Hannah Blundell

Blundell and Skinner nominated for WSL awards

Friday 05 May 2023 12:00

Manchester United Women manager Marc Skinner and defender Hannah Blundell have both been nominated for the WSL's April awards.

The Reds played three Women’s Super League games during the last month and won them all, with a ‘Fergie time’ winner against Aston Villa last time out extending our victorious run. 

After a collective effort to keep us on course for our best-ever finish in the WSL, both Skinner and Blundell have been recognised in their respective categories. 

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PLAYER OF THE MONTH NOMINEE – HANNAH BLUNDELL 

In a recent interview with the club’s matchday programme, Blundell revealed that she has been working on her defensive game specifically this season, and it has paid dividends on the pitch as the no.6 has contributed to what is currently the best defensive record in the league. 

United kept clean sheets in two of our three league encounters last month – one in the away win at Brighton, with the other coming at Leigh Sports Village against title-race rivals Arsenal. 

As well as being a stalwart at the back, Blundell is also contributing at the other end of the pitch, as is her fellow full-back Ona Batlle. Our no.6 registered two assists this month, the first coming for Leah Galton’s decisive second goal away to the Seagulls. The second was a crucial, superbly executed cross to set up Nikita Parris for an equaliser against Villa before the Reds went on to win the game 3-2 in stoppage time. 

Blundell is up against Bethany England (Tottenham Hotspur), Rachel Daly (Aston Villa), Courtney Nevin (Leicester City), Elisabeth Terland (Brighton), and Chloe Kelly (Manchester City). 

You can vote for Hannah to win April’s Player of the Month award here
MANAGER OF THE MONTH NOMINEE – MARC SKINNER 

After another excellent month of guiding the table-topping Reds, Skinner is once again up for the WSL accolade. United registered several important victories this month, as we continue to chase down a first-ever top-flight title, as well as qualify for next season’s Champions League campaign. 

The first of our wins came against Brighton away from home, where a Leah Galton double and late goals from second-half substitutes Rachel Williams and Lucia Garcia were enough to see off the Seagulls. 

After the international break, and beating Brighton in the semi-final of the FA Cup, Skinner's side returned to league action with a potentially season-defining game against Arsenal. The reverse fixture back in November featured a stoppage-time header from Alessia Russo as United snatched all three points at the death in front of over 40,000 fans at the Emirates. 

The Gunners travelled to Leigh Sports Village this time round, and an evenly contested game was once again settled by our no.23, whose first-half strike was the difference. All three points meant we became just the third team ever to do the league double over the North London club. 

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We saw out the month with an evening of action-packed drama at the Bescot Stadium, away to Aston Villa. After coming from behind twice against Carla Ward’s side, Skinner – in what can now be described as an inspired substitution – brought Millie Turner on in the approach to full-time. Heading home from Katie Zelem’s pin-point free-kick, it was Turner who clinched all three points for the Reds to not only continue our winning run but to also keep our title hopes very much alive. 

Skinner is on the shortlist with Willie Kirk (Leicester City), Gareth Taylor (Manchester City) and Brian Sorensen (Everton). 

You can vote for Marc to win the Manager of the Month award here

The deadline for voting is 10:00 BST on Tuesday 9 May. Congratulations on your nominations, Hannah and Marc - and good luck in the polls!

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