Manchester United head coach Marc Skinner admitted that he was bitterly disappointed with his side’s second half performance in their 4-1 Vitality Women’s FA Cup fifth round defeat to Manchester City yesterday.
The Red Devils were 1-0 up at half-time but suffered a second half collapse as they exited the competition with a whimper.
One month ago, things looked to be very much on the up for Manchester United and head coach Skinner and with seven consecutive victories and zero goals conceded, some were even tipping The Red Devils as outsiders for the title. Yet, they are now without a win in their last four games, out of both domestic cup competitions, and their chances of claiming a top three finish is in doubt.
Manchester United were the stronger side in the opening 45 minutes against Manchester City yesterday and they were good value for their 1-0 half-time lead. However, that all fell apart when they conceded three goals in 10 second half minutes.
“It didn’t feel like us,” Manchester United boss Skinner said following yesterday’s loss. “As a group, we cannot have the standard drop from the first half to the second half.
“It doesn’t matter what Man City do, it does not matter. If we get to a point where we let our standards drop in that second half, we get beat.”
Given how strong a performance Manchester United put on in the first half, it is possibly their most disappointing defeat against Manchester City given how abject they looked after the break. Skinner and his players must look to the future and take the pain from this game and turn it into something constructive.
Looking ahead, Skinner said “For us, it’s about using this experience but never forgetting what it feels like after this game, never forget what it feels like for our fans, never forgetting what it feels like for our players. It’s about feeling it and using it a positive way.”
The sole focus for the red half of Manchester now becomes securing a top three finish and with it, UEFA Women’s Champions League qualification. Next up for them is a home fixture against 10th-placed Leicester City on Saturday. It will be fascinating to see if they are able to galvanise themselves once again and return to the form that they showed back in January.
About The Author
