🏏 Sun, 18 Oct 2026 14:00 BST
Charlton Athletic W
vs
Manchester United Women
4-4-2 vs 4-2-3-1
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- Charlton sit bottom of the table on zero points from five matches (0-0-5), having scored twice and conceded 15 for a goal difference of -13. This is their first season in the WSL after coming up through the play-offs, and the first point of the campaign is still waiting. Manchester United arrive seventh on seven points (2-1-2, -4) with leaders Chelsea already on 16 from six games.
- Charlton's form line is a stark L-L-L-L-L. They lost 4-0 at home to Liverpool on the opening weekend, 1-0 away at Everton, 4-1 at home to London City Lionesses, 1-0 at home to Manchester City and 5-1 away at Brighton. Two goals in five matches is the number that defines their start — the home defeat to City showed they can compete, but not that they can score.
- United's run reads L-L-D-W-W. Beaten 2-1 at London City and thrashed 5-0 at home by Chelsea, they steadied with a 1-1 draw at Arsenal before back-to-back wins over West Ham (2-1) and Liverpool (1-0). Crucially, both of those victories came at home; this is the first chance to prove the upturn travels.
- Hinata Miyazawa is the name to watch for United. The 26-year-old, who stands just 157cm, won the Golden Boot at the 2023 Women's World Cup and joined from Mynavi Sendai Ladies as Japan's attacking talisman. She was named player of the match for a stunning strike in the Manchester derby during 2025-26. A natural right winger, she lines up here in the deeper midfield pair alongside Julia Zigiotti Olme.
- Zigiotti Olme, 28, is a Sweden international holding midfielder who won the Bundesliga with Bayern Munich and has been a regular at Brighton, BK Häcken and Hammarby — relentless running and selfless defensive work are her trademarks. Ahead of her sits Ella Toone (27), the academy graduate and Euro 2022 winner whose touch and finishing in the final third decide tight games.
- United's back four is stacked with international pedigree. Left-back Anna Sandberg (23) arrived from BK Häcken for a record fee for a Swedish female player and was the youngest member of the squad that took third place at the 2023 World Cup. In the middle are Netherlands captain Dominique Janssen (31), a WSL winner with Arsenal and a two-time Bundesliga champion at Wolfsburg, and Maya Le Tissier (24), the Guernsey-born defender who became United's captain at 22 and has been named in the PFA WSL team of the year.
- Andrea Medina is one of the more intriguing figures on the pitch. The 22-year-old Spaniard joined on a free from Atlético Madrid in July 2026 as United's first summer signing, on a three-year deal with the option of a fourth. A Real Betis youth product from Seville, she made 131 appearances over four seasons at Atlético and won the 2023 Copa de la Reina — and she started all three Champions League meetings against United last season as an opponent.
- The goalkeeping duel has real substance. United's Phallon Tullis-Joyce, a 185cm United States international aged 29, shared the WSL Golden Glove in 2024-25 with 13 clean sheets after arriving from OL Reign and Racing Louisville. Charlton counter with Whitehouse, who signed from Lewes and won the WSL2 Golden Glove, marshalling the division's meanest defence on the way to promotion via the play-offs.
- Charlton's midfield has an Australian core. Emily van Egmond, 33 and 178cm, has 163 caps, two Bundesliga titles from her Wolfsburg days and a 2010 AFC Women's Asian Cup winner's medal, and she still sets the tempo with her range of passing. Beside her is Leah Davidson (25), who spent six years at Melbourne City collecting trophies including an A-League Women three-peat, and who arrived this summer as the club's fourth signing for a first taste of the WSL.
- The benches are unevenly matched. United can summon Lea Schüller (28), the Germany striker who was a Bundesliga top scorer at Bayern before joining in December 2025, Mexico captain Rebeca Bernal, and Monica Jusu Bah, the 22-year-old Swedish winger signed for around £400,000 in August 2026. Charlton's options include Finland goalkeeper Anna Koivunen (24), a 14-cap international who joined from Djurgården on a two-year deal in July 2026.