, Arsenal’s longest-serving player and, still, midfield linchpin. Aged 35, the Scotland international remains as important as ever to the Gunners’ hopes, sitting deeper than she once used to, but controlling things in a way that allows the more attack-minded Mariona Caldentey to thrive next to her.
Little is a natural leader in the middle of the park
NICKNAME GAME
Familiar (and unfamiliar!)
Bromwich
Sort the scorers: 1. Leah Galton (2018); 2. Maya Le Tissier (2022); 3. Melvine Malard (2023); 4. Elisabeth Terland (2024); 5. Mared Griffiths (2025)
FAMILIAR FOES (AND UNFAMILIAR!)
Live every week on Sky Sports, BBC, and YouTube.
STATS AT THE BACK
WOMEN’S SUPER LEAGUE TABLE, 2025/26
UNITED APPEARANCES & GOALS, 2025/26*
WSL TOP SCORERS, 2025/26
WSL TOP ASSISTS, 2025/26
DOUBLE TROUBLE IN REDS’ ATTACK
It’s a lovely sight to see not one, but two Reds starting the season so strongly in front of goal, with Elisabeth Terland having scored five, and Melvine Malard four, after just five games played in all competitions. If the pair continue at this rate they’ll have.... okay, okay, we won’t get carried away with our calculators, but only twice previously since we’ve been a top-flight side have the Reds had two players reach double figures for goals in the same campaign: 2022/23 (Galton/Russo) and 2023/24 (Parris/Williams). Teri and Mel already look well placed to add 2025/26 that list.
Vignola’s dream debut for Everton saw her net
WOMEN’S SUPER LEAGUE
pREVIeW
AWAY FROM THE SHOWPIECE GAME AT LSV, THERE ARE FIVE OTHER FIXTURES
United’s big showdown with Arsenal is the concluding match in this round of WSL fixtures, at the end of a fascinating weekend. The league season’s third round of games began on Friday evening, with Goodison Park the site for Everton’s meeting with London City Lionesses, our own most-recent WSL opponents.
Kicking off in the capital at the same time was Tottenham’s match against our cross-town rivals Manchester City, who are playing catch-up after losing their season opener to reigning champions Chelsea.
And before the action starts here at Leigh, there are three midday games across the country today. The aforementioned champions, Chelsea, welcome Leicester to Kingsmeadow, with the Foxes riding a wave of buoyancy due to last weekend’s incredible win over Liverpool. The Midlanders were down to 10 from the 56th minute, when Shannon O’Brien was dismissed. But against expectations, they took the lead through Emily van Egmond’s header and then stood firm, despite Liverpool’s one-player advantage.
And Chelsea? Well, they have the maximum six points so far, thanks to last weekend’s 3-1 win over Aston Villa and that opening-day success against City. The big news at Villa was Sam Kerr’s first goal in almost two years – her 100th for the west London club – following a long lay-off due to an ACL injury.
Meanwhile, Villa’s next opponents are Liverpool, who will be desperate to put something on the board after that defeat at Leicester and a humiliating 4-1 derby hammering from Everton at Anfield.
Finally, the third of today’s midday match-ups is Brighton’s home fixture against West Ham, with both clubs searching for a first win. The Seagulls took the lead against Man City last time out, only for Bunny Shaw to level and Yui Hasegawa to net City’s winner.
West Ham also took the lead in their last game, at home to Arsenal, but the Gunners responded via Frida Maanum, Stina Blackstenius and Caitlin Foord, before two injury-time goals from Alessia Russo took the final score to a handsome 5-1. Today’s match will surely feel more winnable for both West Ham and Brighton, so we should be in for a real tussle.
Kerr, back in Chelsea’s squad, will be hungry for more goals against the Foxes
Can Leicester kick on after their win against Liverpool?
F IXTURES + RESULTS
ADDED-TIME QUIZ
CAN YOU GET FULL MARKS IN OUR REDS-THEMED TEST?
1
Who is the only player to ever make a competitive appearance for United with an ‘x’ in their first name or surname?
2 Which two current squad members have scored for the Reds in more than one game against Arsenal?
3 Dominique Janssen has more international caps than any other current United player, with 128, but in which year did she win her first for the Netherlands: 2010, 2012 or 2014?
4
The record for most United goals in a WSL season is 10, shared between Alessia Russo, Elisabeth Terland and who else?
5 Who were our first opponents at Leigh Sports Village in the 2024/25 campaign?
6 How many clubs will play in next season’s expanded WSL: 14, 16 or 18?
7
Aside from Terland, who is the only other player to wear United’s no.10 shirt?
8
For which other club has Julia Zigiotti Olme played in the WSL?
9
The first United-Arsenal meeting at Leigh Sports Village took place in which year?
10
Other than Chelsea, who were the only other team to stop United scoring at LSV last season?
Alex Greenwood; 2. Ella Toone (3) and Melvine Malard (2); 3. 2014; 4. Leah Galton;
Liverpool; 6. 14; 7. Katie Zelem; 8. Brighton; 9. 2019; 10. Aston Villa
25/26 THIRD JERSEY
MANCHESTER UNITED WOMEN
Head coach Marc Skinner
Kayla Rendell (GK)
Anna Sandberg
Gabby George
Maya Le Tissier
Hannah Blundell
Ella Toone
Jess Park
Melvine Malard
Elisabeth Terland
Leah Galton
Fridolina Rolfo
Simi Awujo
Jayde Riviere
Celin Bizet Donnum
Lisa Naalsund
Dominique Janssen
Julia Zigiotti Olme
Hinata Miyazawa
Millie Turner
Rachel Williams
Mared Griffiths
Safia Middleton-Patel (GK)
Tamira Livingston
Jessica Anderson
Sienna Wareing
Scarlett Hill
Phallon Tullis-Joyce (GK)
ARSENAL WOMEN
Head coach Renee Slegers
Manuela Zinsberger (GK)
Emily Fox
Lotte Wubben-Moy
Laia Codina
Leah Williamson
Steph Catley
Mariona Caldentey
Beth Mead
Kim Little
Katie McCabe
Frida Maanum
Daphne van Domselaar (GK)
Olivia Smith
Chloe Kelly
Caitlin Foord
Victoria Pelova
Jenna Nighswonger
Alessia Russo
Taylor Hinds
Stina Blackstenius
Katie Reid
Anneke Borbe (GK)
Kyra Cooney-Cross
Referee Kirsty Dowle Assistants Harley Hetherington,David Middleton Fourth official Abby Dearden