Manchester United mark return to women’s football with a new Liverpool rivalry

The Football Association will hope United’s introduction helps attract more fans to the game, at a time when a boost is needed.

Last season, the WSL suffered from a dip in attendances, which coincided with a move back to a winter season, and the cause is not helped by playing many games at non-traditional venues. Liverpool’s home tie on Sunday takes place at Tranmere’s Prenton Park, which is not ideal but closer than their home for the past five seasons on an artificial surface in Widnes.

United may suffer in this regard too. Like the club’s youth teams, they will play home games at the Leigh Sports Village Stadium, a 12,000-seat ground near Wigan.

After a 13-year absence, it is also difficult to know where their fans will come from and how popular the team will be.

However, news of their re-emergence has been greeted positively, and they may welcome a boost from United’s existing fan-base, given that Jose Mourinho’s side travel to Brighton on Sunday, their longest road trip of the season.

Further encouragement may come from their rivals Manchester City, who relaunched their team in a similar fashion in 2014, and in 2016 became the first WSL team to average over 2,000 fans for home games.

Last season City had the second-best average attendance in the league behind Chelsea. However, they are helped by playing at the club’s purpose built academy pitch right next to Etihad Stadium.

James Lloyd, 18, is one of many United fans who has welcomed the reformation of the women’s team and will be present at the game on Sunday. He has a season ticket at Old Trafford and has already bought one to watch Stoney’s side, costing £39.

“Having a women’s team will open the door to new fans,” he said. “Going to watch them will be as affordable as the men’s team should be and I want to follow United everywhere, whether it’s the men or women.”