Manchester United head coach Marc Skinner praised his side’s ‘professional performance’ against London City Lionesses but urged them to be ‘more ruthless.’
Skinner was speaking to the press after his side ran out 5-1 winners against recently promoted London City. The Halfway Line was present to hear from the English head coach.
United ‘should have had more goals’ says Marc Skinner
Manchester United have started the season with nine goals in two matches and sit pretty at the top of the WSL table. The Red Devils even managed to rest key player Elizabeth Terland ahead of a crucial UEFA Women’s Champions League qualifier against SK Brann on Thursday.
“If anything, I wanted to be more ruthless today” Skinner said. “I felt we could have had more goals and should have had more goals, and we’ve conceded one which I’m not happy with.
“So all in all, it’s great mentality from the players to come from a flight. We had a 45 minute walk through around London City.
“Then to come out and perform like that, even with bits of sloppiness in the game, which I’d expect, I felt that it was a really professional performance.”
Marc Skinner keen to ‘unlock’ Jess Park’s potential
With two goals and an assist French striker Melvine Malard was a stand out performer on Sunday. Jess Park was not far behind, she scored a sensational fifth for United having run the show from midfield for much of the match.
“Yeah, I think Melvine again gave us a little bit of a different strength in there” Skinner said. “Teri’s [Elizabeth Terland] had a lot of work in the last two games, so we wanted to mix it up, keep them guessing a little bit.
“Melvine’s ability to hold the ball up but also arrive in the right spaces was excellent. I thought our delivery to her was good as well.
“Jess Park, obviously, I found that with City she was a little bit, and she’ll say herself, a little bit constrained in the way that they play at times, not a negative, just different.
“And we want to unlock her potential. If you look at her spaces today, she just found the right spaces. And even Tooney on the other side of the pitch, so it gives us this variance and manoeuvrability on the pitch.”
Marc Skinner says United need fan’s ‘loud voices’
The match today was a record home crowd for London City Lionesses with over 3,000 packing out Hayes Lane. Manchester United’s travelling support can take some of the credit for that record, following the team loyally home and away.
“It feels like a home game every time that they arrive” Skinner said. “And we knew that with a sell out, it’s probably Man United fans as well because London City haven’t got their base yet.
“Of course, they’ll grow that, but they [the United fans] did an incredible job today.
“I’m going to need them again going to these next two games [against SK Brann and Arsenal]. So I hope they bring their loud voices for those two games too.”
Looking ahead to Manchester United’s next match, against SK Brann on Thursday night Skinner will know that Manchester United have to win to stay in the Champions League.
“I felt against Bran on Thursday we were the better team. They used the crowd well, and they had a fantastic crowd and a fantastic energy. But we’re really good at Leigh Sports Village, so it sets us up perfectly.”
