Man Utd 1-1 Leicester: WSL rivals maintain unbeaten starts in stalemate

Maya Le Tissier salvaged a point for Manchester United in a 1-1 draw with Leicester as both sides maintained their unbeaten starts in the Women’s Super League.

United had been forced to respond after falling behind, very much against the run of play, to a Leicester side who had won the opening two games of the campaign.

They had shocked their hosts just before the hour when Courtney Nevin’s right-wing free-kick had skimmed off the head of United defender Millie Turner before reaching Aileen Whelan, who converted impressively at the far post.

Le Tissier claimed the equaliser after 66 minutes when she steered home an unmarked header from a Katie Zelem corner.

Head coach Skinner would have expected his side to have capitalised on at least one of the numerous chances that had come their way in the first half.

The closest United came to breaking the deadlock came deep in stoppage time following a committed right-wing run from United substitute Jayde Riviere.

Her cross picked out Hinata Miyazawa, but her strike hit the underside of the Leicester crossbar before Melvine Malard headed wildly over from the rebound.

There was still time before the half-time whistle for Miyazawa to force Janina Leitzig into a diving save and Lucia Garcia to also test the Leicester goalkeeper.

Those seven minutes of stoppage time were added for a worrying early injury to United defender Gabby George, who looked in trouble after going down following an innocuous challenge with Janice Cayman.

She was eventually able to limp off the field, rather than carried off the pitch on a stretcher, but her departure seemed to slow United’s fast start.

Indeed, it was Cayman who missed the game’s first real chance, mistiming a far-post volley from Nevin’s cross.

United were well in control by the midway point of the first half, with Leitzig forced into action for the first time to deny Nikita Parris after 25 minutes.

The German also saved well to keep out a shot from United captain Zelem and, although they survived until the interval, the pressure resumed after the restart with the England midfielder curling an early free-kick high and wide.

Lena Petermann, CJ Bott and Hannah Cain were all booked inside the opening 10 minutes of the second half as United continued to control the game and Skinner responded with a triple substitution, including England star Ella Toone.

They had only been on the field for four minutes when their team fell behind to Whelan’s opening goal, although they were soon level when Toone forced Sophie Howard into conceding the corner from which United levelled.

Leicester remained a threat, however, as they sought their first ever point against United since the formation of the professional Women’s Super League in 2018, and Mary Earps was forced into a fine save as she turned over a good effort from Petermann.

There was also a lengthy delay after Parris, Leitzig and her Leicester team-mate Josie Green collided when challenging for a high ball into the visitors’ area, but the spoils were shared.