Ladd debuts as Reds suffer derby day defeat

Hayley Ladd joined United from Birmingham

in June 2019.

(Photo: Getty Images)

New signing Hayley Ladd made her Manchester United debut on Saturday, but was unable to prevent her side from slipping to a 1-0 defeat in the first ever Manchester derby in the Women's Super League.

The Wales international, fresh from a 2-2 draw against Northern Ireland on Tuesday, was one of six debutants for Manchester United in their first ever top-flight match. She slotted in at right-back opposite fellow newcomer Lotta Ökvist, and played the full 90 minutes in front of a league record crowd of 31,213 at the Etihad Stadium.


City's Caroline Weir scored the only goal of the game, a powerful effort from just outside the area that flew past the outstretched hands of Mary Earps in the United goal.

A goal worthy of winning any match, let alone the very first WSL Manchester derby 🚀

📹 @ManCitypic.twitter.com/7GdCyWkhLB

— Football on BT Sport (@btsportfootball) September 7, 2019

United did have chances, though, as both Leah Galton and Jane Ross went close in the first half, before Jackie Groenen hit the woodwork after the break.

It was the Red Devils' first defeat since losing to Reading in the quarter-finals of last season's FA Cup, and their first in the league since going down 3-1 to Durham in December – their only defeat in the league last season.

Despite the defeat, manager Casey Stoney was full of praise for her team, particularly the new faces:

"Obviously it's going to take time for certain players to bed in. Someone like Lotta [Okvist] has only had five [training] sessions with us. When you put it it like that, it's not a lot. I thought Jackie [Groenen] was outstanding today. Hayley [Ladd] did a job for us at full-back as well and Jane [Ross] came in and if it's not for the great save, she gets a goal."

United's next match is at home to Arsenal on Monday, 16 September.