Manchester United’s first season in the Women’s Super League did not disappoint. The team finished fourth after the abrupt end to the 2019/20 season.
Chelsea and Manchester City took the top two spots in the league, with Arsenal not too far behind. United finished on 23 points with seven wins, two draws and five losses.
But, manager Casey Stoney is striving for more. She told the Manchester United media team: “We’re not far off the top three. We know that based on the margins of the scores, but we need to turn results around and start winning them.”
So, with the team settled within the top flight, they will be ones to watch next season.
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Their campaign began with two tough fixtures, travelling to the Etihad Stadium where they faced rivals Manchester City. They went on to face reigning champions Arsenal in their first home game. Both ended in narrow 1-0 defeats. But, the team eventually managed to secure their first victory over Liverpool in September.
This was the start of things to come for Manchester United because they managed to win a further four games.
Embed from Getty ImagesThey found their feet in the league, but United still could not find a way past the top two. This will be a strong aim for Stoney, who looks to build on the teams fourth place finish and close the gap.
One player who will be key to this plan is Lauren James. She managed to find the back of the net on many occasions this season.
Being the youngest player in the squad at 18, she netted United’s first WSL goal in September against Liverpool. James was nominated for the BBC WSL Young Player of the Season award this year so she is sure to be a crucial player in the team for next seasons campaign.
With the departure of two players (Aimee Palmer and Aurora Mikalsen) already announced, it will be interesting to see who is on the horizon to be in the red shirt next season. Stoney is looking forward to developing the squad for the next season.
Embed from Getty ImagesShe told the media team at United: “We’re always planning in terms of improving our squad and trying to develop the players we’ve got and trying to make sure we’re more consistent in our performances.”
The 2019/20 campaign may have come to an end, but United have had a positive start in the WSL. They have proven their capabilities of pushing for the top spots and next season is bound to be exciting.
