How Man Utd bounced back: Seven reasons why the Red Devils have re-emerged as Women's Super League title challengers

United have been no stranger to key departures in recent summers, and last year was no different, with popular winger Lucia Garcia, captain Zelem and star goalkeeper Mary Earps all leaving upon the expiry of their contracts. The latter's exit concluded a transfer saga that had dragged on for the best part of a year, with Arsenal reportedly submitting a bid for the England icon the summer before she eventually left to join Paris Saint-Germain.

While Earps had established herself as one of the best goalkeepers on the planet during her time in Manchester, United fans were perhaps surprisingly calm about her leaving - the word 'surprisingly' only applying to those who didn't know about her back-up, Phallon Tullis-Joyce. The American was not afforded many opportunities over Earps, but when she did play, she showcased the qualities that made her highly rated in the French top-flight with Reims and then in the NWSL with Seattle Reign, making those in attendance confident that she could succeed Earps.

And she has done that emphatically. There has arguably been no more impressive goalkeeper in the WSL this season than Tullis-Joyce, who won a first call-up to the U.S. women's national team in November as a result. Indeed, while her expected goals against stands at 15.4, the 28-year-old has actually only picked the ball out of the back of her net six times this season. It's the best positive differential in the WSL by some distance, and illustrates just how important she has been to United's season so far.

Tullis-Joyce is not the only new face in the United XI who has had an impact, with many of those brought in this past summer now making their mark in the north west. Dominique Janssen has settled in nicely at the base of the midfield following Zelem's exit, Elisabeth Terland has made a sizeable difference in attack and Celin Bizet has produced some big moments down the right wing, while also filling in at right-back when needed.

Their arrivals, combined with others who are slowly bedding into the side, has freshened up a team that, despite winning the FA Cup, underwhelmed dramatically in the WSL last term and finished some 20 points behind eventual champions Chelsea.

One player who has been like a new signing is Grace Clinton, who arrived at the club in the summer of 2022 but only made her debut this season. It's been a long time coming for the 21-year-old, with loan spells at Bristol City and Tottenham helping her to develop to the point that she is now an important member of a title-chasing team.

Skinner hasn't always found it easy to get her and Ella Toone into the same XI, given their best positions are both in that No.10 role. But Clinton took control of that position in the first half of the season while Toone was out injured, providing a creative and goal-scoring spark to help United cope without one of their most important players, and now looks set to form a strong bond with her for the rest of the campaign.

England boss Sarina Wiegman deployed the pair in midfield in the Lionesses' February camp, with Clinton in a deeper No.8 role and Toone in the No.10, and that is what Skinner went for in United most recent outing as well. It's not been his go-to choice across the season when the two have been fit, but it could be moving forward, which could further boost the team for the last few games of the season.

Since Toone returned from injury in mid-January, she has been on fire. In eight games in 2025, the 25-year-old has produced six goals and three assists, helping United to win all but one of those matches - and that was the League Cup quarter-final against Man City in which she was an 83rd minute substitute, having only recently got back to fitness.

Her hat-trick in the WSL win over City was particularly significant, helping United to defeat not only a local rival but one of their biggest competitors for a Champions League place. It's the game that best encapsulates the quality Toone has brought to the table since her return, and that could play a huge role in how her team's season ends.

All of those factors have helped make United more consistent in games against the teams below them in the table this season. Last term, they dropped far too many points against sides they need to be beating in order to compete at the top. Draws with Brighton, Leicester and West Ham, who occupied the three places above the relegation zone come the end of the 2023-24 campaign, were costly, as were two defeats to a Liverpool side that would leapfrog them into fourth.

So far this season, United's dropped points have come in a 1-0 loss to Chelsea, a 1-1 draw with Arsenal, the same result away at Brighton (who also held Chelsea at the weekend), and a goalless draw with Aston Villa. They've been much better at beating the teams they should beat, and that has played a huge role in them sitting in second place with seven games to go.

While United have been much better and more consistent this season when compared to last, it must also be noted that Man City and Arsenal, who would've hoped to be in that title race this term, have had their issues which have at least opened up more of a window for the Red Devils to forge ahead into second.

Injuries have hit City hard, with Lauren Hemp, Vivianne Miedema and Alex Greenwood all having knee surgeries while star striker Bunny Shaw also missed time with a leg problem, but there are also other factors that have derailed their title challenge in recent months. Arsenal, meanwhile, had to recover from a slow start which led to Jonas Eidevall leaving his role as head coach. City are currently fourth, 10 points off Chelsea and five behind United. Arsenal are third, eight off the pace and three behind the Red Devils.

This is not to say United are only second because of the shortcomings of others, not at all. They've been consistently good, made strong signings and got some great results because of all of that, while also avoiding some of the pitfalls those around them have fallen into. But it would be naïve not to note the struggles of two of the other big pre-season contenders for the WSL title while discussing United's strong place in the race.

It would also be foolish not to look at the games United have played when compared to those around them and, as a result, those they have left. While Arsenal only have to play one of the 'big four' again this season, and Chelsea and City have to play two of them, United's final three fixtures of the league season are: Chelsea, Man City and Arsenal.

So while United are leading the rest of the pack behind Chelsea right now, that could all look very different come the end of the season, with the teams around them expected - at least on paper - to pick up more points than them in the final two months of the campaign.

That, though, is just one way to look at things. The other is to see these last seven games as a real opportunity for the Red Devils to solidify their place in that top three and maybe, just maybe, put even more pressure on Chelsea at the top. Beat the Blues in late April and it could change everything - but only if United keep doing everything right in the four league games that precede that intense final stretch.