Manchester United suffered their first defeat of the 2022/23 WSL campaign as they fell 3-1 to Chelsea on Sunday evening.
Alessia Russo got a consolation for the hosts midway through the second half but goals from Sam Kerr, Lauren James and Erin Cuthbert saw the Blues secure all three points at the Leigh Sports Village.
United manager Marc Skinner wanted his players to go "to the wire" to test themselves against the current WSL champions. There was a genuine calmness to United's play and they were not afraid to play out from the back. Chelsea's aerial attacks were no trouble for Mary Earps and her backline but they couldn't quite secure the win.
Mary Earps - Constant communication with her backline, kept them calm and didn’t once appear flustered, even when scrambling across to cover her bottom corner from Harder header. Exuded confidence when collecting the ball in the air as if nothing could phase her. Unlucky to concede three. 8
Hannah Blundell - Very quick to react and chase down any Chelsea attack. Her clever run got her in between the ball and Harder for a last-ditch effort in the first half. Energetic in the attack in the second half, unlucky to exit early through injury. 7
Millie Turner - The height in the defence, she kept control of the play. Her headers cleared nicely, however, a few lapses in concentration caused mistakes in possession. 6
Maya Le Tissier - Very calm play and consistently in control on the backline. Confident to play long balls to Russo but also back to Earps. She didn’t give Sam Kerr any space, oozing confidence when holding the one vs one in the box against Guro Reiten. Defended with maturity. 9
Maria Thorisdottir - A very solid defensive performance. Her movement on the left-hand side kept Chelsea under control in the first half. Some late reactions to balls across the box which went unpunished. 6
Katie Zelem - Great dead ball deliveries and positive when putting them into dangerous areas. She was crowded in the middle of the pitch but her tight and fast touch helped her team to pivot. 7
Hayley Ladd - Diagonal balls into the path of the attackers were key to troubling Kadeisha Buchanan on the left. The angles of her crosses and quick touch-and-go play worked well in the crowded middle of the park. 7
Nikita Parris - Her high-energy press on the right-hand side troubled Eriksson and Reiten. Coming deep helped to generate counter-attacks quickly. 8
Ella Toone - Her first-touch shot on goal displays how clinical she can be. She chased possession and almost found the net at the end of the first half after dispossessing Millie Bright right in front of goal. 7
Leah Galton - A quiet first half and although she produced some energetic runs down the left she didn’t punish Chelsea as much as her teammates did on the opposite flank. 6
Alessia Russo - Her energy and work rate to trouble the Chelsea backline and chase down attacks very much set the tone. Produced some important crosses. 9
NEW! Our Year: European Champions 2022 - The Official England Winners Book
With a foreword by England manager Sarina Wiegman, this is the only official book of the historic triumph, reliving every kick of a thrilling tournament and telling the stories of the players who made it all happen.
Order now from reachsportshop.com/https://reachsportshop.com/book/our-year-european-champion-2022/
