Manchester United Women head into Sunday’s Women’s Super League clash against leaders Manchester City on a six-match winning run across all competitions, having successfully reversed a difficult start to the campaign under manager Eva Olid. According to BBC Sport, the Red Devils opened the season without a victory in their first three matches, struggling to adapt to Olid’s high-risk, possession-heavy tactical system following her summer appointment.
Reverting to Familiar Foundations
Olid acknowledged that her side attempted to implement too many changes simultaneously, leading to difficult defeats against London City Lionesses and Chelsea where the team managed fewer than 40% possession and only two shots on target. Seeking a solution, the manager urged her players to lean back on their established defensive organisation while gradually integrating elements of her new philosophy.
The turning point arrived with a 1-1 draw against Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium. WSL Football noted that Olid’s tactical blueprint introduces an intricate passing style featuring greater midfield freedom and positional overloads, which requires sharp technical execution. After securing a foundation against Arsenal, United capitalised on a favourable fixture run against lower-ranked opposition to claim maximum points in their next three league fixtures.
Statistical Improvement and Off-Pitch Alignment
The shift in fortunes brought stark statistical improvements. United recorded 529 passes ending in the final third across matches against West Ham, Liverpool, and Charlton Athletic, a significant increase from the 197 recorded in their opening three games. Their shot count quadrupled from 10 to 42, while defensive solidity returned with only two goals conceded over that three-game WSL stretch.
Off the pitch, honest team discussions following the heavy defeat to Chelsea helped mend internal confidence. Vice-captain Ella Toone responded to missing out on England selection by scoring against Charlton, while summer signing Andrea Medina established herself as a core squad member. Furthermore, the international break allowed Olid to finalize her backroom team, welcoming Spanish assistant Jose Herrera and former Hearts colleague Gavin Beith.
Preparing for the Manchester Derby
Now sitting fifth in the league standings and eight points behind unbeaten Manchester City ahead of Sunday’s 18:00 GMT fixture, Olid hopes the derby atmosphere will provide extra motivation. “I always think that before big games, you want to give confidence to the players and at the same time, you try to motivate them with the opposition,” Olid told BBC Sport.