Over the past 16 months, questions whirred in the Manchester United dugout over where Hinata Miyazawa would best be utilised.
That seems absurd now, on the back of United’s 3-0 Women’s Super League home victory against Brighton where the Japan international delivered a performance so good that she seemed to bend time and space to her will.
A “magic mini Modric” was United captain Maya Le Tissier’s post-match assessment of her teammate. A “midfield metronome” was Sky Sports commentator Izzy Christensen’s. A player so good that not even a “language barrier” can interrupt her, according to United head coach Marc Skinner.
In these moments it is tempting to forget that this is all a bit new, technically, for Miyazawa, 25, who signed for United from Japanese side Mynavi Sendai in September 2023 having just scooped up the 2023 World Cup Golden Boot award.
“When she came into the club, we looked at the fact she’s a wide forward, attack-minded, aggressive on her sprinting,” Skinner said after the victory. “But this league is really physical. She probably wouldn’t work as a wide forward.
“So we’re like, where do we fit Hinny? Because we know she’s an incredible footballer, but I didn’t think she matched the physicality. She got run around a little bit….
