- Manchester United claimed their first WSL victory in four games on Sunday
- Goals from Terland and Bizet moved the Red Devils level with Arsenal
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Manchester United stars have been slammed for their ‘unsporting behaviour’ during their WSL win over Leicester City on Sunday.
Marc Skinner’s side secured their first victory in four matches thanks to goals from Elisabeth Terland and Celin Bizet but another incident from the King Power Stadium attracted headlines.
As the visitors prepared to take an attacking free-kick, United players Terland and Millie Turner stood in front of Foxes keeper Janina Leitzig to obstruct her view and disrupt her ability to correctly set up her wall.
The pair could even be seen lifting their arms to further block Leitzig’s view before referee Stacey Fullicks spotted their unusual tactic and instructed the pair to move away.
The incident has sparked fury from some fans on social media, with many revealing that they are not in favour of the ploy.
‘Embarrassing really, no respecting coach would allow this at a professional level surely?’ One user on X wrote. ‘School playground tactics.’
Manchester United stars Elisabeth Terland (right) and Millie Turner (left) have been slammed for an incident in the side’s 2-0 win over Leicester
Terland and Turner stood in front of Leicester goalkeeper Janina Leitzig to obstruct her view and disrupt her ability to correctly set up her wall
Another said: ‘I think if they just stood there then fair enough They just look silly with their hands up As an ex keeper (Sunday league but still) was very off putting when trying to line up your wall and you’ve got an opposition player just being a nuisance.’
‘That’s honestly one of the most embarrassing things I’ve ever seen a football pitch,’ wrote a third.
While some users were especially critical of the Red Devils pair, others were quick to remind of the antics of former Newcastle defender Steven Taylor, who was known to perform similar stunts during his 13 years with the Magpies.
In one example, the defender bounced up and down in front of Stoke City goalkeeper Asmir Begovic as then Magpies midfielder Yohan Cabaye prepared to fire in a free-kick from the edge of the area.
Unlike on Sunday night, Taylor’s actions had a meaningful impact on proceedings as Cabaye planted his effort into the top corner and restored parity for the home side on route to a late victory.
Fans’ reaction to footage of Taylor was markedly more positive than the Red Devils duo.
Terland and Bizet made sure to quickly return to an onside position after being urged by the referee to move. The pair would have been pulled up for obstructing the goalkeeper had they remained beyond the last Leicester defender when the effort came in.
United were not able to profit from the free-kick, though the side would ultimately have the last laugh with a win that moved them level on points with fourth-place Arsenal with a game in hand.
Fans on social media slammed the tactic, with several insisting that the incident was an embarrassment
Former Newcastle defender displayed a far more egregious example of blocking a goalkeeper during the Magpies 2-1 win over Stoke in 2013
The result eased the pressure on Skinner, who was booed by home supporters last weekend, despite making an unbeaten start to the campaign.
‘The reality is we’ve just got really passionate fans who want to win football games,” said Skinner. ‘Once we sparked them, their engine was fantastic today.
‘The energy from them was really good throughout the game. We have to entertain them. They pay their hard-earned money.’
United are now just six points behind WSL champions Chelsea, who they face in London on Sunday. The sides are the only remaining unbeaten outfits in the WSL this term.
Leicester meanwhile continue to struggle and are only outside of the relegation zone on goal difference. The Foxes are the WSL’s lowest scorers, having netted only twice in eight games.