Man Utd Women 2022/23 season review: Red Devils achieve Champions League target

Manchester United enjoyed an incredibly impressive campaign in 2022/23, breaking new ground in both the WSL and the FA Cup to announce themselves as serious challengers going forward.

United secured a second place finish in the WSL, which means Champions League qualification for the first time after several near misses in recent seasons - in doing so, they were the first team other than Chelsea, Arsenal and Manchester City to finish in the top three since 2014.

Progression in the FA Cup also meant a first trip to Wembley, having never previously been beyond the quarter-finals. On this occasion, it wasn't to be, suffering a 1-0 defeat to Chelsea. Marc Skinner was adamant in his belief afterwards that there is 'no doubt' his team will win trophies.

United found themselves, perhaps unexpectedly given the rapid nature of their improvement since 2021/22, in the WSL title race right until the final day. Skinner's team did their job by beating Liverpool, but Chelsea didn't slip up against Reading and took the trophy for a fourth time in a row.

But, despite being within touching distance of a double and finishing trophy-less, there is an abundance to be proud of for those in red. Although regular silverware is the club's ultimate ambition, this season was always primarily about a top three finish.

If anything, United slightly overachieved by going above and beyond that. The season produced club records for top flight points - also the joint third highest tally in WSL history - wins, goals scored and goals conceded, as well as a new league record for most clean sheets.

Outlook heading into the 2022/23 season

Having been only a point off the top three under Casey Stoney in 2020/21, United appeared to take a step backwards last season. The former boss resigned in May 2021 and it was more than two months before Skinner's appointment as successor was finalised, leaving him barely a month to get his feet under the desk and put his stamp on a squad without a real pre-season or recruitment strategy.

The transition took time to bear fruit and United often struggled to kill games off or hold onto leads throughout last season - in no fewer than five games they conceded an equaliser in the final 15 minutes, twice against opposition reduced to 10 players. On another occasion, a stubborn Aston Villa side proved impossible to break down. Those six games alone accounted for 12 dropped points that were totally achievable, with United finishing five points off the top three to miss out on the Champions League, and 14 points behind eventual champions Chelsea.

The 2022/23 campaign was all about building the kind of mentality and experience to eradicate those kind of dropped points, learning from the mistakes and growing from them.

That United then finished 14 points better off this season, forcing Chelsea to set a new WSL points record to retain their title, shows rather perfectly the development of the team.

Man Utd Women 2022/23 transfers in

Man Utd Women 2022/23 transfers out

Man Utd Women 2022/23 player of the season

Ona Batlle

It is not an easy task to stand out as a full-back, but Ona Batlle did so in spectacular fashion across the whole 2022/23 campaign, performing at a consistently high standard that often saw her fly under the radar in the wider WSL. The Spaniard, who has been a fan favourite since day one when she arrived from Levante in 2020, is irrepressible at both ends of the pitch.

Batlle laid claim once more to being considered the best right-back in the world, with her tenacious tackling, intelligent covering and expert one-one-one duelling making her difficult for any winger to get the better off - just one example was how she put a lid on Lauren Hemp in both Manchester derbies. That side of her game contributed massively to United's stellar defensive record.

But Batlle was always a key part of United's attacking threat too. So often, she played like an additional winger when the team had possession and was able to create so many chances as a result. Her assists numbers speak for themselves, getting nine in the WSL and 15 in all competitions. That was a leading mark at United and no other WSL defenders were close to matching it.

Honourable mentions: Leah Galton, Mary Earps, Hannah Blundell, Katie Zelem

Man Utd Women 2022/23 goal of the season

Alessia Russo vs Arsenal

The circumstances surrounding a goal will often dictate how memorable it is. So while United scored more technical and spectacular goals throughout the season, most notably Vilde Boe Risa's curling FA Cup free-kick against Durham or Hayley Ladd's Manchester derby screamer, the one that will live longest in the memory because of what it meant was Alessia Russo's late winner against Arsenal.

Only moments after Millie Turner had appeared to rescue a point, Russo connected with a pinpoint Katie Zelem corner in stoppage time and wheeled away to celebrate in front of the magnificent United support, housed in a dedicated away end that sent the atmosphere to new levels.

Honourable mentions: Vilde Boe Risa vs Durham, Hayley Ladd vs Man City, Millie Turner vs Aston Villa, Rachel Williams vs Reading, Rachel Williams vs Brighton

Man Utd Women 2022/23 performance of the season

Arsenal 2-3 Man Utd

United had never beaten one of the WSL's big three away from home in the league before, and no visiting team had ever won a WSL game at the Emirates Stadium. To not only achieve that, but also do it in dramatic and exhilarating fashion puts the performance top of the list for 2022/23.

Having gone ahead through Ella Toone in the first half, yet getting pegged back immediately after half-time and then falling behind with under 20 minutes left, it showed how much United had grown from the previous season when the mental toughness to overcome setbacks wasn't there.

The team dressed in green - and this game is the reason why the club's divisive third kit was worn so proudly by fans at Leigh Sports Village for the remainder of the sason - refused to give up.

