Manchester United head coach Marc Skinner says that his side must put in a complete performance against Paris Saint-Germain if they are to qualify for the group stage of this season’s UEFA Women’s Champions League.
The Red Devils battled out a 1-1 draw with The Parisians in the first leg of their Round 2 tie in Leigh last week. Manchester United will now look to complete the job in Paris this evening.
Manchester United travel to the Parc des Princes having not kept a clean sheet so far this season. Head coach Skinner says that his side must be on top form in all areas of the pitch if they are to qualify.
“It’s team defending, our individuals have to be switched on,” Skinner said when discussing his side’s defensive challenges with WSL Full-Time. “They (PSG) have such an athletic ability to go behind your back-line, they have great one v one ability and they like to play back to play and link.
“In the first half of the first game, we didn’t get up to speed quick enough. It was just quick and something that we had not previously experienced. We’ve now got experience of that and I feel that second half, we put in a real solid performance and we deserved to get something out of the game.
“We have to go in to defend as a team and we have to concentrate as individuals because they will create chances. It’s also going to come down to what we do with the ball. I feel that we can move PSG all over the place. It’s going to be a factor of both. It’s going to have to be a complete performance if we are to progress.”
Manchester United made a habit of performing well on big occasions last season and Skinner has full belief that his side can do it again in France this evening.
He said “What I feel is that we have got the experience to go into big stadiums and play football. We have got our game plan, we know how to adapt and we know how to evolve in the game.
“It’s going to be an exciting game. Paris Saint-Germain will attack us but we’ve got to make sure that we repel that. We’ve got to be on point when we are attacking to try and occupy what they are doing but also exploit that. I think we can.
“I trust and believe in us. We are going into this game knowing that we have to win it but I don’t think that this team fears anyone, we rebel in situations where we should fear.”
Manchester United’s UEFA Women’s Champions League Round 2, second leg tie against Paris Saint-Germain kicks-off at 7pm this evening.
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