Match report from Man Utd Women v Chelsea in the WSL on 6 September 2020

With further substitutions disrupting the flow of the game, United struggled to muster any concerted pressure on the Chelsea goal and the next convincing chances fell to the Blues, with Earps twice denying substitute Erin Cuthbert as the game entered its final 15 minutes.

United, however, are always threatening on the counter-attack – even after so long without a competitive game – and Groenen broke clear down the right before squaring for Galton to deservedly level the scores, based on the Reds’ encouraging second-half showing.

Harder was brought on to try and force a winner for Emma Hayes’s side, but Cuthbert’s blocked shot in injury-time was the closest we would come to a deciding strike and United could ultimately reflect on a job well done – our first point against one of the ‘Big Three’ since promotion to the top flight in 2019.

United: Earps; Smith, M.Turner, McManus, Batlle (Okvist 74); Ladd, Zelem (c); Hanson (Groenen 53), Toone, Galton; Ross (James 60).

Subs not used: Ramsey, A. Turner.

Goal: Galton 79

Booked: Zelem

Chelsea: Telford; Mjelde, Bright, Eriksson (c), Andersson (Carter 80); Leupolz, Ingle, Ji (Cuthbert 58); Kirby, Kerr (England 66), Reiten (Harder 80).

Subs not used: Orman, Blundell, Fleming, Charles, Spence.

Goal: Kerr 25

Referee: Rebecca Welch