Man United continued the upward trajectory they have been forging under the guidance of their new manager, Eva Olid, as Julia Zigiotti Olme delivered a decisive early chip that secured a 1-0 triumph over Liverpool, marking the team's second consecutive win. The match, played at Leigh Sports Village, showcased a side that appears to have found its rhythm after a rocky beginning to the season, during which Olid’s side suffered defeats in their opening two fixtures and endured a heavy 5-0 loss to Chelsea. Since that setback, the Red Devils have accumulated seven points from their last three outings, and the win against a high‑flying Liverpool side reinforced their growing confidence. The decisive moment arrived within the first six minutes when Liverpool defender Khiara Keating attempted a clearance that fell short, allowing Zigiotti to pounce.
Positioned just outside the penalty area, she lofted a perfectly timed chip from roughly 20 yards that floated over the goalkeeper and into the net. "We wanted to start the game quickly and hope they were not prepared, and that's what happened today," Zigiotti told BBC Sport after the match, highlighting the tactical intent to catch the opposition off‑guard from the outset. That solitary goal proved enough to clinch the three points, but the contest was far from a walk‑over. Liverpool, under manager Gareth Taylor, were enjoying one of their strongest starts to a Women's Super League campaign in nearly a decade, and they pressed United hard throughout both halves.
The most dramatic near‑miss for Manchester United came just before the break, when forward Jess Park embarked on a remarkable run that began deep in her own half. Park surged forward, evading several challenges, only to see her powerful strike strike the crossbar, narrowly missing an equaliser. Liverpool also threatened to level the score.
Midfielder Beata Olsson saw two clear chances: first, a shot that rattled the woodwork, and later a rebound from Cornelia Kapocs that fell to her feet. However, her finishing was off‑target, allowing Liverpool goalkeeper Phallon Tullis‑Joyce to make a spectacular double save that preserved United's lead. The goalkeeper’s heroics were a highlight of the match, as she denied multiple attempts from the home side, including a well‑taken effort from Kapocs that was expertly parried. Key moments of the game can be summarised as follows: - 6′ – GOAL: Zigiotti intercepts Keating’s clearance and chips the ball from 20 yards out, giving United an early lead.
- 21′ – DOUBLE STOP: Tullis‑Joyce produces a superb double save, denying both Kapocs and Olsson in quick succession. - 37′ – OFF THE BAR: Park’s long‑range effort from just inside Liverpool’s box hits the crossbar.
- 40′ – POST: Olsson’s free‑kick is turned onto the near post by Tullis‑Joyce, again thwarting Liverpool. - 45+3′ – BIG SAVE: Ella Toone finds a chance down the left, but Keating rushes off her line to block the one‑on‑one. - 69′ – CLOSE: Jenna Clark heads a corner narrowly missing the back post. - 80′ – SAVE: Liverpool’s Terland curls a shot that forces another save from Keating, the ball staying too close to the keeper.
Following the match, Zigiotti was named United’s player of the match. She expressed her delight, saying, "I'm so happy with the three points. Very important win for us but it was a hard game. We want to start the game quick and hope they are not prepared and that's what happened today, so very happy about that.
We have just grown confidence in how we play. It was new when Eva came but we have grown a lot of confidence in training, in the games, we had two cup games a lot of players could play and we kept going. I'm just happy with the goals today." Midfielder Ella Toone also reflected on the performance, noting, "It's been good, it is a project, we are getting better each week and it is really nice to go into an international break on the back of a win. Tough game, we had energy today and I do not think in the first half they could deal with the intensity with how we started the game and good goal from Ziggy and then some really good defending kept us in it." Liverpool’s midfielder Grace Fisk offered a candid assessment of her side’s display: "We're disappointed with the performance, most of all.
We've played some really nice football in the first half of this season and been really dominant. We couldn't really find our feet today.
Credit to them, they were really aggressive and direct. There were phases where we had good momentum, and chances. They defended around their box really well. Gareth Taylor is pretty big on performance and he's pretty disappointed in how we played.
We've played at such a high level, shown how dominant we can be, and for whatever reason we didn't do that." The victory not only marks United’s first back‑to‑back wins since February but also brings them level on points with Liverpool as the league pauses for the international break. The result underscores the positive impact of Olid’s leadership and the growing cohesion within the squad, suggesting that the Red Devils could be poised for a strong finish to the season if they maintain this momentum.
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