Grace Clinton is having a season like no other. The Manchester United midfielder just picked up her third POTM award of the season and is currently the Red Devils’ second-highest top scorer of 24/25.

“Some people thought that goal was a fluke, you know!” she says when asked about her wonder goal against Aston Villa last month, a 40-yard screamer that showed Clinton's proclivity for box office moments. “It wasn’t!”, she reassures us. The noise surrounding Clinton’s name is enough to make any 22-year-old buckle, but she isn’t anyone.

The PFA Women’s Young Player of the year has already won a Championship title, picked up an FA Cup runners-up medal and scored less than 20 minutes into her England debut. To say that Clinton has officially stepped out of the shadows would be an understatement, but now, she’s ready to embrace the limelight. The future of English women’s football is officially here. And she wears Y-3 head-to-toe.

Ahead of a huge WSL Manchester derby at Old Trafford on May 4, VERSUS sat down with Grace Clinton to talk about why the women’s game needs intense rivalries, her hunger for Champions League football, and how she silences the noise around her name.

Manchester United are in great form, with Champions League football in reach. How do you feel about the prospect of playing European domestic football? 

I never really considered it before this season! But now, it’s a huge motivation. We all want to play Champions League football, and I think we have the level to do it. I’ve never played in the Champions League before, and I want to experience that. Most importantly, we have competition within the squad. We have such good players that you have to earn your spot every week, which is a great environment to be in.

There’s a lot of hype around your name as part of the next generation of English women’s football stars. Do you feel that pressure? 

I'm my harshest critic, so I probably put the most pressure on myself. As a player, you obviously hear the noise around your name at times, and sometimes you can't ignore it. But I think that's what makes the best players. I'm at an age now where I should be proving myself. I like that pressure — it pushes me to perform.

You’re playing at Old Trafford for the WSL Manchester Derby in May. What’s it like playing at a ground like that? One with so much history.

It’s unbelievable. The noise, the atmosphere — it’s amazing, possibly one of the best feelings in the world for a footballer. Our fans are so loud! They are anyway haha but they take up a level at Old Trafford, and you can really hear them when you step out onto the pitch.

Have you played a Derby Day fixture there yet? 

Not yet! But I watched it last year, and you could just feel the energy. It looked sick! Now that I get to be a part of it, it’s going to be really exciting.

More women’s games are being played in main stadiums. Do you think that’s important for the sport? 

Having access to a top-quality pitch like Old Trafford's allows us to play our best football — especially towards the later stages of the season. Hosting our matches at venues with so much heritage also helps to create special memories, and as a player, you live for those moments. 

Derby Day is one of the biggest fixtures any player could play in. What do you love about those intense games? 

Growing up in a football-loving family, I always knew Derby Day meant a real battle. I love the passion, the hard tackles, the arguments — everything about it. A bit of spice and competitiveness makes everything more exciting. Who doesn’t love a bit of drama? That’s what football is about for me.

Do you think women’s football could use more of that intensity? 

100%. I love a good challenge and seeing players’ passion for the game — I love seeing how invested fans are in these matches too. Obviously, you don’t want it to turn into diving and theatrics like you sometimes see in men’s football! But there’s nothing wrong with a bit of rivalry.  

What can we expect from you on Derby Day? 

Passion — 100%. I’ll give everything, put my heart into it, and do whatever I can to win. Losing a derby is the worst feeling, so I’ll do everything to make sure that doesn’t happen!

Get your tickets now for the Manchester WSL derby and be part of the action at Old Trafford.

VERSUS: You spent last season on loan to Spurs so spent quite a long time living in London as a result. What’s it like being back in Manchester? 

Grace Clinton: I love living in Manchester, everything is so accessible — in a lot of ways, it feels like a mini London to me. There's loads to do, especially good places to eat, but it's much easier to get around. There are some things I miss about living in London, I think the takeaways are better down there haha! It is such a unique place, but Manchester is like a smaller version of it in my opinion. It’s also a lot closer to home and my family, which is really important to me. 

Today was a bit different for you! You got to dress up in some Y-3 pieces and drop some poses in front of the camera. Did you enjoy it? 

I actually did! It's so cool to do things like this every now and then, and work with new people. 

You were a natural! 

I don’t know about that! I definitely enjoyed myself though. 

Is experimenting with your style something you like to do? 

I do like fashion but I'm quite a chilled person, so it's nice to come to a shoot like this and step out of my comfort zone. Sometimes you wear something different and realize it actually looks decent, and when you see the pictures, you're like, "Oh, I can pull that off!" It's a nice experience because of that. 

Do you think more women’s footballers are comfortable experimenting with fashion in the modern game? 

100% and I think it's so cool for them to do so. You see so much more of it now, especially on Instagram. I think, why not? I admire people who try new things. I think we’re seeing more women’s footballers experimenting with fashion and that’s something I really like to see — I have a lot of admiration for people who try new things, it isn’t easy operating out of your day-to-day or what you consider to be “normal”, especially when you have a platform or following.

You scored a brilliant goal a couple of weekends ago now...

Some people were saying that was a fluke, you know.

Was it?

Of course not!

You got a lot of praise from your teammates and manager after that game. When you hear your peers praise you like that, how does it feel? 

Especially when you hear someone like Tooney (Ella Toone) say something so complimentary — she's a machine and has been amazing for us this year — it really humbles you. It motivates me to keep going and show the world what I can do. My teammates see me every day in training, but the world only sees 90 minutes on a weekend, so it pushes me to keep improving.

Do you see yourself the way they describe you? 

No haha! I'm quite hard on myself to be honest with you — I focus a lot on my mistakes, which is something I’d like to change. If I make one mistake for example, I beat myself up over it. So, I wouldn’t say I praise myself in the same way my peers do. 

You had a great season on loan at Spurs and made the PFA WSL Team of the Year. Do you feel like things are falling into place for you? 

My main focus this year is doing what I can for the team. We're such a competitive side with a lot to play for. When you're in those moments, you don't really think about it, but when the season ends and you have a little more time to reflect, that’s when you realize it's been another great year under your belt.