Media caption,

Manchester United drew level late on after being 3 goals down

At a glance

  • Tottenham stunned Man Utd with two first-half headed goals

  • Martha Thomas added a third for Spurs against her former club

  • Ella Toone and Fridolina Rolfo's double helps Man Utd grab late point

  • Hosts hit the crossbar four times in action-packed fixture

  • PLAYER RATINGS

Manchester United came from three goals down at home to earn a dramatic draw against Tottenham as the final Women's Super League match of 2025 produced a blockbuster.

Spurs seemed on course for their first ever competitive win over United as they led 3-0 after an hour, thanks to goals from Bethany England, Eveliina Summanen and former United striker Martha Thomas.

The hosts, meanwhile, looked set to be punished for a profligate display as they hit the bar four times and had another three efforts cleared off the line.

But Ella Toone's hooked volley reduced arrears with 16 minutes left and Fridolina Rolfo bundled in another in the 82nd minute to set up a frantic finale.

After Melvine Malard had an effort cleared off the line, Rolfo escaped unmarked at the far post in the fourth minute of added time to turn in Leah Galton's cross and snatch a point with United's 34th shot - and 11th on target.

Failure to win meant United enter the winter break one point and one place outside the Champions League places in fourth, with Spurs a spot further back in fifth.

Man Utd analysis: Late drama cannot hide profligacy

Amid a tricky run of fixtures and with a thin first-team squad, what looked like a promising campaign for United now seems to be spiralling out of control.

While a point - and the fighting spirit shown to get it - is welcome, Marc Skinner's side have still only won one of their last four WSL matches.

Issues persist at both ends of the pitch.

At the back, they have now failed to keep a clean sheet in their last seven matches. And in attack, they scored three but could have had 10.

In the first half they rattled the woodwork three times - Hinata Miyazawa and Malard cracked the bar from distance, before Maya le Tissier struck it too from a corner. Spurs' Toko Koga also twice cleared efforts off the line to frustrate them.

Having pulled United back into the match, Toone then struck the bar again from 12 yards with visiting keeper Lize Kop out of position.

The Spurs stopper, though, was shaky in the latter stages and dropped a Jayde Riviere cross with the score at 3-2 - but captain Molly Bartrip rescued her with another block on the line, this time from Malard.

Boss Skinner made five changes from the team beaten by Lyon in their midweek Champions League tie, and it is clear his side are struggling with having to regularly play twice a week.

They must now peel themselves off the ceiling immediately for a key Champions League visit to Juventus on Wednesday, where they need a win to stand a chance of avoiding the play-offs.

Fridolina Rolfo (right)Image source, Getty Images
Image caption,

Fridolina Rolfo (right) scored her first two WSL goals for Manchester United to earn a point

Spurs analysis: Ho's side miss out on statement result

Despite the late collapse, this has still been an extremely promising season for Spurs under manager Martin Ho.

But he was denied what would have been his standout result since he took charge in the summer.

Spurs have still not beaten United in 14 competitive women's fixtures, and failure to hold on to their three-goal lead was a blow to burgeoning hopes of a tilt at the top three.

Of course they rode on the seat of their pants at times here, grateful to the woodwork and United's failure to take their chances.

But Spurs were clinical with theirs. Two fine headed finishes from England and Summanen came in the opening period, and just past the hour mark Thomas went through before smashing her first goal in nearly two years into the roof of the net.

This was also testament to the strength in both depth and character Spurs possess. Teenage Japanese defender Koga starred after coming into the starting line-up in place of Jess Naz, who has been ruled out for the season after a second knee ligament injury of her career.

And this point meant Spurs have now surpassed their entire total from 2024-25, with half of the WSL season still left to play.

What's next for both teams?

Manchester United travel to Italian side Juventus on Wednesday, 17 December, in their final match of the Champions League group phase (20:00 GMT).

United and Spurs then meet again at Progress With Unity Stadium on Sunday, 21 December in the Women's League Cup quarter-finals (13:00 GMT).

Player of the match

Number: 12 F. Rolfö
Average rating 8.05
Number: 12 F. Rolfö
Average Rating: 8.05
Number: 7 E. Toone
Average Rating: 7.58
Number: 8 J. Park
Average Rating: 7.30
Number: 4 M. Le Tissier
Average Rating: 6.80
Number: 9 M. Malard
Average Rating: 6.65
Number: 10 E. Terland
Average Rating: 6.44
Number: 20 H. Miyazawa
Average Rating: 6.43
Number: 17 D. Janssen
Average Rating: 6.42
Number: 2 A. Sandberg
Average Rating: 6.39
Number: 14 J. Riviere
Average Rating: 6.37
Number: 11 L. Galton
Average Rating: 6.36
Number: 18 J. Zigiotti Olme
Average Rating: 5.96
Number: 91 P. Tullis-Joyce
Average Rating: 5.95

After the opportunity to rate players has closed, the score displayed represents the average from all the submissions by BBC Sport users.

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