Manchester United Women return to action this weekend after the international break.
The Red Devils will travel to The Valley in London on Sunday afternoon to take on Charlton Athletic Women.
Eva Olid was speaking to the media yesterday in her pre-match press conference.
Better place now
The Catalan coach revealed that it was challenging to start the job in the middle of pre-season, especially with some coaching changes.
Nonetheless, she admitted that losing the first two games served as a valuable learning experience for both her and the team.
She added, “after the Chelsea game, we had those honest conversations, and I think you could see the change against Arsenal and in the following matches. I feel that we are now more connected. That doesn’t mean we will always have good days, but we have a better understanding of each other.”
Olid has also stated that she did not rest during the break and instead used the opportunity to consider the club’s future.
She claimed, “I also had time to reorganise everything, including the roles of the new staff members and how we will work together. This break has been amazing for me because I could get everything organised. Now, it feels like a new start. We want to keep the positive energy from our last few matches and carry it into the next games.”
Olid also reported that she remained in Manchester during the break to make the most of the time to reorganise certain aspects.
Internationals
The manager also stated that she monitored how her players performed on the international stage and mentioned joking with captain Maya Le Tissier about her first international goal.
Olid asserted, “we always joke about these things. I told her I had watched both games and that she looked like she was enjoying herself. She said she really enjoyed the attacking side of the role. We had that conversation, and she was very happy. It’s good when players return in a positive mood because, to perform well, you need to be happy.”
The reporters joked about whether Le Tissier would now play as a striker, but Olid responded that she preferred her playing in her usual position.
Olid also confirmed that she is unsure if there are any injury issues or if anyone has recovered, as the players only returned to Carrington on Friday.
Jose Herrera
Speaking about the appointment of Jose Herrera to the coaching team, she said, “José and I also know each other through football. He shares a similar mentality and has strong tactical knowledge. Every member of the coaching staff needs to bring something different to the team. Having different profiles and personalities is very important to me.”
Charlton task
Finally, Olid turned her attention to Charlton and stated, “I think the international break could give them a lot of energy. They will see this as the start of a new block of games and an opportunity to try to get their first win. For that reason, I think they will give everything on Sunday, and we have to be ready for a difficult match. We probably have different styles of play, so it should be an interesting contest.”
Man United Women results
Season 2026/2027
Featured image by Richard Pelham via Getty Images
