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Sunday 28 September 2025 15:11
Marc Skinner gave an insight into Manchester United’s midfield partnership of Hinata Miyazawa and Julia Zigiotti Olme after Sunday’s WSL win over Liverpool.
It is a pairing that has underpinned United’s fine start to the season – 10 points from a possible 12 in the league – and was on display once more during the 2-0 victory in St Helens.
Miyazawa scored our stunning opener from just outside the box a few minutes in, while Skinner says Zigiotti Olme has brought an extra layer of quality to the squad following her summer arrival.
“It’s a beautiful goal, right?” Skinner said of Hini’s strike.
“It’s one of those goals you really want to watch technically. She hit one against Brighton last year from the edge of the area, but for her to run and strike on her weaker foot, even though I don’t think she has that much of a weaker foot. It’s just beautiful. I want her to watch that back because we want more goals from her.”
Discussing how Hini and Zigi are working together just a few weeks into their first season playing alongside each other, the boss said the team is striving for near telepathic understanding.
“The relationship, we have to get to a point with our midfielders where it becomes instinctive and right now it’s verging on that because they’re playing together, they’re understanding each other’s habits, how they want the ball, how they want to move and how they defend and cover,” Skinner said.
“That is where I want to move that relationship to…where it’s almost instinct and they play off each other, because technically then you can be so much more creative [as a team].”
IMPACT OF FRIDO, ZIGI AND JESS
Fridolina Rolfo started the game at left-back and, alongside fellow new arrivals Zigiotti Olme and Jess Park, has brought something extra this season.
“A little insight: Anna [Sandberg] was in the matchday squad and playing today and she’s pulled out this morning ill,” Skinner explained. “And I asked Frido to go in at left-back and she was instant, ‘yeah, I’ll do it’. And it’s the same Zigi going to right-back. That is the level of professionalism.
“They bring just a calmness and a quality of an artist that knows exactly what they’re doing and that for us gives us that balance. Jess gives us something different, just that creativity, the space finding. She doesn’t have to be rigid in one position, she can move across the field. It makes us more fluid. So those are the key insights into those players.”
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Sunday 28 September 2025 15:11
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