Manchester United traveled to Walton Hall Park for their second fixture of the season, missing key players Hannah Blundell, who is taking a break from football to welcome her first child, and Evie Rabjohn, who is in recovery from a ruptured ACL sustained in July.

Everton, aiming to improve on last season’s eighth-place finish in the Women’s Super League (WSL), faced a challenging start to their campaign. After a heavy 4-0 defeat to Brighton at the Broadfield Stadium last weekend—where Kiko Seike delivered a standout hat-trick performance—the Toffees were eager for a turnaround.

However, it was Grace Clinton’s early goal that made the difference for Manchester United, securing a hard-fought 1-0 win over her former club. The 21-year-old midfielder continued her impressive form, becoming the first player in United’s history to score in her first two WSL matches. Clinton’s decisive strike came in the fourth minute, a right-footed shot from the center of the penalty area that nestled into the bottom right corner.

Image courtesy of Steven Taylor.

Despite their loss, Everton showed resilience, bouncing back from last week’s disappointment. They created several chances but were twice denied by brilliant saves from Phallon Tullis-Joyce, who has stepped up as United’s first-choice goalkeeper this season.

The match saw a worrying moment for Everton when Spaniard Inma Gabarro sustained a serious injury after falling awkwardly. Gabarro’s teammates gathered around to support her as she was stretchered off the field. Post-match, Everton manager Brian Sorensen confirmed the injury was to her knee and described the situation as “not good,” lamenting another player sidelined after Galli’s injury last week.

Everton’s frustrations continued as they failed to exert sustained pressure, extending their winless streak against Manchester United to 11 matches in the WSL. Katja Snoeijs was booked with a yellow card for a heavy foul, while the first half saw eight minutes of added time due to stoppages.

As it stands, Manchester United have matched Chelsea’s perfect start to the season with maximum points, while Everton remain without a goal or a point after two games.

Starting XIs: 

Everton: Brosnan (GK), Vanhaevermaet, Finnigan ©, Stenevik, Graham, Hayashi,  Wheeler, Holmgarrd, Sarri, Snoeijs, Olesen.

Manchester United: Tullis-Joyce (GK), Rivere, Le Tisser ©, Turner, Galton, Clinton, Janssen, Terland, Toone.


Featured Image courtesy of Steven Taylor