Nikita Parris breaks her WSL duck with a to secure 1-0 win for United

Leicester Women 0-1 Manchester United Women: Nikita Parris breaks her WSL duck with a first half header to keep visitors second at expense of struggling hosts – who are still without a point

  • Manchester United beat Leicester 1-0 away from home in the WSL on Sunday
  • The visitors were handed a first half lead by Nikita Parris’ 34th minute header 
  • Parris netted just her first WSL goal for United to hand her side all three points
  • The English forward converted a brilliant Katie Zelem cross from a free kick 

Manchester United may have drawn a game like this last season.

In a campaign that saw Marc Skinner’s side miss out on Champions League football by five points, there were too many matches that United dropped points from winning positions. 

That could have been the case against Leicester, after taking the lead in the first half but failing to kill off the game in the second. But it wasn’t. They held on for a 1-0 victory to go joint top of the Women’s Super League table and leave the Foxes rooted to the bottom.

Nikita Parris (fourth left) converted Katie Zelem’s free kick with a bullet header in the first half

The England forward scored her first WSL goal for Manchester United in Sunday’s victory

If United are to finish in the European spots this term, they have to win games like this even when they are not at their free-flowing best. This was the type of fixture that was crying out for injured striker Alessia Russo. 

There were times when United looked like they had run out of ideas in attack, with a stubborn Leicester defence sitting deep. In the end it was a set-piece that gave Skinner’s side the goal they needed, with Nikita Parris heading in from Katie Zelem’s free-kick.

United will have to be better against an in-form Everton next weekend before they take on Arsenal after the international break. But to have maximum points from their first four games, with 11 goals scored and none conceded is an impressive start.

United managed to grab all three points in the sort of match they would have drawn last term

Marc Skinner’s side are now second to only Arsenal in the WSL with both sides still unbeaten

MATCH FACTS

Leicester (3-5-2): Levell, Howard, Tierney, Plumptre, Simon, Pike, Whelan, Green (Scofield 84), Purfield, Goodwin (Baker 71), Flint (Bott 84)

Subs not used: Lambourne, Vance, McManus, Jones, Smith

Booked: Howard, Plumptre

Goals: None

Manager: Lydia Bedford

Manchester United (4-1-3-2): Earps, Thorisdottir (Moore 90+1), Turner, Le Tissier, Blundell (Thomas 61) Zelem, Staniforth (Ladd 61), Galton, Toone, Parris, Garcia (Williams 61)

Subs not used: Baggaley, Boe Risa, Leon, Tounkara

Booked: Zelem, Toone

Goals: Parris 34

Manager: Marc Skinner

Referee: Neil Hair

It is more than can be said for Leicester, who are yet to put a point on the board this term. The main issue is in attack. The Foxes have scored just once in their last nine league games dating back to last season – and that was an own goal by Tottenham’s Drew Spence in their opening day defeat this term.

They had a brief spell where they looked like they could have come back into the game but they created only one real chance all game. It is now just one point from their last 12 WSL games dating back to last season. 

Even this early in the campaign, there is no getting away from the fact they are in a relegation battle. Their campaign will not be defined by games like this but against teams like Reading and Liverpool, who are also likely to be fighting it out at the bottom.

United struggled to find any real rhythm in the opening stages but found the breakthrough in the 34th minute. Zelem has become something of a set-piece specialist for United. 

Last season she twice scored directly from a corner and no player has created more chances from set plays this term. So it was only right that it was her free-kick delivery that helped break the deadlock. 

The midfielder’s pin-point delivery picked out Parris and she powered a header past Levell and into the left corner.

The closest Leicester came to an equaliser was Josie Green’s volley from the edge of the box, which Mary Earps did well to claw away from the top corner. 

A game that will not live long in the memory, but it could be three points that prove crucial to United come the end of the season.




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