Having suffered elimination from the Women's Champions League, lost summer signing Gabby George to an ACL injury and watched a sickness bug leave a trio of key players unavailable for Sunday's trip to Everton, it had been a difficult week for Marc Skinner's Manchester United team. The 5-0 win the Red Devils picked up on Merseyside, then, will have brought them relief as well as delight.
Without Hayley Ladd, Leah Galton and Geyse due to illness, as well as George, this was never going to be an easy game, particularly with Everton buoyed by a derby win at Anfield last weekend. That Melvine Malard broke the deadlock for the visitors inside the first 15 minutes, then, pouncing to head beyond Courtney Brosnan after a corner caused some chaos in the box, was the perfect start.
It took United some time to double that lead but, after being denied brilliantly by Brosnan before the break, former Evertonian Nikita Parris did exactly that early in the second period with a strong header. Having gone four games in all competitions without a win, this was a solid response from Skinner's side ahead of the international break, with super-sub Rachel Williams adding two goals off the bench while Parris netted another in stoppage time to make sure of the three points.
GOAL rates Man Utd's players from Walton Hall Park...