Manchester United 7-0 West Bromwich Albion: Ella Toone scores comeback goal in big FA Cup win

Ella Toone stated that her two-month absence due to injury was a "blessing in disguise." The midfielder made her return and scored a goal in Manchester United Women's 7-0 FA Cup victory over West Brom. Toone came on as a substitute in the match, where Manchester United was already leading 1-0 thanks to an early goal from Melvine Malard.

The defending champions, Manchester United, displayed a strong attacking force late in the game, scoring six goals in 18 minutes. Substitute Rachel Williams delivered an impressive hat-trick in the second half, while Celin Bizet also scored twice. However, Toone's goal was the most spectacular, with the England international firing a shot from the edge of the box in the 83rd minute that hit the crossbar and bounced into the net, marking her return in a powerful way.

In an interview with BBC Radio 5 Live, Toone said: "In the first half of the season, I went through a lot of things, and it probably affected me more than I realised on the pitch. I was playing with a lot of pressure and probably wasn't enjoying it as much as I should have been. I think the injury was a bit of a blessing in disguise, not only did it make me stronger, but I'm in a better place physically and mentally."

Toone had been out of form at the start of the 2024-25 season, failing to score before her injury. However, this time she confidently received the ball on the edge of the box and accurately shot it past Anna Miller in goal. To commemorate her father, Nick, who passed away in September, the 25-year-old emotionally pointed to the sky after scoring. Toone added, "I've put in a lot of work to get myself back on the pitch, feeling better physically and mentally. I feel like I'm in a good place now. Of course, there have been some tough days recently, it's just sadness, and I'm learning how to cope, but to be back on the pitch tonight, this is where I love to be, where I'm happy."

Head coach Marc Skinner stated that Manchester United missed Toone a lot during her absence, and her performance showed that she missed playing just as much. Her goal ended an eight-month goal drought, marking her first goal since the FA Cup final victory over Tottenham Hotspur at Wembley last season. Skinner added: "You can see the reaction from the fans, the players and the staff, how important she is to us – she is our iconic number seven. She's been through the toughest of times. For her to score, you can see what it means to everyone. We've missed her immensely. During her unfortunate injury, I wanted her to have a break, and she did. You saw her come alive tonight, and that's what we love about Ella Toone."

West Brom, who were only one goal down until the 77th minute, might feel that the scoreline was a bit unfair. Malard's clever knee finish in the 23rd minute gave the hosts a deserved lead, but despite their creativity, they struggled to make further progress against West Brom's defense. For a long period, the away side were solid at the back, but struggled to break through Manchester United's defense and did not register a single shot on target. Skinner's second-half substitutions gave Manchester United's attack the ruthlessness that had been lacking before, with Toone, Williams and Bizet all playing key roles.

Williams headed past Miller twice in the 77th and 79th minutes. After Toone's goal, Bizet intercepted the ball high up the pitch in the final minute to make it 5-0. Williams then completed her hat-trick with another header in injury time, and Bizet scored again in the space of just 18 minutes to complete the rout.