- Manchester United women lost the first leg 3-2
- Mark Skinner’s side must win to progress through
- This will be their second fixture against Bayern Munich
Manchester United Women face a tough trip to Germany, where they will take on Bayern Munich in a match that could ultimately decide their season. The first leg on 25 March laid bare the issue.
United lost their defensive grip at key moments and allowed three goals past Phallon Tullis-Joyce. They still found a way back—twice dragging themselves level—and for long stretches looked capable of taking a draw.
Instead, Momoko Tanikawa stepped in late, striking in the 84th minute to swing the advantage back towards Bayern and end the match 3-2. Ruthlessness defined the difference.
Bayern hit the target four times and scored three, with Pernille Harder—a childhood United fan—doing most of the damage with a brace. There is still hope that the Reds will turn things around tomorrow (April 1st).
Advantage Bayern
Now unbeaten in 25 matches—stretching back all the way to 7 October when they got embarrassed by Barcelona, losing 7-1—Bayern have won every single game this season bar three. The aforementioned Barcelona fixture, a 2-2 draw with Atletico Madrid, and a shock draw to FC Carl Zeiss Jena, a side that props up the table of the Fruen-Bundesliga.
Manchester United, however, have not had that same luxury. In their last five games alone, United have struggled for consistency. They lost—again—to Chelsea Women in the League Cup final, before dropping points against second-bottom West Ham United Women.
Most recently, they were outplayed by rivals Manchester City Women, losing 3–0 at Old Trafford. City, who sit nine points clear at the top of the Women’s Super League, now look set to win their first title in a decade—and, in the process, end Chelsea Women’s six-year run at the summit.
The only bright spot for United across that stretch remains a narrow 2–1 win over Everton Women—hardly the form you want heading into a fixture of this magnitude.
Predicted lineups:
Bayern Munich
Mahmutovic (GK); Gwinn, Viggosdottir, Gilles, Simon; Amani, Stanway; Dallmann, Caruso, Kett; Harder
Manchester United
Tullis-Joyce (GK); Lundkvist, Le Tissier, Turner, Rolfo; Zigiotti Olme, Miyazawa, Naalsund; Park, Schuller, Malard
Prediction
Unfortunately for Manchester United, Bayern are extremely unlikely to draw this match, let alone lose. Unbeaten at home for over a year—their last defeat coming against Olympique Lyonnais Féminin on 18 March 2025.
Bayern remain firmly on course for a fourth consecutive league title, having scored a remarkable 110 goals in just 32 matches this season. There is simply too much firepower in the opposition’s frontline for United to handle.
Final prediction score:
Bayern Munich 3-1 Manchester United
Goalscorers:
Bayern Munich: Harder (17, 49), Gilles (73)
Manchester United: Park (33)
