The atmosphere surrounding the club is vastly different from the opening weeks of the season when the team struggled without a victory and sat near the bottom of the standings following disappointing results against London City Lionesses and a heavy defeat by Chelsea.

Olid, who assumed managerial responsibilities during the summer transfer window, acknowledged that her initial tactical approach placed excessive demands on the squad through high-risk possession football and an overly aggressive attacking mindset.

In those early fixtures, the side lacked defensive stability, managing merely two shots on target and holding under forty percent possession across matches that highlighted a clear disconnect between the players and the new coaching philosophy.

Realising the immediate need for pragmatism, the Spanish coach encouraged her players to reconnect with familiar defensive principles while gradually integrating elements of her preferred tactical blueprint rather than attempting an instant overhaul.

Explaining the initial balancing act before a crucial fixture, Olid stated that the players needed to keep what they were good at before while little by little implementing the new style, noting that expecting everything in the first match was impossible.

The turning point arrived during an encouraging 1-1 draw away against Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium, a performance that provided a much-needed psychological foundation and established renewed defensive organisation for the squad.

Following that fixture, United secured a breakthrough victory against Sheffield United in the Women's League Cup, sparking a remarkable sequence of six consecutive victories across all domestic competitions heading into the weekend encounter.

Within the Women's Super League specifically, the team secured maximum points from their subsequent three fixtures, scoring six goals while conceding only two and nearly doubling their overall possession statistics during the dominant run.

Attacking metrics improved dramatically alongside defensive solidity, with the team recording 529 passes ending in the final third across games against West Ham United, Liverpool, and Charlton Athletic, compared to just 197 during their opening three outings.

Shot counts also experienced a dramatic fourfold increase, jumping from ten attempts in the first three matches to forty-two across the subsequent three fixtures, alongside increased success in aerial duels across the pitch.

Off the pitch, Olid highlighted the importance of transparent communication following the heavy 5-0 reversal against Chelsea, noting that honest internal discussions were vital in helping the squad navigate a challenging transitional phase.

The manager praised the resilience of her players during those initial difficult fixtures, explaining that the early learning curve proved essential in establishing mutual understanding and defining exact expectations between the coaching staff and the squad.

Reflecting on those team bonds, Olid noted that the first two games offered good learning for everyone to connect, ensuring that players and staff understood each other better and found the right balance moving forward.

Individual fortunes mirrored the collective struggles early on, notably resulting in vice-captain Ella Toone missing out on a national team call-up under England manager Sarina Wiegman for the first time in her international career.

Toone responded to that setback with a determined performance, finding the back of the net during a 3-1 victory against Charlton Athletic, while summer acquisition Andrea Medina established herself as an influential figure within the starting lineup.

The recent international window provided Olid with a valuable opportunity to conduct detailed training sessions, refine tactical shapes, and finalise the structure of her backroom team following a hectic opening period.

Spanish coach Jose Herrera joined the staff as assistant manager, alongside Gavin Beith, with whom Olid previously collaborated during her tenure at Scottish club Hearts, completing a cohesive group dedicated to long-term development.

Describing the international pause, Olid explained that she had time to reorganise everything regarding staff roles and collaboration, calling the break an amazing new start to maintain the good energy generated by recent matches.

Among those returning from international duty with renewed enthusiasm was club captain and England defender Maya le Tissier, whose consistent performances for her country highlighted her growing leadership stature within the squad.

Sitting fifth in the Women's Super League table, Manchester United trail their unbeaten local rivals by eight points but enter the derby fixture possessing the winning habit required to test the league leaders.

Olid expressed confidence that the magnitude of a Manchester derby inherently provides maximum motivation for her players, urging the squad to build upon their recent resurgence when they step onto the pitch on Sunday evening.

Playing on the road in Las Vegas on a tense Friday night, the visiting side secured an 87-77 victory in overtime to seal the series and book their place in the championship round.

The triumph marks a truly significant milestone for the organisation, which was introduced as an official expansion team just over three years ago in October 2023 ahead of their debut campaign.

At the team's introductory press conference, owner Joe Lacob made a remarkably bold declaration that the franchise would capture a championship within its first five years of existence.

