‘Brave’ Man Utd make ‘statement’ in Chelsea draw

Although it was a “statement,” Manchester United still had a long way to go in the direction of a team that has already won six Women’s Super League titles.

Wieke Kaptein’s exquisite opener was canceled out by Anna Sandberg’s sublime volley, which put an end to Chelsea’s 100 percent start to the new season.

The Red Devils, who had lost 10 and drawn one of their 11 previous league games against the Blues, were pleased with the outcome.

However, United extended their unbeaten run to five games and came away with just one point rather than three as boss Marc Skinner claimed.

Ella Toone and Jess Park both wasted chances before drawing a close call with a dipping volley, while Jess Park should have done better with a chipped effort.

Former England international Fara Williams said to BBC Three, “I felt like Manchester United will probably be kicking themselves.”

They had a lot of good chances, and they might have won if they had maintained their composure in the closing third of the game.

United could have easily left United with nothing, though.

Chelsea’s Keira Walsh was denied by goalkeeper Phallon Tullis-Joyce in a superb late save, and Sandberg and Le Tissier both put their bodies on the line in the closing stages to thwart the Blues.

Former England goalkeeper Rachel Brown-Finnis commented on BBC Three, “They’re the first team to take points off Chelsea this season.”

The key question at the start of this season is whether anyone can put an end to Chelsea’s dominance, which has been the same question over the last six WSL campaigns.

In Sonia Bompastor’s first season in charge, the Blues won the previous term’s trophy by going 22 games unbeaten, which was a part of a domestic triple, which included winning the Women’s FA Cup and League Cup as well.

Since Chelsea last lost a league game, 4-3 defeat at Liverpool on May 1, 2024, it has been more than 500 days.

On Friday night, Manchester United almost ended their unbeaten streak in a top-two match, and Skinner was proud of his players’ “most brave performance.”

“We’re constructing,” He said, “You can sense it, you can see it.”

“We are disappointed that we didn’t win.” Not many teams could match Chelsea in terms of the chances we gave them. Therefore, it was credit to them [the players] for us to do that and how we did it.

United have quickly risen to the position of WSL title contenders since being promoted from the Women’s Championship, only two points behind Chelsea at the end of the 2022-23 season.

Their first significant women’s trophy, the FA Cup, was won the following year.

Former England international White thought a draw against the current league leaders demonstrated how far the organization has come, even though it may be seen as a missed opportunity for United.

She said, “You have to examine that consistency.” They have played for Chelsea 11 times and only drawn once, this time for the second time, so I think it’s really good for their consistency and what they’re up to as a team.

It demonstrates that it is effective and that they are improving.

When asked if Skinner should be given more credit for United’s rise against more well-known clubs, White responded, “What he’s done with these players, the philosophy, the DNA, how determined they are are.

Chelsea may have come to an end to their perfect start, but they still lead United by two points and are currently 13 points clear.

Skinner claimed that the Blues won’t be as easy this time around with their display at Progress With Unity Stadium, where Chelsea won the title last season.

He continued, “It demonstrates to Chelsea that they are not just going to walk the league.”

Every person must be putting in a challenge, according to “we need to make sure.” You saw the quality improvement, and I believe we are improving, too.

Bompastor, the manager of the Blues, said a draw was “not a bad result at Manchester United,” but that he was “not happy” with Chelsea’s performance.

When asked if United had any title rivals, she replied, “I believe many teams are real competition for us, with each game presenting a different challenge. You must be prepared for each game.

If Manchester City defeat Arsenal at home on Saturday (12:00 BST), they could close the gap on the leaders by defeating Chelsea in the season opener.