Grace Clinton struck for Manchester United to beat a spirited Crystal Palace side 1-0 and cut the gap to second placed City rivals in second to just a point. Crystal Palace had welcomed Manchester United to South London on Sunday afternoon, winless in six games and yet to register a win at home in the WSL. Laura Kaminski’s side have conceded more goals than any other WSL side this season but have shown enough promise to offer hope to the newly promoted Eagles. Manchester United on the other hand, have the best defensive record in the league and have only lost once this season to table topping Chelsea and yet conversely have cause for concern given recent comments from the club’s majority shareholder Sir Jim Ratcliffe in regards to the standing of the Manchester United women’s team.
Crystal Palace shuffled the pack after their heavily rotated side lost to Tottenham Hotspur in midweek making seven changes. My Cato, Katie Stengel, Lily Woodham, Shae Yañez, Katrine Veje, Lexi Potter and last week’s goal scorer Indiah-Paige Riley returned to the starting eleven. For the visitors it was a similar story with Marc Skinner making six changes from the side who emphatically bested Newcastle United 5-3 in midweek. Phallon Tullis Joyce, Jayde Riviere, Gabby George, Hinata Miyazawa, Grace Clinton, Leah Galton and Elisabeth Terland all returned to the starting line up. United had the chance to go within a point of city rivals Manchester City in second place while Crystal Palace could climb up to tenth with a victory of their own going into the winter break.
The Line ups:
CRY: Yañez, Riley, Nolan, Everett, Veje, Woodham, Potter, Cato, Gejl, Blanchard, Stengel
MUN: Tullis-Joyce, Riviere, Le Tissier, Turner, George, Miyazawa, Janssen, Geyse, Clinton, Galton, Terland
The Action:
Manchester United started the afternoon the brighter with Geyse and Clinton combining well to find space for a cut back into the box to Terland but the Norwegian’s shot was blocked. Geyse, as she had for Liverpool last week was causing Lily Woodham problems down the left side of the Palace defence. The Manchester side were exerting the control that the two sides positions in the league table would suggest, with a flurry of corners culminating in a fine save from Yañez to beat away a magnificent attempt direct from a corner from the ever ambitious George.
Crystal Palace were being forced to work for every inch they traversed into United territory with the dogged Dominique Janssen hounding every ball carrier in red and blue. Just after the halfway point of the first half United had the best chance of the half so far, Galton’s quick ball found Terland who had made her way in front of Aimee Everett but Terland’s first time effort ballooned over the bar.
As the half wore on Crystal Palace grew in confidence and a rare foray forward was well worked wide by Cato to Riley whose cross was unable to find its target. Shortly after Palace were almost ahead after some wonderful direct running from Millie Gejl saw her storm her way to the edge of the United box, she played it to Annabel Blanchard who found Stengel with a pass to the right of Tullis-Joyce’s five yard box, Stengel’s touch was perfect setting up a crisp half volley that punished the side netting of the United goal. The American, injured in the encounter had to be withdrawn with Dutch midfielder Ashleigh Weerden introduced in her place.
However all of Crystal Palace’s hard work to stay in the match and give themselves a footing was undone on the stroke of halftime. After a misjudged back pass, Yañez initially did well to dupe Terland sprinting along to pressure but her pass to Everett was poor and the captain’s attempted clearance was blocked down by Geyse, falling into the path of Clinton who took aim wrong footing a desperate Yañez attempting to cover ground and make the save, 1-0 to United.
The second half began with the visitors in the ascendancy. Within ten minutes Yañez had made a save from point blank range when Geyse really should have doubled United’s advantage. With 25 minutes to play United had another gilt-edged chance to score, this time it fell for Geyse’s replacement Celin Bezit. Following a mix up at the back from Palace, Bizet ran clean through on goal, opening up her body to the left to strike the ball into the far corner, she finessed the ball wide of the post much to her onlooking head coach’s frustration.
Crystal Palace, emboldened by their opposition’s misfortune came forward with the speedy Weerdens with just over 20 minutes to play. She did wonderfully well to control the ball, cut inside and fire a shot on target but Tullis-Joyce was perfectly placed to make a comfortable save. As Palace pushed for a winner United had more space to counter with Veje intervening vitally for Palace on more than one occasion. Palace pushed for a leveller but Manchester United were able to hold off the late Eagles onslaught.
With the winter break now upon us, both sides will return to action in January in the Abode Women’s FA Cup fourth round before Palace face Arsenal and Manchester United face Manchester City in the WSL.
The Halfway Line Player of the Match: Grace Clinton
Crystal Palace did everything they could to stop Clinton today, hounded at every turn her close control and range of passing was impeccable. Clinton was too quick, too physical and too cunning to stop. The England midfielder took her goal well and ensured her side nabbed all three points.
