Manchester United head coach Marc Skinner has called on his side to carry the consistency from their recent performances into this afternoon’s derby at The Academy Stadium.
The Red Devils have collected 13 points from their last five games in the Barclays FA Women’s Super League and they have put up strong claims for a third-place finish and European qualification.
When speaking ahead of this afternoon’s Manchester derby, Skinner challenged his side to take their recent form into what is so often an unpredictable fixture.
“In the reverse fixture, we didn’t play well enough, we went behind and that wasn’t good enough in the first 45 minutes,” Skinner told FAWSL in his pre-match press conference.
“They’ll be a slightly different team because they have got most of their players returning but what we have got to do is put the best performance out that we can for all of the game rather than just a period of it. That’s the focus for us, being able to put forward the best version of ourselves against a very good Manchester City team in both halves.
“I want that consistency bringing forward from the last couple of months. It’s a bonkers game which is all great for the fans but we’ve got to manage that as coaches and deal with it as players and bring it as much in our favour as we can. From my point of view, I want to see that consistency in both halves.”
Manchester City have declared the game a sell-out with the club set to record their biggest-ever attendance for a women’s team fixture. Skinner said that his side must look to thrive in what will be an intense atmosphere at The Academy Stadium.
He said “It’ll be great. Our players are here to perform in-front of fans so the more that we can pack in is brilliant. The more that they support City, the more it could fuel us to be resolute, resilient and fight against that as well as Manchester City.
“Well done Manchester City for doing that, credit where it is due for selling out the stadium to whatever the capacity is. Hopefully, that can spur us on to a great performance and we can use the atmosphere as fuel to perform the best that we can.”
The Manchester derby at The Academy Stadium kicks-off at 12.30pm.