Maya Le Tissier's success at United

She got off to a flying start, making an immediate impact on her league debut against Reading, powering a header into the back of the net after just four minutes.

And just over 20 minutes later, the defender doubled her tally, again meeting a corner from Katie Zelem and getting the Reds’ third goal in an eventual 4-0 win.

For Le Tissier, it was two goals and a clean sheet - not a bad beginning to life at United.

MAYA’S FIRST TERM

Her application in training and solid performances convinced head coach Marc Skinner to start the 22-year-old in every game of the previous WSL campaign, describing her as “one of the brightest young players in the country.”

Le Tissier helped the Reds to a second-place league finish and subsequent qualification to the 2023/24 UEFA Women’s Champions’ League, for the first time in the club’s history.

She also played a vital role on our road to the FA Cup final, before starting at Wembley Stadium against Emma Hayes's Chelsea, as we finished runners-up in the competition. Despite a 1-0 loss for United on the day, the centre-back earned praise for a mature performance against the Blues’ dangerous attack.

Her hard work and skill displayed across 2022/23 was then later acknowledged with a place in the PFA’s WSL Team of the Year.

INTERNATIONAL PRIDE

Le Tissier had enjoyed success at England’s youth levels but was keen to make the step up and break into the first team. She signed for United as the Lionesses were en route to winning the UEFA Women’s Euros in 2022 and spoke at the time about how much she was enjoying watching their journey, explaining “that’s the dream, I hope that one day I can push forward to the seniors.”

With regular playing time being earned under Skinner, it wasn’t long before Sarina Wiegman, Lionesses head coach, gave Maya her debut against Norway, in November 2022.

Our head of women’s football, Polly Bancroft, praised the defender at the time, saying: “Maya’s playing week in, week out, so to be able to give her that profile and the fact she’s now competing at a higher level, as you say, it’s made her be in Sarina [Wiegman’s] mind and Sarina's thoughts to get her that first call-up.”

The 22-year-old has since gone on to star alongside her United team-mates, including the likes of Mary Earps and Ella Toone, on two more occasions.

THIS SEASON SO FAR

Nothing speaks more clearly about her significance in the squad than the fact she has played every minute of the campaign to date, across all competitions, including the Reds’ two Champions League fixtures against PSG.

Last weekend, she once again helped Skinner's side make history with an FA Cup semi-final win over Chelsea, securing the opportunity to compete in a back-to-back FA Cup finals at Wembley. Then on Friday, a day after her 22nd birthday, she proudly put pen-to-paper on a contract extension with the club.

For both Maya and United, her move to the North West back in 2022 has enabled huge success and achievement, as she has demonstrated consistently her determination to give everything she’s got.