Latest news with #JaydeRiviere
Yahoo
10-05-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Man United Women boss Marc Skinner claims his side do not fear Arsenal ahead of final league game of the season
Man United Women boss Marc Skinner claims his side do not fear Arsenal ahead of final league game of the season Manchester United Women boss Marc Skinner has claimed his side do not fear Arsenal ahead of their WSL clash later today. The Red Devils have already secured qualification for the Champions League next season with a hard-fought 2-2 draw with Manchester City last Sunday. Advertisement United have the opportunity to finish second in the league if they win today as they lie just one point behind Arsenal in the table. Speaking to the official club website ahead of the match, Skinner claimed that Arsenal have perhaps had their minds elsewhere in recent matches. He asserted, 'In the last few games they have probably been a bit distracted by getting into the Champions League final.' While admitting the size of the challenge, he demonstrated trust in his side's ability by claiming, 'We don't fear Arsenal, we respect them. We want to take on anyone. We really want to enjoy these last two games (including the FA Cup final versus Chelsea).' Advertisement He also confirmed that Rachel Williams will not be fit for the last game of the Women's Super League season but that the club hope that she could 'play a part' in the FA Cup final on Sunday 18th May. Skinner also stated that Jayde Riviere will definitely not be part of the league match and that they will have to wait and see what the situation will be like ahead of the final. Nonetheless, everybody else is 'fit and healthy' ahead of the match. The United manager insisted that his side would be focused on the task at hand rather than be distracted by the FA Cup final next week. He stated, 'I think more importantly, there is something on the game. If we win, we go second. You never go to Arsenal and think you don't want to win the game. For us it is a non-negotiable, it is such a big game.' Advertisement Skinner also claimed that his squad will be champing at the bit to play as they will not only want to beat the Gunners but also 'to get some rhythm' before the final. He also admitted that he was surprised that his in-form keeper Phallon Tullis-Joyce missed out on the nomination for the Player of the season award. The boss lavished praise on the American by claiming she was 'incredible'. He went on to say that she did things that most keepers in world football can only dream of doing, by making the 'uncomfortable seem comfortable.' The United boss lauded her further when he claimed that she was on 'a trajectory to become the best in the world' in her position. Tullis-Joyce and United will hope to end their league season in the perfect way on Saturday. The score is currently 1-1 at half-time. Follow us on Bluesky: @
Yahoo
22-04-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Could Man Utd break the record for fewest WSL goals conceded?
Could Man Utd break the record for fewest WSL goals conceded? Manchester United could potentially break the record for the fewest goals conceded if they keep up their mean defensive streak until the end of the WSL. The Red Devils could only manage a goalless draw away to West Ham United at the weekend – a result that would have been more damaging had chasing Man City not also drawn with Everton – but they did extended their stellar record at the back. Advertisement That game was United's 13th clean sheet in 19 league games this season making it a total of 68% clean sheets for Marc Skinner's side. In total, United have conceded nine goals and should they not concede in their final three then it would become a new record for a 22-game WSL season. Arsenal's 2021/22 campaign and Chelsea's in 2020/21 are currently the joint top in fewest goals conceded in a full season with just 10 each. The current league leaders Chelsea (13) and second-place Arsenal (14) don't rank too far behind. Of course, it will be an impressive task for United to pull off considering that in their final three fixtures, they face the top two of Arsenal and Chelsea as well as a Man City team desperate to catch up and try and snatch third spot. A solid backline Skinner's side have fielded a consistent backline that has featured Phallon Tullis-Joyce in goal behind a central defensive pairing of Millie Turner and captain Maya Le Tissier. Jayde Riviere and Gabrielle George usually make up the two full-back spots in the back four. Advertisement Tullis-Joyce, whose performances this season have earned her a first USA cap, deserves special mention. Brought in as a backup to Mary Earps last season, the 28-year-old has filled Earps' absence seamlessly. The goalkeeper has made 50 saves in the WSL this season (the fifth highest in the league) but has an incredible save percentage of 88% – way above the nearest other shot-stopper, Arsenal's Daphne van Domselaar (81%). The pair of Turner and Le Tissier meanwhile are a strong, effective, and very consistent partnership – the pair have featured in the same game 88 times for the club in total. As a way of working out that consistency at the back, Le Tissier has only played 91 United games in total! Turner usually operates as the more defensive side of the duo having won the second most aerial duels in the league (43) behind Sophie Román Haug (80), effectively making her the Vidic to Le Tissier's Ferdinand. Advertisement Indeed, Le Tissier is essential to United's overall play which is why she ranks third in the league for passes into the final third (117) while she's made more touches than any other player in her team (1449, more than Hinata Miyazawa and Grace Clinton combined). At right back, Jayde Riviere continues her improvement since taking over from Ona Batlle last season. The Canadian has put in 52 crosses, the third of any United player, while also making 24 interceptions – the second for any United player behind Celine Bizet with 26. On the other side of the pitch, Gabrielle George's return to fitness after missing the majority of the 2024/25 campaign has been a huge boost. Like Riviere, she's been pinging in the crosses – in fact, she has more crosses in total than any of her teammates (59), which also ranks her in the top 10 in the WSL. It's a back four unit that has shown that consistency is key while any deputies – Aoife Mannion, Anna Sandberg, and occasionally Leah Galton – have managed to fill the void admirably. Breaking the record will still require an immense effort in the last three games but at the very least United's improvement this season can be traced to a solid and stable defence.
