Manchester United versus Chelsea FC – WSL Matchup
Team Updates & Lineups
Man Utd have made a single alteration in their starting XI from the side that began the previous weekend’s 2-0 win against Liverpool. Sandberg steps in for top scorer Melvine Malard, who is among the substitutes.
Chelsea adjust three players in and out of the starting eleven that began the 4-0 win at West Ham United. Carpenter replaces Veerle Buurman at the back, Macario comes in for Oriane Jean-François in midfield, and Baltimore takes Alyssa Thompson’s place up front. The players dropped are substitutes.
Confirmed Lineups
Manchester United: Tullis-Joyce (GK), Riviere, Le Tissier, Janssen, Rolfo, Sandberg, Miyazawa, Park, Toone, Zigiotti Olme, Terland.
Subs: Middleton-Patel, Rendell, Blundell, George, Awujo, Ildhusoy, Naalsund, Malard, Williams.
Chelsea: Hampton, Bjorn, Bright, Carpenter, Kaptein, Cuthbert, Walsh, Baltimore, Kaneryd, Macario, Beever-Jones.
Substitutes: Peng, Reiten, Thompson, Buurman, Kerr, Hamano, Jean-Francois, Nusken, Potter.
Build-Up
Just four games in, and it seems this feels like it could be a decisive fixture. Check out the league positions:
Pos Team P GD Pts 1 Chelsea Women 4 8 12 2 Man Utd Women 4 10 10 3 Man City Women 4 7 9 4 Tottenham Hotspur Women 4 0 9 5 Arsenal Women 4 7 8
Man Utd can go top with a victory tonight. It’s a tough challenge, even with home advantage, not least because the visitors haven’t lost in the WSL since late in the 2023-24 season – and they still managed to claim the championship. Moreover, Cuthbert and Aggie Beever-Jones are currently in the sort of form that’s seen them pinging the ball into the top corner.
Yet despite that, United retain confidence in their capacity to end the long unbeaten WSL run of the best team in the league. Partly because their defence is solid – they’ve only conceded a single goal so far this season – and they’ve got impressive strikes in their arsenal too: including Miyazawa, who can launch a howitzer. With Malard joint top of the early goalscoring charts alongside the previously mentioned Beever-Jones, there’s enough in-form attacking talent on display to make this a thriller. Should the Football Gods decide into serving up a goalless draw, apologies are in order ahead of time. Kick-off at Leigh Sports Village is at 19:30 BST. Let’s go!
