Two games, two defeats - are Olid's Man Utd in trouble?

WHAT HAPPENED
Manchester United Women were hammered 5-0 by Chelsea in the WSL at Leigh, a week after opening the season with a 2-1 defeat by London City Lionesses. United created only two shots in the game — one on target — and conceded five goals from around 25 efforts against them. The match was observed from the stands by the club’s director of football operations, Ameesh Manek.

The result leaves United without a win from their opening two league fixtures under new manager Eva Olid, who joined in the summer on a contract running to 2028 with an option for an additional year.

KEY CONTEXT
- United finished last season fourth, nine points behind Chelsea, under Marc Skinner. Skinner’s five-year spell included the club’s first major trophy (the Women’s FA Cup), three other cup final appearances, two top-three league finishes and a run to the Women’s Champions League quarter-finals.
- This is the first time United have failed to win their opening two WSL matches since their debut 2019–20 campaign.
- The club has been through summer changes as it shifts toward a more sustainable, youth-focused model. Key departures included Melvine Malard (sold to Chelsea), Millie Turner and Lisa Naalsund (both moved to promoted Birmingham City); those three were members of the 2023–24 FA Cup-winning squad.
- New signings are still settling: Monica Jusu Bah (from BK Häcken) registered eight touches in 63 minutes, Rebeca Bernal received a yellow card on her debut off the bench, and full-back Andrea Medina (from Atlético Madrid) impressed before being forced off injured in the second half.

WHY IT MATTERS
The scale and manner of this defeat underline an early gap between United and the WSL’s leading sides. United’s lack of attacking returns and defensive vulnerability in the two opening games highlight the practical challenges of integrating multiple squad changes while implementing a new manager’s ideas. The result also raises questions about whether Olid — successful in Scotland but untested in the WSL and in European competition — can arrest a poor start; the source notes those questions will grow if the club does not recover.

WHAT TO WATCH NEXT
- Can Olid’s side respond in upcoming matches and begin to translate the manager’s stated emphasis on bravery and an attacking mindset into results?
- The fitness of Andrea Medina after being substituted with an injury.
- How quickly the summer signings, and the squad overall, adapt to the demands of the WSL following the turnover of key players.
- Whether performances improve sufficiently to address concerns over the club falling further behind the league’s elite.

KEY FACTS
- Manchester United Women lost 5-0 to Chelsea in the WSL at Leigh.
- United had two shots, one on target; they faced about 25 opponent attempts and conceded five goals.
- United also lost 2-1 in their season opener to London City Lionesses a week earlier.