The 2018–19 season was Manchester United Women's inaugural season following the club's successful application to join the newly-formed FA Women's Championship after a league restructuring. The club also competed in the FA Cup and League Cup. The team played their home games at Leigh Sports Village, while the training ground at The Cliff undergoes redevelopment.

Pre-season In March 2018, Manchester United announced their intentions to enter a women's team into the second tier of the 2018–19 season. Their application was confirmed in May and they were announced as one of four new teams to enter the division alongside Charlton Athletic, Leicester City and Lewes F.C.

On 8 June 2018, former England international Casey Stoney was announced as head coach. The full 21-player squad was revealed in July and included the return of Katie Zelem, Emily Ramsey, Naomi Hartley, Fran Bentley, Millie Turner, Kirsty Hanson and Ella Toone who were all previously part of the club's Girls' Regional Talent Club and Centre of Excellence.

United's first game was a behind-closed-doors friendly against Liverpool on 15 July. The game had to be abandoned after goalkeeper Siobhan Chamberlain was taken to hospital with a suspected serious neck injury which was later confirmed not as serious as first thought.

FA Women's Championship

Matches On 1 August 2018, the FA Women's Championship announced the fixtures for the 2018–19 season. The team confirmed promotion to the FA WSL on 17 April 2019 after victory over Aston Villa with three games to spare. Three days later, they clinched the Championship title with a win at home to Crystal Palace.

DateOpponentsH / AResultF–AScorersAttendanceLeagueposition9 September 2018Aston VillaA12–0James (2) 10', 23', Sigsworth (5) 25', 33', 35', 49', 61' Zelem 28' (pen.), Hanson (2) 54', 59', Green 66', Toone 68'1,1651st20 September 2018Sheffield UnitedH3–0Zelem 12' (pen.), Hanson 40', Arnot 64'2,0031st23 September 2018London BeesA5–0Green (2) 17', 55', James 27', M.Turner 44', Toone 78'6421st30 September 2018DurhamH0–02,2441st14 October 2018Charlton AthleticH3–0Zelem 16', Sigsworth 64', Arnot 75'2,3491st28 October 2018Leicester CityAPostponed following the Leicester City F.C. helicopter crash the previous day4 November 2018Tottenham HotspurH4–1James 10', Sigsworth (2) 19', 41', Devlin 81'2,3672nd18 November 2018Crystal PalaceA5–0Arnot (2) 17', 55', Green (2) 59', 83', Greenwood 75' (pen.)9752nd25 November 2018Millwall LionessesH8–0James 16', Green (3) 32', 38', 49', Zelem 36', Toone 58', Sigsworth 71', Greenwood 79' (pen.)N/A1st2 December 2018LewesA2–0Green 48', Toone 81'1,9581st9 December 2018DurhamA1–3Toone 43'9121st6 January 2019London BeesH9–0Devlin (2) 2', 56', Toone (2) 29', 66', Arnot 40', Green 42', James (2) 68', 72', Zelem 78'1,8891st13 January 2019Charlton AthleticAMatch abandoned at 1–0 on medical grounds following injury to Kerr10 February 2019Aston VillaHRescheduled due to Aston Villa's FA Cup commitments13 February 2019Leicester CityA7–0Toone (4) 15', 17', 66' (pen.), 88', Hanson 52', Greenwood 54', Johnston 85' (o.g.)8242nd20 February 2019Sheffield UnitedA4–0Zelem 1', James 27', Toone 41' (pen.), Green 51'1,0082nd10 March 2019Leicester CityH6–1Green 17', James 22', Hanson 44', Toone 48', Sigsworth (2) 67', 84'1,5542nd24 March 2019Charlton AthleticA2–1Zelem 57' (pen.), Sigsworth 63'7321st31 March 2019Tottenham HotspurA5–1Zelem (2) 3', 10' (pen.) Green 46', Sigsworth 81', Galton 87'1,6071st17 April 2019Aston VillaH5–0M. Turner 6', Greenwood 21' (pen.), Sigsworth 35', Toone 49', Devlin 73'1,4011st20 April 2019Crystal PalaceH7–0James (4) 9', 83', 85', 90', Arnot 33', Galton 35', Sigsworth 46'2,1121st28 April 2019Millwall LionessesA5–0Zelem 7' (pen.), A. Turner 12', Devlin 23', Harris 29' (pen.), Sigsworth 77'1,9201st11 May 2019LewesH5–0James 12', Sigsworth 34', Galton 68', Palmer 75', A. Turner 79'3,7021st

League table

Women's FA Cup

Manchester United entered the Women's FA Cup in the fourth round with the rest of the top two tiers and were drawn against WSL side Brighton & Hove Albion. Lauren James' brace earned United a 2–0 win to put them in the draw for the fifth round. They were drawn against fellow Championship side London Bees who United had already scored 14 goals against across their two league meetings. United progressed to the quarter-finals with a 3–0 win, held at back-up venue Ewen Fields, and were drawn against Reading to set up the second cup meeting between the two teams after Reading triumphed in the WSL Cup Group Stage earlier in the season. The WSL side triumphed for a second time, taking United to extra-time after a goalless 90 minutes before eventually winning 3–2 with Rakel Hönnudóttir's late winner coming in the 120+2 minute.

