United Women off the boil at Everton but winning anyway shows vital resilience
An early goal from Grace Clinton was the difference as United narrowly beat Everton at Walton Hall Park to make it two wins from two in 2024/25.
There are two ways of looking at United’s 1-0 win against Everton on Sunday.
One is with a lens of criticism, focusing on a performance that lacked a bit of oomph and fell short of the bar set a week earlier in the 3-0 victory over West Ham. The other considers the importance of winning no matter what, even on days when things don’t click.
They are not mutually exclusive and you can believe both to be true.
United started brilliantly. It may have been an Everton mistake that gifted the chance for Grace Clinton to score against her former club, but required the press to be that high to force the error. And Clinton, who has two in two following on from last week’s header at Old Trafford, showed great composure when bearing down on goal. She didn’t snatch at the chance when defensive pressure was coming, instead having the presence of mind to cut across onto her right foot to really open the goal up and leave Courtney Brosnan completely at her mercy.
Afterwards, Marc Skinner particularly highlighted the pressing as “really good”, keen to point to what made the goal as much as it being scored.
Given that was just four minutes in, fans probably expected something akin to last season’s 5-0 thrashing of the Toffees on their home pitch – or the 7-0 at Leigh in the Conti Cup – to follow.
It didn’t happen. Everton certainly didn’t come into the game in a good place after a mauling by Brighton on the opening weekend and arguably punching above their weight last season thanks to the excellent leadership of Brian Sorensen. But they responded really well to going behind.
The hosts were arguably the better side for a spell in the first half after conceding and a United mistake handed Katja Snoeijs a golden chance to equalise. Phallon Tullis-Joyce was quickly out and looked like she got something on the ball to divert its path. Maya Le Tissier then hooked it away near the goal-line, although replays suggested it would have gone wide rather than into the net.
The lengthy treatment for Inma Gabarro at the side of the pitch late in the first half, after what cruelly appeared as though it could be a serious knee injury, took a lot of life out of the game.
United didn’t really do enough to get further ahead. Half chances were made but finishes lacked power or conviction. Millie Turner’s long-range drive was one of few highlights from the second half but it was ultimately straight at Brosnan and a comfortable save. Justine Vanhaevermaet’s flying goal-line header to block from Hinata Miyazawa late on was the clearest chance to score again and the overall stats were quite even, with United just edging possession, shots and shots on target.
Conditions can sometimes be difficult at Walton Hall Park, with Sunday another example of the wind – with only one tiny stand and no other major structures nearby to blocks its path – can impact things. It’s a very different kind of place to play football, from Old Trafford, from Leigh Sports Village, or indeed anywhere else in the league these days.
Crucially, United haven’t won this type of game in the past, either because they have failed to make the breakthrough – like against Everton at Leigh in 2023 – or because they’ve not been able to protect a 1-0 lead – like against Everton and Tottenham in 2021, and West Ham in 2022.
Chelsea have built a WSL dynasty on being able to win games no matter what, because no team can be 100% on it every week without fail, so it is a really important attribute to have.
Fans can be rightly disappointed by the limited nature of the performance, which have highlighted areas for improvement, but also pleased to be two games into the season and have six points.