Jess Sigsworth came closest in the Reds’ pursuit of an equaliser, but the hosts held firm throughout the 90 minutes with Inessa Kaagman’s 25th-minute penalty the difference at The People’s Pension Stadium.
The result along with scores elsewhere means United drop down to fourth in the WSL table and out of the Champions League places on goal difference, with three league matches left to play.
Just over a week on from a historic afternoon at Old Trafford, the Reds were back on the road and entered the season’s final four WSL fixtures with a trip down to the south coast to face the Seagulls.