We were beaten 3-0 by Manchester United at Leigh Sports Village in the Barclays Women's Super League on Sunday afternoon.
First-half goals from Leah Galton and Alessia Russo sent the home side into the break ahead, and Nikita Parris added a third in the second half.
Interim Head Coach Vicky Jepson made four changes to the side that began last weekend’s 2-2 draw with Brighton & Hove Albion, Tinja-Riika Korpela, Shelina Zadorsky, Jessica Naz, and Kit Graham coming in for Rebecca Spencer, Ashleigh Neville, Eveliina Summanen and Rosella Ayane respectively.
Marc Skinner's side looked dangerous right from the off, Ona Battle's cross from the right dealt with well by Amy Turner just three minutes in.
Molly Bartrip struck with power from long range for our first chance of the game, but it was straight at Mary Earps.
Moments later, we had a great chance to take the lead following a smart passage of play between Celin Bizet and Graham. The latter put Bethany England through on goal and she went around Earps before seeing her effort blocked by Maya Le Tissier.
At the other end, Russo forced a good save from Korpela, before Parris got her head on the end of a cross from the left only to see the flag go up for offside.
Ella Toone then pulled it back for Parris, who dragged the ball wide of the post.
Galton headed over the bar in the 23rd minute and then hit the crossbar from Vilde Boe Risa's cross, but once again the offside flag was raised.
But then, United took the lead, Turner's pass back to Bartrip cut out by Galton, who picked out the bottom right corner.
Korpela made a great save to deny Boe Risa, who went for goal from just inside the D, before another United cross into the box was volleyed home by Russo for 2-0.
We came agonisingly close to pulling one back as Graham sent Naz darting down the left wing on the counter-attack. She put a good cross into the box for Bizet, whose glancing header brushed the bar.
We made one half-time change, Ayane coming on for Naz.
Russo shot straight at Korpela from a Galton corner early in the second half, before the ball dropped for Parris to make it 3-0 to the home side from close range. Korpela then made another save against Russo from a Boe Risa delivery.
We then made a triple change as Neville, Mana Iwabuchi and Ria Percival replaced Bizet, Graham and Drew Spence.
Earps did well to keep hold of the clean sheet for United after England put a good ball into the box. Iwabuchi and Ayane both had shots on target but Earps was equal to them both.
In the 77th minute, Ramona Petzelberger made her return from injury as she came on for Turner, before Angharad James had a corner kick flicked wide by England's header.
