Ella Toone leads Manchester United to WSL win over lowly Liverpool | OneFootball

Gareth Taylor was frustrated by his Liverpool side’s lack of energy in the first half, as the wait for their first points of the Women’s Super League season continued with a home defeat against Manchester United.

United, who fully merited their ­victory, had lost three of their ­previous four WSL meetings with ­Liverpool, but On Sunday there appeared to be a significant gulf in quality between the sides as the ­visitors extended their unbeaten start to the league campaign thanks to Hinata Miyazawa’s and Ella Toone’s goals.

“We got what we deserved in the first half,” the Liverpool head coach said. “We were very flat in the first half. [We had a] real upshot of energy in the second half [but] the disappointing part for me was really that energy in the first half, very flat. You’ve got to be there in the duels.

“We’re getting beaten too easily in one-twos, on the sides, and we effectively handed the game to them in the first half,” Taylor added after the 2-0 home defeat in St Helens.

Liverpool’s German goalkeeper, Rafaela Borggräfe, made her first WSL appearance and started her second consecutive game in all ­competitions, despite being under investigation by the Football ­Association for an alleged racist comment that was overheard by teammates and staff during pre-season.

Borggräfe’s first real involvement in the game was to watch the ball fizz past her as United’s early pressure was rewarded with a fourth-minute opening goal. After good work down the right by Toone, Jess Park’s cross was met by a lethal, first-time left-footed shot from Miyazawa that was struck with precision and power to give the hosts’ goalkeeper no chance.

The visitors looked sharper, faster and far more confident in possession as they dominated most of the first 45 minutes, going close to adding a second when another eye-catching Miyazawa effort hit a post. There had also been chances for Jayde Riviere, who swerved a near-post effort wide, and for Julia Zigiotti Olme, who headed wide from ­Melvine Malard’s cross.

United doubled their lead just before the interval when Elisabeth Terland’s persistence was rewarded as she won the ball off Gemma Evans and fed Toone, who finished ­clinically, low into the corner.

Marc Skinner’s team were ­recycling possession very quickly on the rare occasions they did lose the ball, scarcely allowing Liverpool to keep it for more than a few ­seconds, and Skinner said afterwards: “In the first half, we were electric. We blew ­Liverpool away. Second half, I felt we dropped our ­intensity a ­little bit, [we were] probably a ­little too ­comfortable, and I’ve just reminded our players that our ­standards are to keep that level.”

Just before the visitors’ second goal, a rare Liverpool attack ended with Ceri Holland’s deflected shot being touched on to a post by the Manchester United goalkeeper ­Phallon Tullis-Joyce.

After the break Cornelia Kapocs raced in behind the United defence, but she dragged her shot wide. It was the hosts’ best chance.

It has been a difficult and ­sombre week for Liverpool, who are ­mourning the shock death of their former manager Matt Beard, aged 47. Their away fixture against Aston Villa last Sunday was postponed.

Liverpool had returned to action on Wednesday with an emotional 5-0 win over Sunderland in the League Cup when Beard’s brother, Mark, and his mother, Margaret, were in the stands. On Sunday, Beard’s wife, ­Debbie, was present. A ­fundraising page for Beard’s family, ­organised by the broadcaster Jacqui Oatley, has so far raised more than £52,000.

On the pitch, there was a landmark moment as Liverpool’s Gemma Bonner became only the third player to make 200 WSL appearances, after Millie Bright and the division’s all-time leading appearance-maker, Jordan Nobbs, but there was very little else for Liverpool to celebrate.

The only previous time that ­Liverpool have lost their opening three WSL matches, in the 2019-20 season, they went on to be relegated. Taylor and his team will know they have huge work ahead of them.

Header image: [Photograph: Cody Froggatt/PA]