Bloodied Liverpool Come Up Roses
Manchester United 1 Liverpool 2
Liverpool avenged last season’s six nil drubbing here at Leigh Sports Village and emerged bloodied, but unbowed, to seriously dent United’s title aspirations.
The blood was courtesy of center back Gemma Bonner, who was knocked flat out in a nasty clash of heads with super sub-Rachel Skinner when the Merseysider bravely got her head to a teasing cross, moments before Skinner crashed into her like a freight train.
Although there was lengthy 12-minute delay as the training staff raced on to tend to the stricken player, Bonner was able to walk off with the help of medical staff.
For United, the afternoon started with so much promise as they raced into a three-minute lead thanks to Ella “Tooney” Toone, who ‘s late run saw her follow up on Leah Galton’s cutback after Galton break away and shot had come back off the post.
First to nearly every ball and raiding down both flanks, especially with pace of Canadian wing back Jayde Riviere, a repeat of the January blowout looked on the cards. Malard, who should have done better when screwing her shot into side netting when in on goal and Tooney again heading not that far wide from a Riviere cross had Liverpool reeling. Then in the 26th minute Millie Turner got her head to a trademark Katie Zellem corner and smacked it against the post.
However, six minutes later after those early waves had subsided, Liverpool got a foothold in the match thanks to the strong and tricky running of Mel Lawley, who tormented United’s left back Hannah Blundell. Lawley outpaced her again on the right and curled a teasing ball that on first look seemed to come off the arm of Liverpool striker Emma Koivisto, but the replays showed that it got a nick off Turner’s arm.
The equalizer certainly took the wind out of United’s sails and their frailty amid much promise this season with Champion’s League qualification and the addition of three World stars in Geyse, Melvine Malard and World Cup Golden Boot winner Hinata Miyazawa.
It was Liverpool playing the better football and Utd manager Marc Skinner brought on the calvary in the 65th minute with Geyse replacing Malard and Nikita Parris making way for Lucia Garcia.
But Liverpool was getting joy from set pieces, and they duly took the lead in the 67th minute when their captain, Taylor Hinds, who had such a torrid time in the January defeat, volleyed in from a corner.
There was still plenty of time for the home side to come back, but despite upping the intensity United were thwarted at every turn and it was Liverpool who came closest to adding to the scoreline when Mary Earps pulled off a flying, fingertip save to deny Bo Kearns.
“We just have to win every game, that’s all we can do,” said Skinner, when asked about the title race.
“There’s pressure when we win, pressure when we lose and pressure when we draw,” he added. It’s the reality of being manager at Manchester United. You feel it every day you’re in the job.”
Taylor-made: A jubilant Hinds celebrates her winning goal.