Abbie McManus of Manchester United Women Manchester City Women vs Manchester United Women, WSL football match, Etihad Stadium, Manchester, UK - 07 Sep 2019 Photo: Lynne Cameron for The FA

Switching allegiances – The stats behind Manchester United defender’s homecoming

A few eyebrows were raised last summer when then-Manchester City defender Abbie McManus swapped the blue side of Manchester for the red of Manchester United, the club which she has supported from a young age.

The main reason for the move is thought to have been to enable the player to benefit from regular first team football playing in her favoured position of centre-back.

FA Women’s Super League Full-Time have been looking at the statistics from McManus’ first season at the Leigh Sports Village and they certainly highlight the fact that the player’s decision to join Manchester United was a good move.

Despite the 2019/2020 season still being some way off a conclusion, McManus has played more Barclays FA Women’s Super League minutes this season than she did at former club Manchester City last season. The defender has clocked up 990 minutes for Casey Stoney’s side in 11 appearances compared to just 911 minutes in 13 outings for Manchester City last term. The player has started in all of her 11 league appearances this season whereas she made just 10 starts in 2018/2019 for Manchester City. McManus has never been a substitute for Manchester United in the Barclays FA Women’s Super League, however, she was benched on eight occasions last season by Manchester City, being left unused in five of those eight matches.

In her 11 starts for current club Manchester United, McManus has helped her side record four clean sheets compared to three shutouts with Manchester City in her 10 starts in 2018/2019. In the games which she has started, the defender has the same number of wins to her name with Manchester United so far this season (six) as she recorded with former club Manchester City last year.

McManus has started all seven of Manchester United’s fixtures in the domestic cups this season which include five victories and three clean sheets. She played 90 minutes as her current side defeated her former club 2-0 in the FA Women’s Continental League Cup at the Leigh Sports Village in October. Last season saw McManus start seven of Manchester City’s 13 domestic cup fixtures including the semi-final and final ties in the Women’s FA Cup. She was an unused substitute as Manchester City defeated Arsenal on penalties in the FA Women’s Continental League Cup final.

The defender left The Academy Stadium with one league, two Women’s FA Cup and three FA Women’s Continental League Cup triumphs under her belt. Her success at new club Manchester United will undoubtedly be measured upon how many trophies she can help the club deliver in the coming years.

 

Statistics: Soccerway

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