Two games into the season under new manager Eva Olid, Manchester United look a shadow of the side from last season.

Manchester United’s Women’s Super League campaign has begun in alarming fashion under new manager Eva Olid, leaving supporters longing for the stability and fluidity that defined their impressive third-place finish last term. Following a turbulent summer transfer window that saw key attacking personnel depart the club, the Red Devils have struggled to establish any coherent tactical identity across their opening two fixtures. Olid, who arrived with a reputation for progressive tactical setups during her successful tenure in the Spanish Primera Division, has thus far failed to unlock the potential of a squad that reached the FA Cup final just over a year ago, raising immediate questions from the fanbase.

The stark regression is particularly evident in the defensive transition and midfield creativity, areas where stalwarts like Katie Zelem and Alessia Russo previously dictated the tempo of matches for the Manchester outfit. Opposing sides have ruthlessly exploited the expansive gaps left by Olid’s high-pressing system, resulting in a vulnerable backline that has already conceded five goals in just 180 minutes of competitive football this season. Historically renowned for their defensive resilience under former boss Marc Skinner—who guided them to clean sheets in over forty percent of their league matches last campaign—this current iteration of Manchester United appears entirely unrecognizable, lacking both the physical dominance and mental fortitude required at the absolute summit of English women's football.

With a daunting fixture against reigning champions Chelsea looming large on the immediate horizon, Olid faces a monumental task to salvage momentum before the early-season table begins to stretch beyond recovery. The upcoming international break offers a brief window for tactical recalibration at the Leigh Sports Village training ground, where the coaching staff must urgently address the alarming disconnection between the midfield engine room and the isolated forward line. Failure to secure a positive result against the Blues could prompt early scrutiny from the hierarchy, turning what was envisioned as an ambitious transitional era into a severe crisis for a club accustomed to competing exclusively for UEFA Women's Champions League qualification.