Having already made history in their inaugural season by becoming the very first expansion team to reach the WNBA postseason, the organisation is now just four wins away from fulfilling that ambitious prediction.

Golden State will now face the Atlanta Dream in a best-of-seven series for the championship, with the opening fixture scheduled to take place at home in San Francisco on October 17.

Reflecting on the achievement during post-match interviews, guard Veronica Burton expressed her disbelief alongside her absolute confidence in the group throughout the demanding campaign.

Burton noted that reaching this stage in the second year is an absolute blessing and a testament to the belief held within the locker room from the very beginning.

Head coach Natalie Nakase echoed those sentiments strongly, describing the advancement to the championship series as a dream come true for the entire organisation and staff.

The path to the finals required a remarkably resilient second-half performance on Friday evening, as the visitors found themselves trailing by 11 points early in the third quarter.

This deficit represented their largest of the entire series and their first double-digit disadvantage against the defending champions, testing their resolve on the hostile road floor.

However, the team had already demonstrated their remarkable ability to overcome adversity during the previous playoff round against the formidable Dallas Wings.

In that series, they successfully erased a daunting 16-point deficit in a winner-take-all Game 3 to keep their championship aspirations alive and well.

True to their distinct identity, the recovery in Las Vegas was anchored by an exceptional defensive effort that completely stifled the opposition's offensive momentum.

Coach Nakase instructed her players to draw closer together, communicate effectively, and return to the defensive principles that defined their stellar regular season.

The response on the court was immediate and devastating for the hosts, as Golden State embarked on a remarkable 17-0 scoring run spanning seven minutes to seize the lead.

During the third quarter alone, the league's top-ranked defense restricted the Aces to a mere seven points, turning the tide of the contest completely.

Although Las Vegas managed to reconstruct a six-point advantage with three minutes remaining in regulation, the visitors steadily chipped away at the narrow deficit.

With just 1:50 left on the clock and trailing by two points, forward Gabby Williams delivered a crucial defensive intervention by stealing the possession from star player A'ja Wilson.

Williams immediately fed the ball to teammate Kayla Thornton, who converted a vital layup to level the score and force the high-stakes game into the extra period.

Entering the overtime session, Burton urged her teammates to leave everything on the floor and capitalise on the impressive depth of their roster.

That depth proved entirely decisive as Thornton, Williams, and Tiffany Hayes combined to score all of Golden State's points in the additional five minutes.

The visitors outscored the hosts 16-9 in overtime to pull away and decisively seal the series sweep in front of the stunned local crowd.

Thornton finished the contest with 18 points, Williams contributed 16, Hayes added 11, and centre Kiah Stokes registered a superb double-double with 11 points, 10 rebounds, and three blocks.

Coach Nakase praised the unyielding competitive spirit of her players, noting that they found an extra level of fight when the stakes were highest.

The foundation of this unprecedented run was built during a remarkable regular-season campaign that yielded a 32-10 record, marking a nine-win improvement from their inaugural year.

Entering the postseason as the No. 2 seed, the franchise relied heavily on a defensive rating of 99.1 points per 100 possessions, comfortably leading the entire league.

That defensive dominance compensated for an offense that finished seventh in offensive rating and struggled with shooting efficiency throughout the regular season.

In the series against Las Vegas, the defensive scheme successfully contained formidable opponents such as Wilson and teammate Jackie Young.

Wilson was limited to an average of 23 points per game on 41.1% shooting, while Young managed just 14.3 points on 31.6% accuracy from the field.

The Aces' overall true shooting percentage plummeted to 50.8% in the series, a significant drop from their dominant 59.3% efficiency during the regular season.

Offensively, Williams emerged as a primary catalyst for the victors, averaging 20.3 points across the series following a standout individual campaign.

Williams finished as the runner-up for the Defensive Player of the Year award and earned her second career All-Star selection earlier in the year.

The addition of Williams and Stokes via free agency during the offseason proved to be a transformative factor for the trajectory of the expansion franchise.

Despite outside doubts and low external expectations regarding their offensive limitations, the group maintained an unwavering internal belief in their collective abilities.

The upcoming championship series against Atlanta presents another historic opportunity for a franchise that has repeatedly rewritten the record books of women's professional basketball.