Your preview for our WSL curtain raiser…
It’s a repeat of last season’s Barclays Women’s Super League opener for Reading, as they take the trip to the Leigh Sports Village to take on Manchester United.
Following the postponement of football in England last weekend, it means Kelly Chambers’ side will face Manchester United on the opening day of the season for the second consecutive season.
With kick-off just one more sleep away, here is your preview with all you need to know…
Tickets
Fans looking to follow the Royals on the road this year, can purchase their tickets directly through the Manchester United Women ticket office.
Watch the Royals take on the Red Devils
Manchester United Ticket Office
How to Watch
Once again, every Barclays Women’s Super League match will be available on the FA Player so you never have to miss a kick of the Royals’ campaign. Coverage will begin from kick-off at 12pm on Saturday 17th September.
Alternatively, for the very latest on everything Reading FC Women going into kick-off, you can follow the official Twitter page for live text commentary.
Chambers: It's a crucial season for the WSL
Mukandi: It's a privilage to be leading this side out
Opposition Report
Marc Skinner is preparing for his second season in charge of Manchester United, as he looks to go one better after narrowingly missing out on the Champions League spots to Manchester City.
There will be belief in their ranks, with many of their star players playing a pinnacle role in the Lionesses success in the summer, plus a strong window with recruitment would suggest they are ready to make a push for the top three.
One of those marquee signings is Lionesses’ winger Nikita Parris, who has joined the Red Devils from North London side Arsenal, and will be joining fellow EUROs winning team mates Alessia Russo, Ella Toone and Mary Earps.
As well as having an abundance of attacking options, it was also United’s defensive displays that caught the eye last season. Despite a heavy defeat by Chelsea early on during Skinner’s reign, his side conceded just 22 goals in the season.
In the same fixture last season, Manchester United ran out 2-0 winners, but the score was just half the story. Kirsty Hanson put the hosts in front six minutes before the break, as Toone managed to pick out Hanson’s run and managed to get to the ball just before Moloney.
Five minutes into the second half, Chaplen thought she'd scored the equaliser. A cleared cross fell to the feet of the Royals midfielder who smashed the ball past Earps and against the underside of the crossbar. The ball bounced down on the line and away from goal - but with no goal line technology in the WSL the officials adjudged that ball to have not crossed the line.
From thinking they found the equaliser, moments later United had their second as Batlle cut in from the left and bent the ball into the top right corner to secure all three points.
One to watch: Alessia Russo
Since the summer EUROs, Alessia Russo has become a household name to football fans across the country. She proved to be a vital player in Serena Wiegman’s Lionesses, playing in six matches, scoring four goals and assisting one – with her cheeky backheel against Sweden getting many of the plaudits.
Russo first joined the Red Devils back in September 2020, having had spells with Brighton and Chelsea, but it was her performances for England that caught the eye.
Since coming through Charlton Athletics’ Centre of Excellence, the forward had represented England at every age-group and was part of the squad that won bronze in the 2018 Under-20 FIFA Women’s World Cup. She would later go on to write her name in the history books for scoring the quickest-ever hattrick, as she came off the bench for England against Latvia.
Last season, Russo featured in every WSL game scoring nine (zero penalties) and assisting four. More noticeably, goals in the Manchester derby and a winner against Arsenal in the Continental League Cup quarter-finals. Now, with the successes of the summer still fresh in her mind, the Royals defence will need to be wary.