Ella Toone has her boots back on and is running again on the grass at Carrington, as she continues her recovery from a hip injury.
The United Women midfielder uploaded a video to Instagram on Tuesday, showing her jogging in the training-ground sunshine, cheered on by team-mate Gabby George.
Toone hasn’t featured for the Reds since the turn of the year, but this is the latest positive sign on her road to a comeback.
Head coach Marc Skinner reiterated to journalists last week that Ella’s recovery is going well and that the team are aiming to welcome her back around the time of the WSL derby against Manchester City at Old Trafford, at the end of March.
“Ella is actually doing really well,”
he said, before the second leg of our UEFA Champions League win over Atletico Madrid.
“She’s on maybe to get some pitch time [in the] next couple of weeks, doing some start to return to play bits. We are hopeful, we are aiming for around the City game to try and get her back. There’s no pressure on that.
“If she reacts really well, hopefully it might be a bit earlier but, if not, that’s probably a sensible timeframe. Hopefully, she’s with us for the run-in at the end of the season, we’ve missed her so it would be good to welcome her back.”
Before the derby – and after the international break that United Women’s season is currently on pause for – the Reds are due to return to action against Chelsea in the Subway Women’s League Cup final on Sunday 15 March.
That’s prior to a quickfire Barclays Women’s Super League double-header versus West Ham and Everton, and the first leg of our UEFA Champions League quarter-final at home to Bayern Munich.
That visit from the German champions is also scheduled to be played at the Theatre of Dreams, three days before the City game.
UNITED THROUGH AND THROUGH
Toone's injury means she hasn’t been called up to the England squad for next month’s FIFA World Cup qualifiers against Ukraine and Iceland.
While continuing her recovery at the club, the midfielder has had the time to cheer on the men and was spotted among our travelling fans at Monday night’s Premier League win over Everton.
A brilliant video is circulating on social media, showing childhood United fan Ella celebrating Benjamin Sesko's decisive strike at the Hill Dickinson Stadium.