DateRoundOpponentsH / AResultF–AScorersAttendance3 February 2019Round 4Brighton & Hove AlbionA2–0James (2) 51', 90+276417 February 2019Round 5London BeesH3–0Toone 27', Green 33', Devlin 87'83817 March 2019Quarter-finalReadingA2–3 (a.e.t.)Greenwood 98' (pen.), Harding 107' (o.g.)951

FA Women's League Cup

Group stage Manchester United were entered into Group Two North for the 2018–19 FA WSL Cup alongside WSL sides Liverpool, Everton and Reading and fellow Championship side Durham. They played two games at home and two away, winning three including both away ties to Merseyside teams.

DateOpponentsH / AResultF–AScorersAttendanceGroupposition19 August 2018LiverpoolA1–0Arnot 83'8292nd25 August 2018ReadingH0–24,8352nd5 December 2018DurhamH1–0Green 1'6862nd13 December 2018EvertonA3–0James 12', Galton 17', Zelem 37'2401st

Knockout phase The draw for the quarter-final was made on 18 December, with Manchester United the only team from outside of the FA WSL to qualify from the group stage. They were drawn against West Ham United who had finished second in Group Two South behind defending champions Arsenal. After beating West Ham 2–0, United progressed to the semi-finals and were drawn against Arsenal. The tie was televised nationally on BT Sport as Arsenal won 2–1 to progress to their seventh final in eight years.

DateRoundOpponentsH / AResultF–AScorersAttendance9 January 2019Quarter-finalWest Ham UnitedH2–0Longhurst 17' (o.g.), Sigsworth 53'1,0297 February 2019Semi-finalArsenalA1–2Green 83'1,836

Squad statistics

Numbers in brackets denote appearances as substitute. Key to positions: GK – Goalkeeper; DF – Defender; MF – Midfielder; FW – Forward

No.Pos.NameChampionshipFA CupLeague CupTotalDisciplineAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals1GK Siobhan Chamberlain1803060270002DF Martha Harris12 (3)1304019 (3)1103DF Alex Greenwood (c)17 (1)4316026 (1)5104DF Amy Turner1622060242306MF Aimee Palmer6 (7)1100 (1)07 (8)1007FW Ella Toone16 (4)14310 (6)019 (10)15308MF Mollie Green14 (4)13316223 (4)16109FW Jessica Sigsworth15 (4)17306124 (4)183010MF Katie Zelem1810206126112011FW Leah Galton10 (4)31 (1)03 (2)114 (7)41012DF Naomi Hartley1 (2)000001 (2)00013GK Emily Ramsey200 (1)0002 (1)00014MF Charlie Devlin6 (10)5210 (2)08 (12)61015DF Lucy Roberts000000000016MF Lauren James12 (6)140 (3)26118 (9)174017FW Lizzie Arnot12 (5)61 (1)03 (2)116 (8)70018FW Kirsty Hanson12 (5)52 (1)03 (3)017 (9)50019FW Ebony Salmon000000000020DF Kirsty Smith13 (3)01 (1)05019 (4)00021DF Millie Turner20230602921022GK Fran Bentley0 (1)000000 (1)000——Own goals—1—1—1—3——

Transfers

In DatePos.NameFromRef.13 July 2018GK Siobhan Chamberlain Liverpool Emily Ramsey Liverpool Fran Bentley Manchester CityDF Martha Harris Liverpool Alex Greenwood Liverpool Amy Turner Liverpool Millie Turner Bristol City Naomi Hartley Liverpool Lucy Roberts Liverpool Kirsty Smith HibernianMF Aimee Palmer Bristol City Mollie Green Everton Katie Zelem Juventus Charlie Devlin Millwall Lionesses Lauren James ArsenalFW Lizzie Arnot Hibernian Ella Toone Manchester City Jessica Sigsworth Doncaster Rovers Belles Ebony Salmon Aston Villa Leah Galton Bayern Munich Kirsty Hanson Doncaster Rovers Belles

Loans out Date fromDate toPos.NameToRef.4 January 2019End of seasonFW Ebony Salmon Sheffield United8 February 2019GK Fran Bentley8 March 2019DF Naomi Hartley

References

External links