United Women beat West Ham 2-1 for their first league win of the season, while Ella Toone has been left out of England's squad. What both stories mean for Eva Olid's side.
It has been a week of mixed news for Manchester United Women. On the pitch, Eva Olid's side finally collected their first Women's Super League win of the season. Off it, one of their best-known players, Ella Toone, was left out of the England squad. The two stories are linked by the same question: how quickly can United turn a slow start into a settled season?
The win over West Ham
United beat West Ham 2-1 at Leigh Sports Village on Sunday 27 September. It was their first league win after taking just one point from their opening three games of 2026/27.
- Early lead: Elisabeth Terland headed United in front inside ten minutes, unchallenged, in a move that involved Anna Sandberg.
- West Ham's goalkeeper: Constance Picaud kept the Hammers in the game, tipping over a Hanna Lundkvist header in the last action of the first half and denying Terland again after the break.
- Second-half pressure: United had three chances in three minutes after the restart, with Andrea Medina hitting the bar and Jess Park shooting wide before Terland forced another save.
- The second goal: with 18 minutes left, Medina finished from a Park pass after her first effort was blocked.
- West Ham's reply: Viviane Asseyi rolled in a penalty after Sandberg was penalised for a trip, but United held on.
It was a result that matched the balance of chances. The only worry was how often United needed their goalkeeper, Phallon Tullis-Joyce, to tip a dipping drive over the bar from Estelle Cascarino, West Ham's first shot on target, which came after an hour.
Olid's early challenge
Olid arrived promising high-possession, attacking football. BBC Sport has asked why that has not yet worked in the league, and one win does not settle the argument. What the West Ham game did show was a team creating chances from different areas: a header from a cross, a long-range effort off the bar and a through ball from Park for the second goal. That is the kind of variety a possession side needs when opponents defend deep.
The WSL table shows why every point counts early. Elsewhere that weekend Chelsea extended their unbeaten league run to 12 games with a 1-0 win over Arsenal, and Liverpool beat Everton at Anfield for the first time in the competition. With Arsenal now seven points behind leaders Manchester City, the gaps between the top clubs are already forming.
Toone left out of England's squad
England manager Sarina Wiegman has left Ella Toone and Arsenal's Chloe Kelly out of the squad for the Women's World Cup qualifying play-off matches against Greece next month. Between them they have 136 caps, and both were involved in the Lionesses' back-to-back European Championship wins in 2022 and 2025.
Wiegman was direct about her reasoning. She told BBC Radio 5 Live that the two "have not been playing to their potential" in recent weeks, but added: "I still believe in these players." She said she had spoken to both and that it was "very hard to take", but that they had taken it well. Asked about reports that Kelly's absence was linked to injury, she said it was only about what she had seen on the pitch.
Elsewhere in the squad, Chelsea midfielder Lexi Potter, 20, receives a first senior call-up, while captain Leah Williamson returns after missing England's June matches against Spain and Ukraine.
What it means for United
For Toone, 27, the omission is a message about form rather than a closed door. A run of strong league performances, helped by the confidence of a win and a settled United side, is the quickest route back. For United it also removes an international absence from the calendar, giving Olid a clearer period with her squad.
Taken together, the win and the omission frame the next few weeks. United need consistent results, and Toone needs consistent form. If both arrive together, this will look like the turning point of the early season. For the men's side, see our Tottenham preview, and for the club's wider youth picture read our academy guide.
Reporting used
This piece is our own analysis, built from the following reporting and our own results and table data. We link to the original stories so you can read them in full.
- Sky Sports: Football (United stories): Manchester United Women beat West Ham 2-1 for first WSL win of the season
- BBC Sport: Football (United stories): Ella Toone left out of England's Lionesses squad for World Cup qualifiers