Manchester United’s Women’s Super League season has started with a brutal gut punch, a humiliating 5-0 defeat by Chelsea on Sunday. This wasn’t just a loss; it was a total collapse, showing exactly where this team stands right now. They managed only two shots on goal the entire game, with just one hitting the target. Chelsea, on the other hand, faced United with 25 efforts and netted five goals. You don’t need to be a stats guru to know those numbers tell a story of being completely overrun.
New Season, Same Struggles?
This lopsided loss to Chelsea comes right after United kicked off their season with a 2-1 defeat to the big-spending London City Lionesses. Think about that: two games in, two losses. It’s tough to wrap your head around, especially when you remember this team was battling Chelsea for a spot in Europe just a few months back, finishing nine points behind them in fourth place under Marc Skinner. Now, with new manager Eva Olid at the helm, it feels like the gap has only gotten wider. Olid joined in the summer with a contract stretching to 2028, but her tenure has started with the club failing to win their opening two WSL games for the first time since their debut 2019-20 season. That year, they lost 1-0 to Arsenal and Manchester City. The director of football operations, Ameesh Manek, was watching from the stands in Leigh, and you just know the manner of this loss, more than anything, has to be a huge concern.
What went wrong? Elisabeth Terland’s shot was a tame effort 10 minutes in. Substitute Lea Schuller finally got another crack 72 minutes later, but it was blocked at the edge of the box. Chelsea, led by Sonia Bompastor, moved the ball with a speed and precision United couldn’t even dream of matching. Olid didn’t pull any punches either, saying, “Chelsea are a good side and we knew we had to defend. When you have the ball, you need to keep it longer. Don’t lose the ball and create transitions. Keep it until we find the spaces to penetrate and create chances. They hurt us a lot in the wide areas too. We have to be better.”
A Roster in Flux and a Tough Road Ahead
Maybe this rough start shouldn’t surprise us. The team lost several key players this summer, signaling a shift towards a more sustainable model focused on youth development. Melvine Malard, who was their most productive player last season with a whopping 19 goal involvements, was sold to none other than Chelsea! Defender Millie Turner and midfielder Lisa Naalsund also left for promoted Birmingham City. Those three were a huge part of their 2023-24 Women’s FA Cup-winning squad. That’s a massive hole to fill.
The new arrivals are still finding their feet. Sweden winger Monica Jusu Bah, signed from BK Hacken, managed only eight touches in 63 minutes. Midfielder Rebeca Bernal picked up a yellow card on her debut off the bench. Andrea Medina, a full-back from Atletico Madrid, actually looked like a bright spot but was forced off with an injury in the second half, distraught. Striker Elisabeth Terland summed it up perfectly: “We never enjoy losing football games and we never enjoy losing by five goals. We all want to win and that is why we play football. We can’t do…”
It’s clear United have work to do. They’ve got to find a way to gel these new players and turn Olid’s vision into results, or this season could become a very long one.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Yahoo Sports.
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