The 2021–22 season was Manchester United Women's fourth season since they were founded and their third in the FA Women's Super League, the professional top-flight women's league in England. The club also competed in the FA Cup and League Cup.

Following the resignation of Casey Stoney at the end of the previous season, Marc Skinner was announced as the new Manchester United head coach on 29 July 2021, having stood down from his head coaching position at Orlando Pride in order to take the job.

Having played at Old Trafford behind closed doors during the previous season due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the team played at Old Trafford in front of fans for the first time on 27 March 2022. They beat Everton 3–1 with a new club record 20,241 in attendance.

Pre-season Manchester United scheduled four preseason friendlies, with all but the Rangers game played behind closed doors. The matches against Championship side Liverpool and WSL side Aston Villa were both played at Carrington with the former broadcast live on MUTV. A week-long training camp in Scotland included a friendly against Rangers of the SWPL before a final friendly against WSL side Brighton & Hove Albion held on neutral ground at Loughborough University.

DateOpponents H / AResultF–AScorers8 August 2021LiverpoolH2–2Galton 25', Hanson 26'14 August 2021Aston VillaH2–0Thomas 4', Hanson 17'19 August 2021RangersA5–0Zelem (2) 8', 51', Staniforth 33', Hanson 74', Galton 77'28 August 2021Brighton & Hove AlbionN1–1Zelem

FA Women's Super League

Matches DateOpponentsH / AResultF–AScorersAttendanceLeagueposition3 September 2021ReadingH2–0Hanson 39', Batlle 54'2,1111st12 September 2021Leicester CityA3–1Toone 36', Thorisdottir 47', Thomas 71'4,4733rd26 September 2021ChelseaH1–6Russo 48'2,1976th3 October 2021Birmingham CityA2–0Galton 27', Toone 80'6504th9 October 2021Manchester CityH2–2Staniforth 72', Russo 75'3,7973rd7 November 2021Tottenham HotspurA1–1Russo 45+2'1,3085th14 November 2021EvertonA1–1Toone 10'8405th21 November 2021ArsenalH0–22,1866th12 December 2021Brighton & Hove AlbionA2–0Ladd 45+1', Bøe Risa 69'1,7765th19 December 2021Aston VillaH5–0Toone (2) 8', 79' Zelem 13' (pen.), Staniforth 50', Thomas 73'1,0014th9 January 2022West Ham UnitedAPostponed due to COVID-19 outbreak at West Ham15 January 2022Birmingham CityH5–0Zelem 12', Galton (2) 16', 18', Ramsey 45' (o.g.), Russo 71'1,0153rd23 January 2022Tottenham HotspurH3–0Bøe Risa 38', Ladd 42', Galton 62'1,5192nd5 February 2022ArsenalA1–1Russo 10'2,3853rd13 February 2022Manchester CityA0–15,3174th5 March 2022Leicester CityH4–0Thomas 17', Russo 30', Zelem (2) 59', 63'1,1033rd12 March 2022ReadingA3–1Galton (2) 5', 25', Russo 43'1,3713rd16 March 2022West Ham UnitedA1–1Toone 54'1,4253rd27 March 2022EvertonH3–1Russo (2) 35', 84', Zelem 54' (pen.)20,2413rd3 April 2022Brighton & Hove AlbionH1–0Galton 68'1,5243rd24 April 2022Aston VillaA0–09413rd1 May 2022West Ham UnitedH3–0Thomas 12', Fisk 20' (o.g.), Galton 49'2,5463rd8 May 2022ChelseaA2–4Thomas 13', Toone 25'4,3784th

Table

Women's FA Cup

As a member of the first tier, United entered the FA Cup in the fourth round proper. They were drawn away to third-division Bridgwater United, winning 2–0 in front of a sellout club-record crowd of 2,500. For the fifth round proper, United were drawn against Manchester City for the fifth time in the last six cup competitions. United had most recently beaten City in their last cup meeting, 2–1 in this season's League Cup.

DateRoundOpponentsH / AResultF–AScorersAttendance30 January 2022 Round 4Bridgwater UnitedA2–0Buxton 17' (o.g.), Toone 81'2,50027 February 2022 Round 5Manchester CityH1–4Zelem 13'2,335

FA Women's League Cup

Group stage As a team not qualified for the group stage of the Champions League, Manchester United entered the League Cup at the group stage. They were drawn into Group B, one of two Northern section groups, alongside fellow WSL clubs Everton and Leicester City, and Championship side Durham. Because Manchester City were knocked out of the Champions League during the qualifying rounds, they belatedly entered the League Cup group stage after the draw was made instead of receiving a bye and were placed alongside United in Group B as the only remaining Northern group with four teams.

