McManus targeting maximum points in December

Friday 04 December 2020 16:38

Manchester United Women’s defender Abbie McManus is hoping to end 2020 on a high by winning our final three league games of the calendar year.

The Reds take on Aston Villa, Reading and Bristol City in the WSL this month, while our Continental League Cup encounter with Everton has been rearranged for 16 December.

Ahead of the busy period, that starts with Saturday’s trip to face Villa, McManus is targeting nine points from the triple header, which would ensure we’d be top of the table over the festive period.

“We know the three games between now and Christmas, that all we need to do is win those three games and it puts us in a great place come Christmas,” she told told club media. “It might make the pigs in blankets taste that bit nicer on the Christmas dinner, who knows!”

United head into the clash with Villa on the back of an unbeaten league run so far in 2020/21, and Abbie believes our fantastic start is down to a collective team effort.

“From the whole squad, especially the game-changers, they’re really changing the games for us in a positive way,” she said.

“They’re giving us that extra boost that we need. It’s been so positive. The camp is happy at the moment and we can’t wait to crack on again.”

The Reds’ march to the top of the table is thanks in part to our excellent form against the division’s top teams. Last term, Casey Stoney’s side suffered five one-goal defeats in games against the top three, and Abbie believes that disappointment has served as motivation for this campaign.

“It’s something that we do remember. We do remember the 1-0 v Man City, the 1-0 v Chelsea and the 1-0 against Arsenal in the first season. They were frustrating because we all believe - we still believe we deserved more. But you can’t believe you deserve more, you have to go out and get it. 

“We made silly mistakes in the first year and already this year we’re putting them right. It was a learning curve and a great first year, and it’s one that is obviously a great stepping stone for this season.

“This season, I think we’ve been a bit more clinical and we’re now the side that are winning games 1-0 against the top three. It’s nice that we’ve turned that around at the start of this season.”

United travel to the West Midlands to take on Aston Villa this Saturday. The game kicks off at 12:30 GMT and the full, 90-minute match will be shown on MUTV at 14:30 GMT.

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