Alessia Russo: Manchester United striker 'big part' of title charge

All palmy teams necessitate large players and successful Alessia Russo Manchester United whitethorn conscionable person the outstanding endowment they request to occurrence them to a archetypal Women's Super League title.

And with 3 objective finishes for her archetypal WSL hat-trick against Leicester City, the England guardant seems up for the challenge.

United brag Mark Skinner said: "Now the model has died down, we tin get backmost to focus. She is an unbelievable endowment and a large portion of what we are trying to physique here."

• Russo hat-trick extends Man Utd's WSL lead

Russo's 3 goals were not bonzer successful themselves - a drilled decorativeness to capitalise connected a rebound, a neat close-range header and a latch connected to a knockdown from a corner.

But they typified what each bully goalscorer needs - the knack of being successful the close spot astatine the close time.

As erstwhile England goalkeeper Siobhan Chamberlain said connected BBC Two: "She is ever determination successful those information zones. She is the quality shaper and she's done precisely the aforesaid today."

'You'd deliberation a hat-trick would beryllium mean for her'

Alessia Russo's hat-trick moved her 3rd connected the Women's Super League apical scorers illustration with 8 goals, down Manchester City's Khadija Shaw (13) and Aston Villa's Rachel Day (10)

Before Sunday's win, Russo had scored 5 goals successful the league this season, but nary since the 15 January 6-0 demolition of Liverpool.

Arsenal's involvement came astatine the extremity of January but a onslaught connected planetary work against South Korea suggested she was getting backmost to form, portion netting successful the FA Cup past play against Durham was a further bully sign.

"I didn't adjacent realise it was her archetypal hat-trick," said ex-Manchester City goalkeeper Karen Bardsley. "She seems truthful prolific that you deliberation that's a mean happening for her."

Her lone erstwhile elder hat-trick was a sensational 11-minute salvo successful England's 20-0 triumph implicit Latvia successful November 2021. In total, she has 11 goals successful 19 appearances for the nationalist team.

Naturally, Skinner was pleased with Russo's interaction but admitted helium wants much from his England forward.

"She's a monolithic portion of this nine and I judge she tin bash that much often," helium said. "It's conscionable present astir getting her into that portion wherever she continues to bash it."

On a time erstwhile WSL top-scorer Khadija Shaw bagged a hat-trick of her ain for Manchester City, United anticipation their talented striker tin propulsion herself further up the goalscoring charts.

As for the rubric race, United are 3 points wide of neighbours City, but volition besides look contention from some Chelsea and Arsenal, who each person 2 games successful hand.

The Blues won the league successful the past 3 campaigns and big United connected Sunday, 12 March.

"All we tin bash is support performing and absorption connected each game," Skinner said. "Chelsea, Arsenal and City are each fantabulous teams and determination volition beryllium tons of twists and turns yet.

"It'll beryllium a pugnacious inquire [to spell to Chelsea] truthful we've got to springiness everything."

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