Despite taking a first half lead, Manchester United were forced to dig deep and come from behind with two late goals to win a thriller
WSL: Alessia Russo’s injury-time header helped Manchester United recover from a second-half collapse to end Arsenal’s perfect start to the season and draw level at the top after a thrilling 3-2 win at the Emirates Stadium, writes Suzanne Wrack.
Alessia Russo speaks: “The whole second half was a whirlwind,” the United striker tells Sky. “We come to these games and want to test ourselves and come away with three points so we’re really happy. Katie Zelem and I have a good connection on set pieces. I know where she’s looking to hit and I just tried to get my body in front of the ball. I just used a bit of strength and aimed for the target.
On a seismic result for United: “The result reflects that belief, the moment we’d conceded we came in as a group and we had an honest conversation,” she says. “We knew we wanted to win it and we knew we could so it’s just about finding that bit of extra motivation.”
Marc Skinner speaks: “I’m surprised I can still talk,” the Manchester United manager tells Sky Sports. “It was an amazing performance from us. When we went 2-1 behind, I actually thought we’d come back. I asked them before the game to look at how we show personality in these bigger games and I had that in absolute abundance tonight so I’m the happiest man on the planet.
“What we probably lose out on the other [big] teams is the experience that we have but nights like tonight hel;p us gain that experience that we need. When [my players] become autonomous on the football pitch making decisions with the guidance that we give, then we’re a ruthless team and that’s what we got tonight. We got the ruthless nature but we also got the brains, the maturity and the growth from the team and you’ve seen that in our performance tonight.”
Marc Skinner is thrilled! The United manager congratulates his victorious players and leads the charge over the Unbited supporters, blowing kisses to them as he goes. His team have performed brilliantly tonight, recovering from Arsenal’s early second half onslaught to dominate the final 15 minutes and win the game with two late goals. It’s a huge result for United, who move second in the table, level on points with Arsenal but behind them on goal difference.
Peep! Peep! Peeeeeeep! It’s all over at the Emirates Stadium, where Manchester United have won what turned out to be a thriller. Arsenal’s 14-match WSL winning streak is brought to a very abrupt end in front of their own fans.
90+8 min: Russo runs the ball towards the corner flag in a bid to run the clock down. She loses it, only for Viv Miedema to give it away. Katie McCabe is booked for a foul on Ella Toone. Arsenal substitution: Beth Mead makes way for 16-year-old Michelle Agyemang.
90+7 min: Arsenal win a free-kick about 40 yards from the United goal. United defend with an extremely high line and Beth Mead’s delivery is headed clear by a back-pedalling defender.
90+5 min: Arsenal substitution: Jonas Eidevall sends on Jennifer Beattie and throws her up front. Caitlin Ford is taken off.
90+4 min: There’s a break in play as the steards struggle to catch a young pitch invader.
90+3 min: United retake the lead in the first of seven minutes of added time. Moments before Russo headed them in front by the odd goal of five, Arsenal’s goalkeeper Manuela Zinsberger had pulled off a second sensational save in as many minutes, denying Martha Thomas, who has been a real handful since coming on.
Scenes! From Katie Zelem’s excellent corner, Alessia Russo rises to send a downward header into the bottom corner. Where was the Arsenal marking?!?!?!
90 min: Now United go close! Martha Thomas curls a wonderful cross into the Arsenal box from the right and Lucia Garcia connects. Zinsberger gets down to save superbly but Garcia should have done better.
89 min: Beth Mead sends a splendid cross into the United penalty area from the right but Caitlin Ford isn’t in the right position to head it home.
88 min: There’s still time for either side to find a winner although a drw is probably a fair result. Whatever the outcome, United will feel aggrieved at being denied what looked a fairly clear first half penalty for a McCabe shove on Parris.
United equalise! From the free-kick, Zelem sends a wonderful delivery into the corridor of uncertainty and Millie Turner heads home off the crossbar from about two yards out.
83 min: Manchester United keep plugging away in their search for an equaliser against an Arsenal side that has been unrecognisable from the pale imitation of themselves that contested the first half. They win a free-kick in a good position on the back of a Lotte Wubben-Moy handball.
80 min: Manchester United substitution: Nikita Parris is taken off before she’s sent off and retires to the bench looking mightily fed up. Martha Thomas replaces her. Parris has had a good game buther battle with Katie McCabe has been so intense she was in grave danger of picking up a second booking.
79 min: A daft, kamikaze lofted pass across the face of her own goal from Manchester United’s Katie Zelem sits up nicely for Beth Mead at the near post. She heads over the bar, sparing Zelem’s blushes.
