Manchester United head coach Marc Skinner says his team will take the positives from their narrow defeat to Chelsea on Wednesday night into Sunday’s Manchester derby.

The Red Devils fell short at Leigh Sports Village after a late header from Lucy Bronze crowned Chelsea WSL champions for the sixth consecutive season.

The 1-0 scoreline painted the picture well, as United’s spirited display was let down by a lack of clinical edge in the final third.

Speaking to The Halfway Line ahead of the Manchester derby this weekend, head coach Marc Skinner said his need to ‘make the moments matter’ when it counts.

“The reality is, we played really well the other day, we just didn’t win the game. So we’ve got to make sure those moments matter, those moments, set pieces are moments that matter and those chances we created that we didn’t take. We have to punish those on Sunday.

“When you play a game like that in the middle of the week, I feel that it’s always prepared me as a manager, as players and as a team for another big challenge. There’s a flow of big challenges, so it doesn’t hit you cold.

“I think for us, it was a much better performance than we played against Chelsea last time. I felt that we should have taken something out of the game. So it just prepares you to be fully focused for this game, it’s going to be a tough game.”

The two Manchester sides have faced each other three times across all domestic competitions this season, both before and after the departure of former City head coach Gareth Taylor.

Skinner weighed up whether or not he has noticed a difference between the City of old, and the side led by Nick Cushing.

“Mainly the tactical adaptations have been relatively the same. You always have to be prepared for Nick, because he has the ability to change and to adapt quickly, so you have to be prepared for that. I think more importantly, it’s really hard as a manager to come in and change the style, especially with these injuries they’ve had, and the overhaul.”

Skinner added, “It would be tough for him to do that, and Nick is an experienced manager so he wouldn’t necessarily do that anyway.”

Telling The Halfway Line about how he plans to navigate City’s potential evolution under their interim leader, Skinner focussed his attention on ‘the small details’.

“I think what you do is you have different behaviours and habits, so you have to look for them. They’re small, and you have to look for how their players play within that system. I always do that, I always hunt the opponent to see what they do.

“For us, we know the quality that they have, they have players coming back. So we’ve just got to play our game in the end and just know that there are little nuances. They might not be tactical, but it might be more technical.

“I don’t think we talk about behaviours enough in football. Football tactics are there, they exist, everyone knows them. But behaviours within them adapt the tactic. It’s a really small detail, but I think their behaviours are adapting their mood, their mindset, and they’ll want to come and beat us at Old Trafford.”

A point will mean that United secure Champions League qualification, but a loss to their city rivals will leave the Red Devils with the mountainous challenge of drawing blood from Arsenal at Emirates Stadium on the final day.

“Nick [Cushing] knows the respect I have for him, and obviously Manchester City as a team. But we’re in front of our fans at Old Trafford, and we’ve got to give absolutely everything.”