It was Millie Turner's 85th minute header that levelled things up. A 2-2 draw in the circumstances would have been a great result and a performance to be proud of, but United weren't done and continued to push, getting their reward with Russo's aforementioned 91st minute winner.

Marc Skinner was so overcome in the moment that he 'invented dance moves when it went in'.

Honourable mentions: Man Utd 1-0 Man City, Man Utd 1-0 Arsenal, Man Utd 6-0 Liverpool, Man Utd 5-0 Aston Villa, Man Utd 4-0 Reading

Man Utd Women 2022/23 signing of the season

Maya Le Tissier

Not every new United signing in 2022/23 season was a rip-roaring success off the bat, with injury or adaptation delaying the integration of a handful into regular action. But Maya Le Tissier proved to be an absolute home run swing following her arrival from Brighton.

The youngster, who was still a teenager only three months before swapping the south coast for Manchester, had been known as a right-back. But she was immediately moved into the middle upon joining United and formed a formidable partnership with the returning Millie Turner.

Le Tissier's reading of the game and her range of passing made her an incredible new asset that instantly improved United and she played a huge role throughout the season - her late goal-saving tackle on Khadija Shaw was a major reason that the club managed to beat Manchester City in the WSL for the first time in the final home game of the season. She even scored twice in the first half of her debut to prove that she really can do it all and was dreadfully unlucky to only make the standby list for England's World Cup squad after making her debut in November.

Honourable mentions: Lucia Garcia, Rachel Williams, Nikita Parris

Man Utd Women 2022/23 most improved player

Hannah Blundell

Hannah Blundell is a well established WSL player with multiple titles and FA Cup successes to her name from 11 years at Chelsea. But, by her own admission, the full-back particularly focused on improving the defensive side of her game this season, having previously been more keen to get forward and attack. Both she and United reaped the rewards of that hard work.

The incredibly consistent 28-year-old never had a bad game and was an invaluable member of a very settled back four (plus goalkeeper Mary Earps) that conceded only 12 times in 22 WSL games and kept a new league record 14 clean sheets.

Blundell is also held in extremely high regard by her teammates, picking up the club's Players' Player of the Year award by topping the anonymous squad ballot.

Honourable mentions: Millie Turner, Hayley Ladd, Katie Zelem

Man Utd Women 2022/23 disappointment of the season

FA Cup final defeat

United were so close to winning a first ever major trophy, if not in the WSL where Chelsea's games in hand in the final stretch always made them favourites, then in the FA Cup final.

Chelsea remain the only team that United have faced in a competitive game and never beaten at least once. But Skinner's team have been getting closer and closer to achieving that, coming an enormously long way from the 6-1 annihilation in the manager's first home game in charge.

At Wembley, Leah Galton scored barely more than 20 seconds after the opening kick-off. That goal was ruled out for an offside in the build-up, but United were the dominant team throughout the first half and up to about the hour mark. Unfortunately, they couldn't make it count.

Chelsea boss Emma Hayes was able to bring world class ability off the bench in Pernille Harder, who turned the game in her team's favour and was ultimately responsible for Sam Kerr's winning goal - the only goal of an otherwise tense and very tight final.

Honourable mentions: Home & away defeats to Chelsea in the WSL, Conti Cup group exit

Man Utd Women 2022/23 statistics

Most appearances

• Maya Le Tissier - 31 (22 WSL, 5 FA Cup, 4 Conti Cup)
• Millie Turner - 30 (22 WSL, 5 FA Cup, 3 Conti Cup)
• Katie Zelem - 30 (21 WSL, 5 FA Cup, 4 Conti Cup)
• Hannah Blundell - 29 (22 WSL, 4 FA Cup, 3 Conti Cup)
• Martha Thomas - 29 (20 WSL, 5 FA Cup, 4 Conti Cup)

Top scorers

• Leah Galton - 12 (10 WSL, 2 FA Cup)
• Alessia Russo - 12 (10 WSL, 2 FA Cup)
• Nikita Parris - 9 (4 WSL, 4 FA Cup, 1 Conti Cup)
• Lucia Garcia - 8 (8 WSL)
• Rachel Williams - 6 (4 WSL, 1 FA Cup, 1 Conti Cup)

Most assists

• Ona Batlle - 15 (9 WSL, 4 FA Cup, 2 Conti Cup)
• Katie Zelem - 12 (8 WSL, 4 FA Cup)
• Ella Toone - 8 (8 WSL)
• Leah Galton - 4 (4 WSL)
• Maya Le Tissier - 3 (2 WSL, 1 FA Cup)
• Martha Thomas - 3 (2 WSL, 1 Conti Cup)
• Lucia Garcia - 3 (1 WSL, 2 Conti Cup)

Man Utd Women 2022/23 record in all competitions

• WSL - P22, W18, D2, L2, GF 56, GA 12, GD +44, Pts 56, Position 2nd
• FA Cup - P5, W4, L1, GF 13, GA 5, Runners-up
• Conti Cup - P4, W2, D2, L0, GF 11, GA 5, Group stage

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