García and Ladd fire Manchester United to top of WSL with win over West Ham

A comfortable victory for Manchester United at Old Trafford saw them return to the top of the Barclays WSL. After a closely fought first half, United took control in the second. A penalty from captain Katie Zelem and goals from Lucia García and Hayley Ladd saw them delight the home crowd who had turned out in their numbers on Women’s Football Weekend.

United returned to league action on the biggest stage of all, the Theatre of Dreams, after the disappointment of losing to Chelsea a fortnight ago. Despite that, confidence in the squad remained high after Marc Skinner’s side reached their first ever FA Cup semi-final last weekend. Looking to get their title chase back on track, the United manager named his strongest available line up. Leah Galton was the most notable returnee, taking up her customary position down the left in her 100th appearance for the club.

For all their successes, United have not been at their free-flowing best in recent weeks which will have given Paul Konchesky plenty of ammunition in his preparations. The visitors, however, came into this match with the odds stacked against them. Winless in the league since December, the Hammers have struggled and with the goals drying up, urgently need to find a spark from somewhere. It will have been a relief, therefore, to welcome back the leadership and experience of Dagny Brynjarsdóttir into the starting line-up after absence due to illness.

Spurred on by a raucous atmosphere inside Old Trafford, United controlled the ball from the whistle, putting together the slick passages of play seen so often from them this season. Ella Toone buzzed with her trademark energy around the middle of the park while the running of Ona Batlle caused West Ham some consternation.