DateOpponentsH / AResultF–AScorersAttendanceGroupposition14 October 2021DurhamA2–2(5–3 p)Fuso 35', Toone 73'1,4682nd17 November 2021Manchester CityH2–1Fuso 30', Batlle 82'2,3692nd5 December 2021Leicester CityH2–2(3–4 p)Russo 47', Zelem 80'8392nd15 December 2021EvertonA2–0D. Turner 20' (o.g.), Thomas 23'6722nd Group B

Ranking of second-placed teams

Knockout phase The draw for the quarter-final was made on 20 December 2021 with Manchester United drawn away to five-time winners Arsenal, the competition's most successful team. The teams had met once before in the League Cup when United were a Championship side in the 2018–19 season.

DateRoundOpponentsH / AResultF–AScorersAttendance19 January 2022Quarter-finalArsenalA1–0Russo 85'8252 February 2022Semi-finalChelseaA1–3Bøe Risa 32'1,548

Squad statistics

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

No.Pos.NameLeagueFA CupLeague CupTotalDisciplineAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals1GK Emily Ramsey00000000002DF Martha Harris0(1)00(1)0101(2)0003DF Maria Thorisdottir17(3)1204(1)023(4)1204MF Jade Moore0(3)000000(3)0005DF Aoife Mannion1201060190006DF Hannah Blundell19(2)0204(2)025(4)0207FW Ella Toone227213(2)127(2)9508MF Vilde Bøe Risa8(9)20(2)04(2)112(13)3009FW Martha Thomas9(9)5204115(9)61010MF Katie Zelem (c)225214(1)128(1)71011FW Leah Galton20(1)8104(2)025(3)81012MF Hayley Ladd12(2)2102(1)015(3)26013FW Ivana Fuso0(7)01(1)03(3)24(11)20014MF Jackie Groenen12(4)01(1)01014(5)01015DF Diane Caldwell501000603016FW Signe Bruun2(3)00(1)00(1)02(5)00017DF Ona Batlle211103(1)125(1)23018FW Kirsty Hanson6(11)10(1)03(2)09(14)12020DF Kirsty Smith301020600021DF Millie Turner400030700022GK Fran Bentley000000000023FW Alessia Russo19(3)91(1)03(3)223(7)110024MF Carrie Jones0(3)010203(3)00025DF Tara Bourne000000000027GK Mary Earps220200(1)024(1)00032GK Sophie Baggaley000060600137MF Lucy Staniforth7(5)2003(1)010(6)22038FW Karna Solskjær000(1)0000(1)00039GK Safia Middleton-Patel000000000040DF Niamh Murphy000000000041FW Keira Barry0000000000Own goals—2—1—1—4——

Transfers In DatePos.NameFromRef.1 July 2021DF Olivia Moulton Bolton Wanderers20 July 2021MF Vilde Bøe Risa Sandviken23 July 2021DF Hannah Blundell ChelseaGK Sophie Baggaley Bristol City26 July 2021DF Aoife Mannion Manchester City28 July 2021FW Martha Thomas West Ham United27 January 2022DF Diane Caldwell North Carolina CourageMF Jade Moore Orlando Pride

Out DatePos.NameToRef.21 June 2021FW Jessica Sigsworth Leicester City23 June 2021FW Jane Ross Rangers24 June 2021FW Christen Press Angel City FCFW Tobin Heath Arsenal25 June 2021DF Amy Turner Orlando Pride23 July 2021FW Lauren James Chelsea26 July 2021DF Abbie McManus Leicester City30 July 2021FW Megan Hornby Blackburn Rovers

Loan in Date fromDate toPos.NameToRef.27 January 202230 June 2022FW Signe Bruun Lyon

Loan out Date fromDate toPos.NameToRef.6 August 202130 June 2022GK Emily Ramsey Birmingham CityGK Fran Bentley Bristol City28 August 202129 January 2022DF Tara Bourne Sheffield United31 October 202130 June 2022MF Rebecca May Billericay Town14 November 2022GK Safia Middleton-Patel Blackburn RoversMF Chloe Williams29 January 2022DF Tara Bourne12 March 202212 March 2022GK Safia Middleton-Patel Leicester City

Notes

References

External links