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Manchester United and Arsenal played out a goalless draw in front of the hosts’ largest-ever Leigh Sports Village crowd, as both teams continued their unbeaten start to the Women’s Super League campaign.
On a sombre weekend for the sport after the news of the death of the former Liverpool, Chelsea and West Ham United manager Matt Beard, at the age of 47, late on Saturday evening, there was a moment’s silence held before kick-off. Manchester United and Arsenal’s supporters then spontaneously applauded on 47 minutes, with the travelling Arsenal fans displaying the words “We love you Beardy” on handheld signs.
While neither of these two teams were on the long list of WSL teams that Beard managed across his successful career, his influence on the game was so far-reaching, players and staff at both clubs knew him well, not least the new United assistant coach, Scott Rogers, who previously worked on Beard’s backroom team at Liverpool. United’s new goalkeeper coach, Joe Potts, was Liverpool’s goalkeeping coach under Beard too. They were both visibly emotional during the minute’s silence.
Similarly, Arsenal’s summer signings from Liverpool, Olivia Smith – who started the game – and the substitute Taylor Hinds had everybody’s respect for their professionalism in such challenging circumstances. Liverpool’s match at Aston Villa, scheduled for midday on Sunday, was postponed.
It was the talented Smith, who transferred to Arsenal for £1m and had played under Beard at Liverpool before he left the Merseyside club in February, who went closest to opening the scoring in the first half, when her powerfully-struck effort from the edge of the penalty area was touched onto the crossbar by Phallon Tullis-Joyce.
That aside, Arsenal’s Daphne van Domselaar was the busier of the two goalkeepers in the first half, saving well from Melvine Malard with fewer than 60 seconds on the clock, and later doing well to block a low Jess Park strike moments after initially fumbling a cross. The hosts were giving the European champions a tough test, with Park once again showing lots of silky skills as she continues to endear herself to the United supporters after her deadline-day switch from Manchester City.
After the break, the home side’s battling midfielder Julia Zigiotti Olme rifled a rising shot narrowly over the crossbar, but Arsenal grew stronger as the game went on. On as a substitute, Chloe Kelly was presented with a golden chance inside the penalty area but could not quite connect with her strike.
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At the back for Arsenal, their 18-year-old centre-back Katie Reid produced another solid performance, as she continues to deputise for the injured Leah Williamson, and Renée Slegers will have been delighted by the teenager’s calm handling of the threats posed by firstly Malard and then substitute Elisabeth Terland, who had scored a hat-trick on this ground three days earlier.
Manchester United’s Ella Toone drove a bouncing effort wide in stoppage time but in the end both teams had to settle for a clean sheet.
