Manchester United Women’s manager Eva Olid emphasised the need for her side to “push until the last moment” ahead of playing three WSL matches in as many weeks before December.
“Last week that was a little frustrating for me, we didn’t concede but we didn’t score goals,” She admits, referencing United’s recent 0-0 draw away to Everton. “Today we played, especially the first half, so good but we didn’t score the chances. And as I say, it’s something that we need to work on, that confidence in the final third and in and around the box. For me, it’s the priority.”
On Sunday United came away with all three points thanks to a late Julia Zigiotti goal, despite racking up 18 shots and an XG of 1.94. It was just their second WSL goal in their last three matches and Olid knows that’s below the standards expected for a team who haven’t lost since the end of September.
“We need to improve from next week because today we could’ve dropped points dominating and as a manager it’s not a good feeling, that you have the chances and you don’t score. For that it’s urgent for us, keep working on that.”
Scoring hasn’t been something Olid’s sides have struggled with historically. Before joining Manchester United in the summer she’d taken Heart-of-Midlothian from rock bottom of the Scottish Women’s Premier League in 2021 to title holders by the end of last season, netting 85 goals in just 32 matches. She credits that to an instilled philosophy of simply never giving up.
“Before the game, I said tactics today is not the most important thing. The most important thing is that we push. For those 90 minutes, if we go winning, if we go losing, if we go drawing, we need to push until the last moment.”
Having gone eleven games in all competitions without losing, such rare momentum is something Olid is also keen to continue.
“We need to keep this momentum. It’s difficult. This league is amazing. Everyone is good. Everyone has strength. We know in football everything can happen until the last moment. And I think the team showed today we can work together as a team. For me it was important, this reaction. For that it’s so important, the win today. But we need to focus week by week. And now our focus is Crystal Palace and to win next week.”
Avoiding defeat at Old Trafford on Sunday would extend United’s run to twelve games unbeaten, placing them as the third-most in-form team in the league behind Manchester City and Chelsea, who defeated them in last season’s Women’s League Cup Final.
