Manchester United head coach Marc Skinner says that he has no doubts that his side will reach their end goals after they battled to a 1-1 draw at Arsenal this afternoon.
The Red Devils were in fine form before their defeat in the FA Women’s Continental League Cup at Chelsea midweek and they looked to be returning to that good form against Arsenal earlier today.
Manchester United could have been leaving the LV Bet Stadium with all three points but they conceded late on against a 10-player Arsenal side. A win would’ve seen them move to within touching distance of the league leaders but instead, they remain in third spot.
When speaking in the post-match press conference, Manchester United boss Skinner said that a win would’ve been justified while he commented that the goal conceded was due to a lapse in concentration.
“We’ve come to Arsenal away again and performed and absolutely deserved to take three points,” Skinner said. “We’ll be disappointed with the goal because of the concentration.”
It was big moments that ultimately cost Skinner’s side the win, not only that defensive lapse but also crucial chances that weren’t taken by Manchester United themselves, the biggest of which fell to the typically reliable Ella Toone but she couldn’t finish when one-on-one with Manuela Zinsberger.
Commenting on that moment, Skinner said “She’ll be upset at herself for not taking that moment but I just remind her of how wonderful a player she is and how she’ll take those moments going forward.”
Toone and her teammates will all undoubtedly be frustrated with the result, which is a far cry from the side that lost 2-0 in the reverse fixture earlier in the season. Consequently, it could be argued that this is a huge positive for Skinner and his players that after three matches in a week and away at the top two, they are disappointed to only leave Arsenal with a point. This therefore signifies the growth that the team has made under Skinner and will continue to make.
“I can see them growing every single day,” Skinner said. “Their belief in each other, their connected nature, it really is something special that we’re trying to create here.
“The players are doing everything they can and I have no doubt we’ll end up where we want to be.”
A part of that growth is the introduction of two new players in the form of Signe Bruun and Diane Caldwell, both of whom made their first starts for their new club, with the later making her debut. Skinner said that he was very pleased with what he saw from the pair.
“I thought they both did excellently in the moments they had,” said Skinner. “The energy Di gives behind the scenes as well as on the field – she’s constantly communicating, constantly reassuring, constantly reinforcing. That kind of steady focus is exactly why we brought her in.”
It was a big ask of Caldwell to step in for the injured Aoife Mannion against the league leaders but Skinner was clearly more than pleased with her display which should put many at ease if the likes of Mannion and Millie Turner are out for extended periods.
Despite not taking the full three points back to the North West, Manchester United’s rapid development offers lots of hope for the future. They still boast an unbeaten record away from home in the league and will look to continue that run and return to winning ways at Manchester rivals City next weekend.