91Èȱ¬

Manchester United women's head coach Casey Stoney will leave the club at the end of the season.

The former England defender, was appointed as the club's manager in 2018 after United reformed its women's team. Stoney got the club promoted to the Women's Super League in her first season in charge.

United finished fourth this season, missing out on a place in the Champions League by one point.

Stoney's final game in charge of the club will be Sunday's FA Cup fifth-round tie against Leicester City.

Stoney told the club website that she felt now was the right time to "take some time away".

"It has been an honour to lead the women's team at this great club and this has been an incredibly tough decision," Stoney said.

"Having come on board to start the team from scratch, then winning the Women's Championship in our first season, we have now successfully established the team as a force in the Women's Super League.

"I have loved leading this group and I am proud of what we have achieved together."

United's executive vice-chairman Ed Woodward said Stoney, who won 130 caps as a player for England's Lionesses, would "always be part of the Manchester United family".

Some Manchester United fans online are saying this is another sign of a lack of investment from the club's owners, the Glazer family.

91Èȱ¬ Sport reporter Emma Sanders said: "There have been growing concerns over resources and facilities for Manchester United's women's team in recent months, with Stoney showing glimpses of frustration over pitch conditions in training."

Fans protested against the Glazers at the start of May, forcing the men's game against Liverpool to be postponed. United supporters were unhappy about plans the club had to join a European super league, but also the way the club had been run since the Glazers took over in 2005.

There has also been comparisons made between the difference in facilities for the men's and women's teams at United.

United's women have changed where they train over the course of the season and do not regularly train at Carrington, which is the training base for the men's side.

"The team have suffered numerous injuries throughout the season which ultimately impacted their ability to qualify for the Champions League and they have moved between Leigh Sports Village, the Cliff and Carrington for training during the pandemic," says Sanders.

In a statement Manchester United said the pandemic has created unique challenges which have affected the usual training locations and schedules for the women's team at Leigh Sports Village.

They added that the club are working to increase and improve facilities to include the men, women and academy teams.