Manchester United have been accused of undermining the progress of women's football by steadfastly refusing to launch a female team of their own.

With women's football around the world on a high after the success of the recent World Cup where England came third, United have indicated they have no plans to follow Manchester City, Arsenal, Chelsea and Liverpool by establishing a women's side.

This apparent lack of interest from a club seen as trendsetters in so many other areas of the game has left United open to accusations of indifference at a time when more and more girls and young women are showing interest in the sport.

USA's women team celebrate their victory after winning the World Cup in Vancouver in July

Manchester United have been accused of undermining the progress of women's football after the World Cup

A spokesperson for campaign group Women in Sport said: 'In the current climate, it is barely comprehensible that one of the world's most recognisable football teams still refuses to properly engage with women's football.

'Time and again, the country's elite female footballers have demonstrated their abilities on the domestic and world stage, and the progress made on and off the field in women's football has been a real success story for the UK.

'These successes run the risk of being dangerously undermined when institutions such as Manchester United fail to show their support.

'We hope that the club and its directors will urgently reconsider their position on women's football and seize the opportunity to become part of women's football's development, rather than a barrier in its path.'

Senior executives at Old Trafford are aware of the pressure on the club to set up a women's team. United used to have one and still run teams at youth level but the senior side was disbanded in 2005.

On United's recent tour of the USA, senior United figures were tackled on the issue but would only say that there were no plans to review their stance.

Chelsea Ladies' Fran Kirby celebrates her goal during a recent Women's Super League match

Gilly Flaherty celebrates scoring the second goal during Chelsea's recent victory over Birmingham

Barbara Keeley, who is a local Manchester MP and co-chairs the All Party Parliamentary Group on Women's Sport and Fitness, wrote to David Moyes when he was United manager in 2013 after a fan petition urging executive vice-chairman Ed Woodward to change their stance gained more than 4,000 signatures.

She said: 'The reply I got from the club was that the matter was under review but there seems to have been no further progress.

'It is very hard to understand why Manchester United are still not prepared to re-instate a women's football team.'

Sports minister Tracey Crouch added: 'It is incredibly disappointing that one of the biggest clubs in the world doesn't have a ladies' football team.'

Toni Duggan (right) celebrates her glorious long-range strike for Manchester City in the past week