Phallon Tullis-Joyce produced the performance Manchester United Women badly needed at Arsenal.
Seven days after United conceded five goals against Chelsea, Eva Olid’s side travelled to Emirates Stadium under immediate pressure to show a response.
They came within seconds of producing an emphatic one.
Julia Zigiotti Olme gave United a second-half lead before Smilla Holmberg eventually rescued Arsenal with a stoppage-time equaliser.
At the centre of United’s transformation was Tullis-Joyce.
The goalkeeper made six saves and repeatedly frustrated an Arsenal side that pushed increasingly hard for a way back into the game.
Tullis-Joyce sets tone for Man Utd response
United’s defensive problems had been impossible to ignore following their opening two Women’s Super League defeats.
That made the trip to Arsenal an especially difficult test.
Olid changed the shape and personnel of her side, with Simi Awujo starting while Ella Toone dropped to the bench.
The tactical changes helped.
But United still needed their goalkeeper to deliver.
Tullis-Joyce did exactly that.
She produced a superb first-half stop to deny Stina Blackstenius after Arsenal finally worked space inside the penalty area.
It proved to be an early warning of what was to come.
Our Manchester United Women player ratings against Arsenal gave Tullis-Joyce a 9/10 after a performance which kept United in control for almost the entire contest.
Arsenal pressure brings out goalkeeper’s best
The second half became increasingly demanding.
Once Zigiotti punished Georgia Stanway’s misplaced pass to put United ahead, Arsenal committed more players forward and forced Olid’s team deeper.
Tullis-Joyce continued to stand firm.
She denied Caitlin Foord after Smilla Holmberg created an opening from the right before later dealing with a powerful Chloe Kelly effort.
The Guardian highlighted the United goalkeeper’s influence as Arsenal increased their pressure in search of an equaliser. Its match report described United’s defensive performance as one of their strongest displays under Olid.
United-focused analysis credited Tullis-Joyce with six saves alongside four defensive blocks from the players in front of her.
That combination almost delivered the perfect result.
Defensive structure finally gives Tullis-Joyce protection
This was not simply a goalkeeper bailing out a dysfunctional defence.
The biggest encouragement for Olid was how much better United protected Tullis-Joyce.
Maya Le Tissier and Dominique Janssen controlled the centre of the back line, while Anna Sandberg produced a crucial goal-line intervention to prevent Alessia Russo from equalising.
Hanna Lundkvist also remained disciplined on the opposite side.
The difference from the Chelsea defeat was significant.
United still allowed Arsenal opportunities, but those chances generally came against a compact defensive structure rather than through repeated breakdowns.
Our Arsenal 1-1 Manchester United match report showed how close that structure came to delivering United’s first league win of the season.
Holmberg goal cannot erase United progress
The ending was painful.
Leah Williamson lifted the ball into the penalty area during stoppage time and Holmberg arrived at the far post to finally beat Tullis-Joyce.
Reuters reported that the substitute’s late finish denied United their first league victory under Olid.
For the goalkeeper, there was little more she could have done.
The equaliser should not overshadow the performance that came before it.
Tullis-Joyce had already kept United alive through Arsenal’s strongest periods and given the players in front of her the confidence to defend aggressively.
United finally collected their first WSL point.
More importantly, they looked far more like a team capable of competing with the l
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