Manchester United boss dubs Ella Toone 'breath of fresh air' after criticism

With 28 minutes on the clock at Leigh Sports Village, Ella Toone cut the figure of a footballing superhero.

The England international had just put Manchester United 1-0 up in their FA Cup fourth-round tie with third-tier Newcastle United. She celebrated by standing, hands planted on hips, and basking in the adulation of the home support.

The Zorro-esque mask she wore - a precautionary measure to protect the facial injury she sustained during a training match last week - only served to further enhance her celestial likeness. All that was missing, in fact, was a cape.

From the moment the first whistle blew in Greater Manchester, Toone looked for all the world like a woman on a mission. She saw her goal-bound shot deflect wide inside the first five minutes before Newcastle goalkeeper Grace Donnelly lunged to acrobatically tip her fine effort from range onto the bar.

READ MORE: United insert buy back clause into Hannibal Mejbri deal

READ MORE: Sir Jim Ratcliffe is already giving Manchester United something the Glazers never did

And, as the game ebbed toward the half-hour mark, United's no. 7 finally made the breakthrough, lashing a ferocious left-footed strike into the roof of Donnelly's net. It was a goal that set Marc Skinner's side on their way to a crucial win and perhaps set the wheels in motion for Toone's own personal resurgence.

The 24-year-old established herself as one of the most exciting prospects in the women's game at the European Championships in 2022, adopting the role of super-sub alongside best friend and former clubmate Alessia Russo. She came off the bench to inspire England's quarter-final comeback against Spain before her exquisite lobbed finish helped the Lionesses topple Germany in the final.