With more than half of the season gone in the Barclays Women’s Super League, Manchester United find themselves top of the table.
If The Red Devils are to secure a first Barclays Women’s Super League title, they will need to keep on winning games and have a bit of luck on their side. While they are top of the table with the best goal difference in the league, Chelsea are just a point behind with a game-in-hand.
This season has brought progress for Manchester United but how different is the picture compared to this time last year? FAWSL Full-Time have compared the statistics for the current season to those in 2021/2022.
Manchester United have taken 32 points from their 13 league fixtures so far this season, an average of 2.46 points-per-game. At the same point last season, The Red Devils had 25 points on the board, a significantly lower average of 1.92 points-per-game. Last season’s champions Chelsea won the league title with a points average of 2.55 points-per-game so Manchester United may still have to up their average between now and the end of the season.
Marc Skinner’s side were two places lower in the league table this time last season with Manchester United occupying third. Their current points tally (32) would have seen them top the league at the same point last season but their 25-point return in 2021/2022 would only place them in fourth position in the current league rankings.
There has been a significant swing in goal difference between 2021/2022 and 2022/2023. Manchester United had a positive goal difference of 14 at this point last year but they are 12 goals better off this season. While they have scored five more goals, it is the defensive record which is most-improved with Manchester United conceding just seven goals (0.54 goals-per-game) compared to 13 last season (exactly one goal-per-game).
Skinner’s side have converted more draws and losses into wins this year. They have won 10 of their 13 games so far, drawing two and losing just the one whereas last year, they had won seven, drawn four and lost two. One notable improvement from their results is total points taken from ‘top four’ teams. The Red Devils have taken four points from an available nine against the ‘top four’ so far this season compared with two points from 12 in 2021/2022. It is fair to say that Manchester United can now take points from the very best on their day.
There is a long way to go but Manchester United are well-placed to take the title race down to the wire. If they can keep the points average high, avoid defeats in the big games and keep growing the goal difference, they could be celebrating silverware come the end of May.
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