Preview: United Women v Aston Villa

Friday 13 August 2021 08:53

Manchester United Women continue preparations for the upcoming WSL season on Saturday (14 August) when Aston Villa are the visitors to Carrington for a pre-season friendly.

The game, which gets under way at 16:30 BST, is the Reds’ second of the summer as they gear up for the campaign’s start next month under new head coach Marc Skinner. 

The former Birmingham City and Orlando Pride boss took charge of the side for the first time last weekend during the 2-2 draw with Liverpool, also at the training ground, in our pre-season opener. 

The visit of the Villans will come before we travel to Scotland for a training camp, which will include a friendly against Rangers, after which we will return to England to face Brighton & Hove Albion before the month is out. 

 

United Women set for Scottish stay

 Article

The Reds have arranged another pre-season friendly, against Rangers.

HOW TO FOLLOW 

The game will not be shown live on MUTV, however, we will have a match report and a goals video available on ManUtd.com and the Official App in the hours after the final whistle.  
 

TEAM NEWS

Skinner is expected to have the majority of his squad available again for Saturday's game. Most of the Reds, including our five new signings, got either 45 or 60 minutes under their belts in last weekend's draw with Liverpool and the team will be hoping to continue building that match fitness versus the Villans.

THE OPPOSITION 

Villa will provide the first of two tests against WSL opposition for United in pre-season, as we get set for the new campaign. The Midlands club registered a 10th-place finish in their first-ever top-flight season last time out, having lifted the Championship title the year before. They will also go into the upcoming term under new management with 2020/21 WSL Manager of the Year nominee Carla Ward making the switch across the city from Birmingham, to take charge at the club.  

HEAD-TO-HEAD 

Ahead of Saturday’s meeting, there are four competitive meetings in the history books between the two sides. Each one has come in league competition and the record makes for good viewing for the Reds, who have come out on top in every single one, without conceding a goal. In 2018/19, we did the double over Villa, including a 12-0 victory on the road in our first-ever league match. Last season, we met for the first time in the WSL with United winning both matches again, 2-0 away, before a 3-0 triumph at Leigh Sports Village in March. 
 

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