76 min: Already on a yellow card, Nikita Parris courts disaster with a meaty but ultimately fair “challenge” on Beth Mead. She’d just passed the ball and her momentum sent her clattering through the back of the Arsenal forward, sending her flying into the air.
Arsenal take the lead! Laura Wienroither scores her first goal for Arsenal, firing home a splendid far post volley after getting on the end of a terrific cross from Katie McCabe. That’s a brilliant goal!
73 min: United attack down the inside right but Alessia Russo’s is forced wide and her cross is headed clear.
71 min: Manchester United substitution: Leah Galton hobbles off and is replaced by Lucia Garcia.
70 min: Now Manchester United winger Leah Galton goes to ground and play halts so that she can receive treatment for cramp.
69 min: Mead is OK, it seems. Play resumes. An Ella Toone pull-back from the byline to Nikita Parris doesn’t rewach its intended target and a promising Manchester United attack breaks down.
68 min: Beth Mead goes to ground with a head injury after getting an accidental knee to the head from Hannah Blundell. Referee Kirsty Dowle stops play so the England international can receive treatment.
64 min: Arsenal advance. Caitlin Ford receives the ball high up the pitch, wide on the left. The Aussie cuts inside and tries to unleash a curler towards the far post but her shot is blocked at source.
62 min: Earps is cleared to soldier on and punts the ball upfield to Ella Toone. After a period of sustained pressure, United win a throw-in deep in Arsenal territory. Nothing comes of it.
Emirates attendance watch: 40,064. That’s not too shabby at all.
60 min: Mary Earps comes to collect a through ball and appears to hurt herself on landing. There’s a break in play as she receives treatment to her right knee.
59 min: Arsenal substitution: Jordan Nobbs makes way for Vivienne Miedema.
56 min: Leah Galton dispossesses Frida Maanum with a quite outstanding block tackle as the Arsenal midfielder tried to jink her way into the United penalty area from the right flank.
54 min: Manchester United manager Marc Skinner is booked for dissent after complaining at length about a Caitlin Foord foul on Nikita Parris that went unpunished by the referee. He had a point, as it was a fairly crunching tackle that certainly skirted around the edges of “wreckless”.
52 min: Ella Toone gives the ball away with a loose pass deep inside her own half. Blackstenius pounces for Arsenal, gets the ball on to her right foot and shoots high over the bar. The Arsenal players must have got a rocket from their manager Jonas Eidelvall at half-time, because they’ve started the second half playing with an intensity and vigour that was conspicuous by its absence in the first.
50 min: Moments after the second kick-off in as many minutes, Arsenal goalkeeper got sold short by a backpass but reacted quickly enough to clear the ball and avoid disaster. I think it was Alessia Russo who was waiting to pounce.
47 min: There was a huge slice of good fortune about that equaliser but United’s defending was shocking. Frida Maanum was given all the time in the world to run at their defence without being challenged and from the edge of the penalty area, she took a shot. The ball took a wicked deflection off Maya Le Tissier, looped up in the air and over the head of goalkeeper Mary Earps before dropping under the crossbar. It’s aqll square at the Emirates.
Arsenal equalise! My word, they’re not looking lacklustre any more!
46 min: United get the ball rolling for the second half with no changes in personnelo on either side after the break. Arsenal had just one shot on goal in the first half and have looked decidedly lacklustre.
Peep! Kirsty Dowle draws the first half to a close, with Manchester United holding a surprise lead. It’s no more than they deserve and they can feel aggrieved at not being further ahead. Shortly after capitalising on a Zinsberger error to go one up through Ella Toone, Manchester United should have been awarded a penalty for a Katie McCabe foul on Nikita Parris.
45 min: It’s an intriguing battle and on this occasion Nikita Parris, who is winning it, gets the better of Kate McCabe down the right and sends a looping cross deep into the Arsenal penalty area. Zinsberger comes for the ball, catches it, then drops it before clutching it to her chest at the second attempt. The Austrian goalkeeper is not having one of her better games.
44 min: Perhaps disgruntled at not getting that penalty, Nikita Parris is booked for a rather robust challenge on Katie McCabe. Beth Mead takes the free-kick from a position wide on the left but her delivery is atrocious. She raises a hand by way of apology towards her team-mate.
42 min: Manchester Un ited have a decent penalty shout turned down when Katie McCabe shoves Nikita Parris off the ball in the Arsenal penalty area. I’ve seen them given and not given in recent weeks in the Premier League. For me, Clive, it’s definitely a penalty. A reminder that there is no VAR overseeing this game.
40 min: Her movement may be restricted from that injury she suffered earlier but Manuela Zinsberger has had a shocker there. She comes to punch clear a cross from the right, misses the ball completely and Ella Toone is in the right place at the right time to volley home from about seven yards out.