Manchester United Women 2024/25 preview

Yesterday at 03:00 PM

New season, new players, same goals...

Manchester United Women are back in action this Saturday. The new FA Women's Super League campaign kicks off at Old Trafford against West Ham United and fans will certainly hope for a more memorable Old Trafford visit than last time out.

The Reds are looking to rebound after dropping to fifth in the final standings last season, and it's a big season for the coaching staff under new ownership. It's prove it time come Saturday with plenty to prove as the club continues to replace key players with young talent.

The best and the rest

Emma Hayes is gone to coach the USWNT, but Chelsea aren't going away.

The defending champions embarrassed United at Old Trafford to secure a fifth straight FA WSL title, doing so despite being hit by the injury bug and losing Sam Kerr midway through the season. One big reason why is the club is never afraid to spend and reinforce. They did so again this season, signing known talents and youngsters to strengthen the dominant side.

Chelsea weren't alone in that, as Manchester City signed a number of players to replace their departures. Arsenal and Liverpool are both looking to keep challenging for the top spots as well.

The bottom line last season was all of those teams were able to take points off of United with relative ease in the league. If United want to resume their charge toward the top of the table it will take more than reinforcements, it will take better management.

Marc Skinner enters his fourth season at the club, surviving a tumultuous 2023/24 campaign with a 1-year contract extension from the new bosses at INEOS after overseeing a memorable FA Cup run. The Reds thrashed Tottenham 4-0 at Wembley to win the club's first trophy since dominating the Championship in the inaugural 2018/19 season.

However, like the men's team, the league form was very lacking. United finished in fifth, failing to register a single win against any of the teams above them with a 20-point gap to first place. United were plenty talented, it wasn't just the loss of Alessia Russo and Ona Batlle that caused the fall-off, and the bad vibes around the manager were evident around the club. Fans wanted "Skinner Out" for a reason, and that will only go away with results.

Steady Hands

Phallon Tullis-Joyce, it's your time.

Manchester United said goodbye to Mary Earps after a memorable time for the England No. 1, a time during which she won back-to-back FIFA Best Goalkeeper awards and became known across the world for her expert saves and fierce competitiveness.

She was a fan favorite for both United and England, but United had an idea that she was planning to leave. They don't need to replace her stardom, only her steady hands, and for that, they turned to a promising American.

Tullis-Joyce started all 22 matches for OL Reign in the National Women's Soccer League in 2022, helping them form the league's best defense on their way to winning the NWSL Shield, finishing top of the regular season league table.

She was the starter again for the Reign in 2023 until signing for United as an apparent replacement for Mary Earps, though the England No. 1 stuck around one more season to lift the FA Cup before leaving for Paris Saint-Germain this summer.

The New Yorker does have experience playing in Europe from before her shot in the NWSL, spending two seasons with Stade de Reims, and she has played well everywhere she's been.

The primary issue at this level won't be skill, but coordination. Tullis-Joyce takes over behind a back four that has played almost exclusively with Earps at United. Communication, organization, assignments, and build-up play will all be factors in how well a new No. 1 settles in.

Where there won't be too much worry is the defense. The partnership of Maya Le Tissier and Millie Turner is a strong one and Jayde Riviere has settled well since stepping up last year, but United are without Hannah Blundell this season and Gabby George is returning from a difficult ACL tear suffered early last season. There is some

Replacing the spine

Katie Zelem is gone, and with that Manchester United's midfield will permanently alter. Whether or not it's for the better remains to be seen, but one thing for sure was that something had to change if United were going to hang with the bigger teams.

Like with Earps, Zelem's successor was already in-house...

sort of.

Enter Grace Clinton, the talented young midfielder signed by United from Everton who spent each of the last two seasons on loan. Last season Clinton was sent to Tottenham with the hope of getting some regular WSL action. What happened was much better for the player, and indeed Spurs, as she was named the PFA Women's Young Player of the Year, providing four goals and four assists in league play as well as helping Spurs reach the Women's FA Cup Final.

Clinton's form was recognized by Sarina Wiegman, who handed her three England caps. She scored her first England goal against Austria in February.

What Clinton has been able to show in that time is attacking prowess and ball progression. She doesn't shy away from possession, she advances the ball, and she very clearly raised the floor of a fun Spurs team last year with box-to-box play.

That is a pretty ideal replacement for Zelem, the United captain who was a mainstay in the side from the club's very first season.

When comparing the two, it's clear what Clinton adds, but also what United will need from her midfield partner. Clinton will cover a lot of ground for the Reds, but she is at her best taking the ball forward and orchestrating attacks. Those actions and her youth and athleticism could add some life that United were lacking last season. She will however need a reliable anchor to assist with defensive duties.

Hayley Ladd and Lisa Naalsund both filled that role for United last season, with Ladd joining the club back in 2019. There is also the exciting arrival of Simi Awujo, the Canadian international who recently finished her collegiate career with Southern California. She has the potential to form a partnership with Clinton long term, but we all know how Marc Skinner is with most new players making their way into the team.

Actually, it might be a stretch to assume that Clinton will finally get her chance at United, but given her ascent over the past season it would be foolish for him not to.

Goals, goals, goals...

One of the biggest problems for United, like last season, is the question of where who will finish chances. There are a number of creators in the side, and hopefully United will remain injury-free at fullback to avoid another issue with availability there, but again the top scorers need replacing.

Nikita Parris led the team with 16 goals last season, scoring 8 of those in the league, while Lucia Garcia provided another 8 across all competitions. Both players are gone on free transfers now.

Ella Toone returned to form with 9 goals and returns high on confidence after a stellar FA Cup Final performance. So too does veteran Rachel Williams, who scored 11 goals last season. Melvine Malard made her move to Manchester permanently after scoring 7 goals on loan last season, but the regular scorers up front end there.

There is no doubt that Malard must step up as a regular, and wide forward Geyse may need to be a goalscorer as well as a playmaker this season, but the health of Hinata Miyazawa and the arrival of wide forwards Elisabeth Terland and Celin Bizet from WSL rivals will likely be a boost in the final third as well. Terland in particular saw a fast rise, scoring 23 goals in two seasons at Brighton, including 13 in the league in 2023/24.

Overall there is optimism about the collection of forwards. New arrivals may take some time to settle, as well as the opportunity to settle (looking at you, Marc), but if the structure is there the chances, and goals, will come.