Manchester United manager Eva Olid has responded to mounting scrutiny over her side's difficult start to the Women's Super League season, insisting that criticism is a natural part of football and something she is prepared to accept.
Olid, who replaced Marc Skinner in the summer after arriving from Hearts, has endured back-to-back defeats in her first two league matches in charge. United began the campaign with a 2-1 loss away at London City Lionesses before being outclassed 5-0 at home by rivals Chelsea last weekend. The results have left United bottom of the table without a point and with just a single goal scored, prompting questions about the team's early struggles under their new manager.
The 41-year-old Spaniard is attempting to introduce a possession-based, attacking approach to a squad previously known for defensive solidity under Skinner. So far, however, the transition has proven difficult, with United managing only two shots on target and under 40% possession in both of their opening fixtures.
Asked whether the wave of criticism had affected her personally, Olid struck a measured tone. "Yes and no. That is part of the job. I don't think it affects me," she said. "It is constructive criticism and that is normal. I understand that. The first two performances have not been good. We are the first to say we are not happy."
She did, though, draw a distinction between fair critique and something more personal. "The other part is the part I don't understand — people wanting to hurt us, but they are not going to," Olid added. "People that understand football know that the beginning and how you start does not define how you end the season. We know the direction and what we are doing will give us success in the long term."
The manager stressed that her focus remains on the wellbeing of her players rather than outside noise. "So yeah, I'm good. The only thing that is important for me is the players. I'm worried always that they need to feel good and strong, nothing else," she said.
United's challenge intensifies this weekend as they travel to the Emirates Stadium to face Arsenal on Saturday. The Gunners remain unbeaten in their last 19 WSL matches, and United have not tasted victory there since November 2022 — a daunting statistic given their current form.
Despite the pressure, Olid remains convinced that the current struggles are part of a necessary process. "Football is like life. You have good moments and difficult moments. I think all the teams in the season have a difficult moment. Ours is the start," she explained. "We are learning as a team to grow because the difficult moments make you grow. Once we've passed this difficult moment and start to build momentum, I think we will be so much better."
Olid has urged her squad not to abandon the defensive discipline that helped them reach the Champions League quarter-finals last season, even as they work to adopt her new style. "They cannot forget what they were good at before. At the same time, little by little, we need to implement the new style," she said, adding that overthinking has hampered her players' natural expression on the pitch.
Arsenal manager Renee Slegers offered a sympathetic view of Olid's situation ahead of Saturday's meeting, acknowledging the short amount of time the United boss has had to implement changes. "As a coach it's a decision you make — are you going to change things straight away or are you going to have another approach where, over time, you look to try to change things progressively?" Slegers said. "I understand the disappointment from a fan perspective — but there has been so little time."
Based on reporting from BBC Sport.