It is a different picture at Manchester United now than it was last month as they gear up for the derby against Women's Super League leaders Manchester City. Eva Olid's side were without a win and low on confidence after their opening three matches in a disappointing start to the season. But after getting their first win on the board against Sheffield United in the Women's League Cup, United have won six successive matches in all competitions.
They now sit fifth in the table, eight points off unbeaten rivals City, who they face on Sunday ( ) hoping to continue their positive form. So what has changed at United to overturn their fortunes? Listen to BBC Radio 5 Sports Extra commentary and follow live text updates on the BBC Sport website The most noticeable changes have happened on the pitch as new manager Olid, who joined in the summer, conceded her side needed to revert to old ways.
They were struggling to adapt to her new style which demands lots of possession, an attacking mindset and high-risk football. They struggled in defeats by London City Lionesses and Chelsea, having just two shots on target and less than 40% possession in both matches. Olid felt her team were trying to do too much and had lost sight of some of their strengths, including their defensive organisation.
She urged her players to revert to what they knew before their 1-1 draw with Arsenal, which showed signs of improvement. "The things they were good at before, they need to keep and at the same time, little by little, we need to implement our new style," Olid said before that game. "It's trying to find this balance.
Maybe they thought I would expect them to do everything in the first match but that is impossible. You need time." That draw at Emirates Stadium was the catalyst for change at United, offering a foundation to build upon. They had a tough start but then had a run of games against lower-ranked opposition, and two successive WSL matches at home.
The difference from their first three WSL games and their next three was stark. They won the maximum nine points, scored six goals, conceded just two and almost doubled their possession percentage. By returning to a more familiar defensive structure and adding in elements of Olid's new style, they began to cause more problems up front too.
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