TeamViewer Trending: Leah the Legend
Manchester United closed the gap on Chelsea at the top of the Women’s Super League last Sunday and, once again, Leah Galton was leading the Reds’ charge, adding the second goal in a 2-0 win.
It was a match in which Marc Skinner’s team were expected to prevail.
But, shorn of leading scorer Elisabeth Terland, against a Foxes side that had already proven themselves capable of upsetting the best – via a 1-1 draw with Chelsea in December – Galton had to step up. And so she did.
Linking well with Terland’s replacement, Melvine Malard, all afternoon, she scored United’s vital second just before half-time, to add to Malard’s opener.
It was United goal no.42 for the tireless left winger, in her 152nd game for the club, and the vibe at Leigh Sports Village is that there is still much more to come, in a season that could yet prove the most successful in our team’s young history…
Leah’s a threat with both feet!
BOTH FEET | Leah Galton has netted four times in this season’s WSL: twice with her left foot, twice with her right foot…
Galton’s USP is her relentless drive down the left, both on and off the ball, and there was a brilliant two-minute blitz of her trademark persistence and power in the 4-0 win over Liverpool back in December.
Terland opened the scoring with a precise finish just after the half-hour mark, but it was Galton’s intense pressing that started the attack. She closed down Grace Fisk’s attempted clearance crisply, and forced the ball to run towards Terland, who eventually converted after another helpful contribution from Geyse.
Barely a minute later, Galton was in on goal herself, following a smart, lofted long pass by Dominque Janssen. Galton raced in behind the Liverpool back line, took one touch to steady things, and then rocketed the ball high into the roof of Teagan Micah’s net. Ryan Giggs would have been proud of that one…
In the second half, Galton returned the favour by providing an assist for Janssen, who added a fourth goal, and some deserved gloss, to the scoreline. The performances of Janssen, Clinton and Le Tissier also drew praise on the day, but Galton was right up there with that trio in terms of effect.
In a recent interview with the Manchester United Women matchday programme, Leah revealed that she has been working on her right foot this season, and that effort has already borne fruit.
Three of her five goals this term have been provided by that much-improved right: September’s United Women Goal of the Month (a stunning solo effort against West Ham at Old Trafford), plus an FA Cup opener at Wolves (on her 150th United appearance) and Sunday’s close-range finish against Leicester.
Some blessed with a left foot like Leah’s might be content to rely upon it, but the 30-year-old has taken a more forward-thinking approach. Her work on the training pitch – much of it done with goalkeeper Safia Middleton-Patel after team sessions are complete – sets a great example to her colleagues and is a testament to the benefits of self-betterment.
“I think I’ve definitely improved over the years I’ve been here. I’m 30 now but still learning and that’s exciting. It’s not just like the learning has stopped and I’ve stayed the same player – I’m learning something new every day, which you can’t do in every job, so I know that’s a nice thing. And I’m even more hungry to improve now because we’re doing well, and we need to keep competing. We’re second in the league so I’m just enjoying my football and trying to do my best for the team.”
The boss said
“The one thing I love about Leah is that there is still so much more for her to give. She’s not slowing down and she’s become an even bigger goal threat. Opponents hate to play against her and I cannot wait to see what else she achieves.”
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Leah made her debut in United Women’s first-ever competitive game: a 1-0 win over Liverpool in the FA Women’s League Cup in August 2018. She came on for Kirsty Hanson in the 59th minute.
Leah is also our record scorer in the WSL, with 34 goals at the time of writing, and is one of just four players to have won two pieces of silverware with United Women, along with Ella Toone, Millie Turner and Katie Zelem.