-myKhel Team

Manchester United remain in the Women’s Super League top-three race, despite a heavy derby defeat and a demanding schedule, with Marc Skinner insisting confidence in the squad stays intact as pressure grows on Champions League qualification hopes.

The 3-0 loss to Manchester City at Old Trafford damaged momentum, coming soon after a 3-2 reverse against Bayern Munich in the first leg of the Champions League quarter-finals, yet Skinner stressed that belief in Manchester United’s ability to respond has not changed.

Manchester United sit third in the WSL on 38 points, level with Arsenal but behind the Gunners on goal difference, and Jonas Eidevall’s side hold two games in hand after a 5-2 victory over Tottenham, while Chelsea can overtake both clubs if Emma Hayes’ team defeat Aston Villa on Sunday.

Manchester United still face testing away fixtures against Spurs and Chelsea before the campaign ends, so the final weeks could decide whether Champions League qualification is secured or missed, with Skinner accepting the challenge but maintaining that the squad can handle those high-stakes matches.

City’s win at Old Trafford moved Gareth Taylor’s team closer to the WSL title, as Vivianne Miedema struck twice before half-time and Kerstin Casparij added a third early in the second half, leaving Manchester United beaten comfortably in a game where defensive lapses inside the penalty area proved costly.

Reflecting on the situation, Skinner said: “It’s a difficult run-in. It is what it is. I’m never worried, Skinner said. I know what this team will give. Even on Wednesday, I know what they will give. We just have to find the right solutions in the game to limit the opponents. We gave them space in the box for the headers. Those are the things we have to fix. With the run-in, we have to win the last games.”

Manchester United’s record against City in the WSL underlines the scale of the task, with only two wins from 12 league meetings, four draws and seven defeats, and this season marks the first time since 2023-24 that Manchester United have lost both league fixtures against their cross-city rivals.

Support inside Old Trafford remained strong despite the loss, with Manchester United players acknowledging the backing from the stands and the club highlighting that level of encouragement after the match.

Skinner pointed to a congested schedule and limited rotation options for Manchester United, with the derby placed between the two Bayern matches, and explained how physical tiredness can affect passing choices, body positioning and movement off the ball during intense fixtures.

He said: “The more fatigued you are, the less likely you are to get the right body shape open to play the right thing, which makes it look like they’re hiding, but they’re not, he added. They just move a second later and all of a sudden you’re not separated enough to see the option to play forward and tiredness creeps in.”

Looking at Manchester United’s wider direction, Skinner stressed the effort levels and the need for further backing, stating: “The team are giving absolutely everything they can. It’s clear to me that if we get the right investment in the right areas, then we can meet those expectations.”

Manchester United now enter the final stretch of the season needing victories in the remaining league fixtures, improvement in defending key moments and careful management of fatigue, while also continuing their Champions League quarter-final campaign against Bayern Munich.

<![CDATA[]]>