In the early stages of any season, it is important to put a marker down. It can build confidence within a team and strike fear into the hearts of opponents for the remainder of the campaign.
Marc Skinner’s Manchester United certainly did just that as they raced into a 4-0 lead in the first half of their opening match of the season against Reading this afternoon.
After such a blistering start to the new season, many Red Devils fans can be forgiven for developing lofty ambitions for the campaign ahead. For Skinner and his players, they are sticking to the old adage of ‘one game at a time’.
“Our ambition was to beat Reading and we beat Reading,” Skinner said when speaking in the post-match press conference. “Our club’s full of pressure, we want to win every game, we want to put ourselves in the best position to win every game.
“We can achieve what we want to achieve based on how much effort and commitment we put into it.”
One player who certainly came flying out of the traps was summer signing Maya Le Tissier who came up with two goals on her Manchester United debut. Big things are expected of the young defender but few would have imagined her having such a huge impact in the attacking third of the pitch. Skinner said that he always believed that she had it in her locker to have an impact offensively.
“She has a lot of ability to score, to strike the ball really well, her passing range is excellent,” he said. “She’ll be a key part of what we do moving forward, we’ve got a player that has real energy, commitment and focus.”
Even though Le Tissier has had a flying start to her career in the red of Manchester United, her coach does not expect her to get carried away any time soon.
He said “She won’t let that get to her head, she’ll get straight back to work on the training field and that’s why I was so impressed with her.”
Both of Le Tissier’s goals at the Leigh Sports Village were set up by her new captain Katie Zelem who also celebrated a special occasion in the game, although at a very different stage of her Manchester United journey. Prior to the match, Zelem was gifted a commemorative shirt to mark a century of appearances for the club and she stepped in with a coolly taken penalty to go with her pair of assists.
Zelem had come under some criticism at times last season but following the departure of Jackie Groenen to Paris Saint-Germain, she could prove to be an invaluable piece in Manchester United’s midfield in the season ahead. Skinner highlighted the qualities that she provides the team.
“What people probably don’t see is the way she gels and knits other players together,” Skinner said. “She always does a lot of the unsung hero work.
“I’m proud to have her as my captain.”
It was also a momentous occasion off the field, as The Red Devils celebrated the start of the new season with a record crowd of 5,315 in attendance at the Leigh Sports Village, the largest-ever for a Manchester United Women’s match at the ground.
Although many managers and coaches talk about not playing the occasion and just the game, Skinner admitted it was hard to ignore the passion that the supporters provided and he wanted his side to repay the United faithful in kind.
He said “When I walked down the tunnel today, with the fans there, it was a real special moment. It was a real great experience for us as a team and I asked the players to give them the energy to keep feeding us. We have to be the spark for our fans to keep them growing in our game and keep them coming back.”
On top of the goal-fest, the home fans witnessed four players making their competitive Manchester United debuts. In addition to Le Tissier, forwards Lucía García, Adriana Leon, and Nikita Parris all featured today. Skinner emphasised the strength that the new additions have given his squad and the impact that players from the bench can have.
“We run for the rest of our team,” he said. “We try and put ourselves in the best position for the rest of the players to then come in and make the difference.
“We are going to be a full squad rather than an 18, the game’s moving too quickly now, it’s not about 11 players anymore. It allows us to change the dynamic of the game, we couldn’t do that last year.”
The four debutants all looked lively and seemed to fit seamlessly into their new surroundings. Skinner gave some credit to his established players for making the new arrivals feel welcome.
The Manchester United boss said “We have a unique thing about our team and that comes from the captain and all the players who have been here before them, they make you feel at home instantly and that shows on the field.”
It may take some time for the new faces to truly embed themselves into the squad but if the team continues putting in performances like they did in the first half today, they will certainly be afforded the time to do so. It is nearly two months until Manchester United face one of the ‘Big Three’ in the league and that could allow Skinner and his players time to get some points on the board and build momentum. If The Red Devils can perform like they did today on a regular basis, they could have the edge to finally claim that elusive UEFA Women’s Champions League spot.
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