How to watch and follow United Women v Liverpool
After a lengthy winter break, Manchester United Women are back in action this weekend when we take on Liverpool in the Barclays WSL.
In preparation for the second half of the season, the Reds spent a week in Malta for warm weather training, where we also faced local side Birkirkara FC in a friendly.
With our league return almost upon us, here’s everything you need to know ahead of Liverpool’s visit to Leigh Sports Village…
Turner: It's good to be back in Manchester
Millie Turner reflects on United Women's Malta trip and looks forward to our first WSL game of 2023 this weekend...
HOW TO WATCH AND FOLLOW
United vs Liverpool will be aired live on BBC One for viewers in the UK and Ireland, with kick-off scheduled for 14:05 GMT.
We will also provide you with updates and images in the United App and on our designated Twitter platform for the women’s team: @ManUtdWomen.
HEAD-TO-HEAD
Despite it still being relatively new to the women’s scene, the rivalry between United and Liverpool runs deep and is rich with history. We’ve met one another just three times previously, but only once in the WSL, when we won 2-0 late in 2019 before the 2019/2020 came to a halt as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic.
The previous two meetings have both been in the Continental Cup. The first of these clashes was United’s first-ever competitive game since reforming in 2018, with Lizzie Arnot writing her name in the history books with a late winner. More recently, in 2020, we met the Merseysiders met again in the Conti Cup, as Liverpool emerged 3-1 victors.
Now back in the WSL together for just the second time, we will face Liverpool for the first time this season, and tickets are still available!
Marc Skinner hopes to have all of his team available for Sunday’s WSL clash with Matt Beard’s side, confirming in his pre-match press conference on Wednesday that Leah Galton has returned to training following a minor knock, while Aoife Mannion is back with the United squad following her long-term ACL injury.
As for Liverpool, the visitors will be without Gilly Flaherty, who announced her immediate retirement from football on Thursday (12 January). Leanne Kiernan is still out for the Merseyside club, and isn’t due to return until February.
Skinner: We want to get back into rhythm quickly
Enjoy a bumper catch-up with Marc Skinner, ahead of our return to WSL action against Liverpool on Sunday...
FORM GUIDE
It hasn’t been a smooth sailing return to top tier of English football for Beard and his team by any means, and they head into this game sitting ninth in the table.
Liverpool made their comeback with a bang against defending champions Chelsea, with a Katie Stengel brace helping them to a shock 2-1 victory, but that is just one of two games they’ve been able to get maximum points from this season. The Merseysiders have drawn two and lost five of their nine WSL games so far.
For United, a memorable first half of the season saw us pick up a vital win away to Arsenal – an unforgettable night at the Emirates in which Skinner’s side came from behind to win in the dying moments of the game.
We have lost just one of our nine league games, with City holding United to a 1-1 draw in the Manchester derby; our penultimate game before the winter break. Skinner will hope his side can pick-up where we left off before the turn of the year, against another one of our rivals.
Ready for the return
GalleryUnited Women train ahead of Sunday's WSL clash with Liverpool.
While we host Liverpool at LSV, a huge top-of-the-table clash will be happening in London, as Arsenal host Chelsea. Here's the full fixture list for this weekend...
SATURDAY 14 JANUARY
Aston Villa v Tottenham Hotspur (12:30 GMT)
SUNDAY 15 JANUARY
Arsenal v Chelsea (12:00 GMT)
Everton v Reading (13:00 GMT)
UNITED v Liverpool (14:05 GMT)
Leicester v Brighton (15:00 GMT)
West Ham v Man City (18:45 GMT)