Manchester United's rising levels on show again in win over Liverpool

Goals start to flow for United side inspired by new arrivals and renewed attacking threat

Made in Sweden: Fridolina Rolfo (centre) celebrates with compatriots Ellen Wangerheim (left) and Hanna Lundkvist after scoring Manchester United’s third goal against Liverpool. Credit: Getty Images

Manchester United moved up to second in the WSL table on Sunday after a 3-1 victory over Liverpool in front of over 4,000 fans at the Progress with Unity Stadium.

There were a couple of changes to the starting XI, with Lisa Naalsund and Elisabeth Terland coming into the team. Two second-half goals from Naalsund and a third scored by Fridolina Rolfo secured the victory for Marc Skinner’s side after a cagey first half.

United’s forwards have found form again with seven goals in the last two WSL games, so what can we take away from the performance?

Finding goals again

Before the winter break United were struggling to convert chances, with lots of big opportunities falling to multiple players across the frontline with limited success, but the recent upturn continued against Liverpool.

Naalsund starting this game was a surprise to some, and she is not primarily known as a goalscorer, but she ended the day with a double and a player-of-the-match award, demonstrating the growing confidence in a squad which suddenly looks as though goals can come from anywhere.

Her first came from Melvine Malard driving forward, dribbling at the Liverpool defence with pace and playing a chipped crossfield pass to Jess Park on the right wing. Naalsund’s clever movement in the box creates the space for her to hit a first-time shot.

Something United were excellent at in the opening games of the season was delivering midfielders into the box to receive cutbacks from the wingers, a feature lacking in recent months from their attacking play. Naalsund’s opener demonstrated that the players at Skinner’s disposal still carry such a threat.

Naalsund’s second goal came courtesy of pressing from the front: another area in which United have dropped off in recent months but which saw a big improvement in this game.

The pressing shape is almost perfect: each player knows their role and maintains the structure to apply maximum pressure to the opponents. Julia Zigiotti Olme initiates the press by harrying Denise O’Sullivan on the ball, which leads to the turnover of possession in the final third. The positions picked up by Malard, Park, Hinata Miyazawa and Naalsund deny O’Sullivan the chance to turn and play a pass anywhere, with all lanes cut off.