United Women players in PFA Team of the Year

Three members of our squad who finished runners-up in both the WSL and Women's FA Cup last season - Ona Batlle, Mary Earps and Maya Le Tissier - have all been selected in the prestigious XI, in recognition of their contributions to the Reds' campaign.

The announcement was made at the 50th annual PFA Awards ceremony, which was held at The Lowry in Salford this evening (Tuesday).

Earps kept an all-time WSL record of 14 clean sheets, conceding just 12 goals, as we registered our record-high finish in the division, as runners-up to Chelsea after a grandstand final day.

The unprecedented number of shutouts ensured that our goalkeeper would win the Golden Glove award, and Mary has since claimed the equivalent prize at the Women’s World Cup, for her impressive performances in helping England reach the final of that tournament.

Our no.27 is named in the Team of the Year for the first time in her career, as is Le Tissier, who also had her part to play in the staunch defensive effort across the campaign from Marc Skinner’s side.

Le Tissier started every one of our 22 league outings in her first season as a Red, after a summer move from Brighton & Hove Albion, and became a mainstay in the heart of our defence. Her United career began in dream fashion, as she scored a debut double against Reading back in September.

Batlle, who returned to Barcelona with our best wishes this summer, is also in the Team of the Year's back four after her third and final Reds campaign. A World Cup winner with Spain earlier this month, Ona was also extremely effective when marauding forward in attack. Our former no.2 supplied a team-high nine assists across the WSL season, bettered only by Chelsea’s Guro Reiten, and is named in the PFA XI for the second time.

No club had more than three players selected, although local rivals Manchester City have the same number in the team listed below.

Congratulations to Mary, Maya and Ona on their selection in the PFA side and their tremendous terms in United colours. 

2022/23 PFA WSL TEAM OF THE YEAR

Goalkeeper: Mary Earps (UNITED)
Defender: Ona Batlle (UNITED)
Defender: Maya Le Tissier (UNITED)
Defender: Alex Greenwood (Manchester City)
Defender: Rafaelle Souza (Arsenal)
Midfielder: Frida Maanum (Arsenal)
Midfielder: Guro Reiten (Chelsea)
Midfielder: Yui Hasegawa (Manchester City)
Forward: Rachel Daly (Aston Villa)
Forward: Khadija Shaw (Manchester City)
Forward: Sam Kerr (Chelsea)