Manchester United boss Marc Skinner said that Ella Toone is on the way to becoming one of the club’s “legend.” She became the first female footballer to reach 50 goals for the club.
Toone, a 24-year-old England midfielder, scored a brace against Everton in the Women’s Super League on Sunday. United came back from behind to ease past the opposition and beat them 4-1.
“It’s a really special day for me. It’s so nice to score for your club but to score 50 is a dream come true,” said Toone in a post-match ceremony.
Everton’s Katja Snoeijs scored within 10 minutes to give her team a lead. However, the hosts scored four goals in the second half to register a comfortable victory and move to fourth place on the table. With this win, they kept their slim chances of qualifying for next season’s Champions League.
Millie Turner scored the opening goal for her team in the second half, following a brace from Toone in a five-minute spell.
She struck a precise shot from 20 yards out for her inaugural goal, then capitalized on Lisa Naalsund’s dynamic run to secure her second. Finally, substitute Leah Galton cemented the victory with a well-placed shot into the bottom corner, securing United’s fourth goal.
For England, Toone has 46 caps and scored 19 goals. She also scored in England’s 2-1 victory over Germany in the European Championship final at Wembley in July 2022.
She became a part of United in 2018, contributing to their promotion to the Women’s Super League during her debut season. Her impressive tally of 51 goals encompasses 25 in the WSL, 14 in the Championship, five in the FA Cup, and seven in the League Cup.
“I actually forgot if I scored another goal it was my 50th because I’ve been on 49 for that long,” added Toone.
“It’s really nice to be the first Man Utd women’s player to reach 50 goals, but for me it’s not about that, it’s about winning games week in, week out.
“It’s been quite a while without getting a goal and that’s what I pride myself on, goals and assists. I’m really happy with today, especially going into the international break.”
Skinner feels Toone is getting rewarded for her hard work.
“What people don’t see about Ella Toone, especially over the last 10 weeks, is she has been working on her finishing every day and always wants to do a bit more,” he said.
“Right now she is in a fantastic head space. That’s 50 and 51 goals for the club and she is the first player to achieve that.
“There aren’t many people that will score 50-51 for this club and that shows her special she is. I hope she goes on to get hundreds, she can be a legend for this club.”
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