| Personal information | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Date of birth | 21 September 2004 | ||
| Position(s) | Goalkeeper | ||
| Team information | |||
Current team | Manchester United | ||
| Number | 39 | ||
| Youth career | |||
| –2020 | Liverpool | ||
| 2020– | Manchester United | ||
| Senior career* | |||
| Years | Team | Apps | (Gls) |
| 2021– | Manchester United | 0 | (0) |
| 2021 | → Blackburn Rovers (loan) | 0 | (0) |
| 2022 | → Leicester City (loan) | 0 | (0) |
| 2023 | → Coventry United (loan) | 3 | (0) |
| 2023 | → Blackburn Rovers (loan) | 1 | (0) |
| International career‡ | |||
| 2019–2021 | Wales U17 | 6 | (0) |
| 2020–2021 | Wales U19 | 6 | (0) |
| 2023– | Wales | 1 | (0) |
|
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 30 April 2023 ‡ National team caps and goals, correct as of 15 February 2023 | |||
Safia Middleton-Patel (born 21 September 2004) is a professional footballer who plays as a goalkeeper for Manchester United of the Women's Super League and the Wales national team.[1]
Club career
Manchester United
Middleton-Patel joined Women's Super League club Manchester United from Liverpool in summer 2020. During the 2021–22 season, she was part of the under-21 team that won the WSL Academy League and Academy Cup double.[2] She was named to her first senior matchday squad for the club on 5 February 2022, a WSL match against Arsenal.[3] She signed her first senior professional contract with the club in January 2023.[4]
Loan spells
In November 2021, Middleton-Patel joined Blackburn Rovers of the Women's Championship on dual registration terms.[5] She was named to two matchday squads that month but did not make a senior appearance.[1]
On 12 March 2022, she joined WSL club Leicester City on an emergency goalkeeper loan for an away trip to Everton following injuries to Demi Lambourne and Kirstie Levell.[6] She was an unused substitute behind Sophie Harris as Leicester lost 3–2.[7]
On 11 February 2023, Middleton-Patel joined Championship club Coventry United on an emergency goalkeeper loan for a home match against Blackburn Rovers.[8] She made her senior debut the following day, starting as Coventry won 3–1.[9] In total she played three matches and conceded nine goals.
On 26 April 2023, Middleton-Patel returned to Blackburn Rovers on an emergency loan deal.[10] Four days later, she kept her first clean sheet in senior football as Blackburn beat Sunderland 1–0.[11]
International career
Youth
Middleton-Patel represented Wales at under-17 and under-19, appearing during 2020 UEFA Women's Under-17 Championship qualification and 2022 UEFA Women's Under-17 Championship qualification as well as 2022 UEFA Women's Under-19 Championship qualification.
Senior
In September 2022, Middleton-Patel received her first senior Wales call-up for 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup qualifiers against Greece and Slovenia but did not appear.[12] She was recalled to the squad during the next two windows, for two further qualifiers and a friendly but again did not appear for the team. On 15 February 2023, Middleton-Patel made her senior international debut, aged 18, when she started against the Philippines at the 2023 Pinatar Cup.[13] She played the full 90 minutes in a 1–0 victory for Wales.[14] She departed camp prior to the second game in order to appear for the under-19 team.[15]
Personal life
In September 2023, Middleton-Patel revealed via social media that she had recently been diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder.[16][17]
Career statistics
Club
- As of match played 30 April 2023.[1]
| Club | Season | League | FA Cup | League Cup | Total | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Division | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | ||
| Manchester United | 2021–22 | WSL | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Blackburn Rovers (loan) | 2021–22 | Championship | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Leicester City (loan) | 2021–22 | WSL | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Coventry United (loan) | 2022–23 | Championship | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 3 | 0 |
| Blackburn Rovers (loan) | 2022–23 | Championship | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| Career total | 4 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 4 | 0 | ||
International
- Statistics accurate as of match played 15 February 2023.[1]
| Wales | ||
|---|---|---|
| Year | Apps | Goals |
| 2023 | 1 | 0 |
| Total | 1 | 0 |
References
- 1 2 3 4 "S. Middleton-Patel - Soccerway". uk.soccerway.com.
- ↑ Wilkes, Louise (27 January 2023). "Man United WSL U21 academy make the finals for the second consecutive year". Manchester Evening News.
- ↑ "Match Report Arsenal v United Women 5 February". www.manutd.com.
- ↑ "Middleton-Patel signs first pro contract". www.manutd.com.
- ↑ "Safia and Chloe are both Blues". Blackburn Rovers FC. 14 November 2021.
- ↑ "Middleton-Patel Joins LCFC Women For Everton Trip". www.lcfc.com.
- ↑ "The Toffees Take Three Points As Foxes Fall To WSL Reverse". www.lcfc.com.
- ↑ "Safia Middleton-Patel: Coventry United sign Manchester United keeper on emergency loan". BBC Sport. 11 February 2023.
- ↑ "Coventry United vs Blackburn match report". www.coventryunited.co.uk.
- ↑ "Manchester United goalkeeper Middleton-Patel joins Blackburn Rovers on loan". FAWSL Full-Time. 26 April 2023.
- ↑ "Report: Sunderland 0-1 Rovers". Blackburn Rovers FC. 30 April 2023.
- ↑ "FAW / Cymru squad announced for final 2023 FIFA Women's World Cup qualifiers". www.faw.cymru. 6 October 2023.
- ↑ "'Happy tears' for debutant keeper Middleton-Patel". BBC Sport.
- ↑ "FAW / Cymru kick off 2023 with Pinatar Cup win against Philippines". www.faw.cymru. 6 October 2023.
- ↑ "Cymru play out goalless draw with Iceland in Pinatar Cup". www.faw.cymru. 6 October 2023.
- ↑ Falk, Graham (5 September 2023). "Man Utd goalkeeper opens up on autism diagnosis and calls for more 'inclusivity and understanding'". Manchester World. National World. Retrieved 6 October 2023.
- ↑ "Middleton-Patel: I want to be a role model". ManUtd.com. Manchester United. 6 October 2023. Retrieved 6 October 2023.
External links
- Safia Middleton-Patel at Soccerway