Report: Everton 1 United Women 4

It was Everton's first time playing at the brand-new Hill Dickinson Stadium, located on Liverpool's famous docks, but United spoilt the party with four unanswered goals in the second half, after initially falling behind against the run of play early on.

Marc Skinner made two changes to the side that started Wednesday night's win in the Champions League over Valerenga. Lisa Naalsund was brought in for Julia Zigiotti Olme for her first domestic start of the season and a 50th United appearance, while Fridolina Rolfo came into the team in place of Jess Park.

Honoka Hayashi put Everton in front after 16 minutes to the surprise of everyone watching on, but Melvine Malard's fifth goal of the campaign an hour in, and a Hikaru Kitagawa own goal quickly afterwards, turned the scoreline on its head.

Park's late brace off the bench against the club she once spent a formative season on loan with added some gloss.

FIRST HALF

United have made a habit in 2025/26 of creating chances almost straight from kick-off, and today was no exception.

Elisabeth Terland's clever touch played Malard into space down the right flank. Her cutback made its way across the penalty area to Naalsund, who got underneath the ball and lifted it over. Moments later, Terland could only direct a header wide from close range.

As pressure continued through the opening 10 minutes, the dedicated away support thought Rolfo had given us the lead when a first-time finish that went narrowly off target looked like it had gone in from their vantage point at the opposite end. The Toffees then had ex-United goalkeeper Emily Ramsey to thank for throwing up a hand to deny Malard's overhead kick.

Everton's first attack resulted in Hayashi's breakthrough. It came from a set-piece as Phallon Tullis-Joyce punched the initial delivery half clear under considerable pressure from Clare Wheeler, but the ball fell invitingly for Hayashi to turn in on the half-volley from a few yards out.

United knocked on the door throughout the remainder of the first half. Naalsund struck off-target from distance, while Karen Holmgaard almost scored a freak own goal, turning the ball over the Toffees' crossbar from Anna Sandberg's cross.

Just after the half-hour mark, the Reds turned a stretched defensive moment into a quick counter, leading to Terland shooting fractionally wide across goal. Ramsey later just about grasped Toone's dipping effort, as Rolfo was closing in for a potential rebound.

SECOND HALF

It was a slower start to the second 45, although United were close to an equaliser just shy of the hour mark when Rolfo and Malard combined well on the left. The former's subsequent cross towards the latter was inviting, but the danger passed without a proper connection on the ball.

Still, that stirred something more in Skinner's side and Rolfo soon wasn't too far away with a drive over the top from a wide angle. Then came Malard's crucial game-tying strike, after she was put through on goal by Hinata Miyazawa.

The first one-on-one effort was saved well by Ramsey, but Mel pounced on the rebound and turned the ball into an empty net, wheeling away to celebrate in front of the travelling support.

Based on the stats, United deserved to be ahead, but there was a slice of fortune about the goal that got us there after 70 minutes. From a free-kick, Kitagawa's headed clearance only travelled a few yards before it rebounded off teammate Wheeler and, as the ball came back to the Everton full-back, she managed to accidentally hook it past her own goalkeeper under pressure from Malard.

Now in front, Skinner made a number of changes to freshen things up for the final stages, including Leah Galton's first outing of the season after injury, and Gabby George on against her former club. There was also a warm welcome from the away section when ex-Red Hayley Ladd came on for Everton.

A third United goal always looked likely and it went to Park, driving into the box as she has so often since joining the club last month, and seeing her shot deflected past a wrong-footed Ramsey. There was nothing lucky about Park's second and our fourth, as she shifted the ball on to her right foot on the edge of the box and buried it in the bottom corner.

Maz Pacheco forced a stop from Tullis-Joyce in stoppage-time, but it had been mostly one-way traffic in United's favour as we deservedly secured the victory that took us, at least momentarily, up to second place in the table.

MATCH DETAILS

Everton: Ramsey; Fernandez, Holmgard (Ladd 83), Stenevik, Kitagawa (Pacheco 77); Mace, Wheeler (c); Robinson (Gago 67), Hayashi (Van Gool 77), Momiki (Payne 67); Vignola.

Subs not used: Startup, Hobson, Weir, Jones.

Goal: Hayashi 16.

United: Tullis-Joyce; Riviere, Le Tissier (c), Janssen, Sandberg (George 76); Naalsund (Zigiotti 76), Miyazawa; Malard (Williams 80), Toone, Rolfo (Galton 80); Terland (Park 51).

Subs not used: Middleton-Patel, Rendell, Blundell, Awujo.

Goals: Malard 62, Kitagawa (og) 70, Park 84, 89.

Booked: Sandberg.

Attendance: 18,154.