Marc Skinner is backing Lea Schuller to be “ready to go”
next season after the Manchester United striker scored her first Barclays Women’s Super League goal in the final home game of 2025/26.
Schuller arrived at United from Bayern Munich in January with a reputation as one of the most prolific forwards of her generation. But switching club, league and country mid-season is never easy. She remarked in March that leaving Germany was leaving her “comfort zone”
and the past few months has meant adaptation.
Lea netted on her first Reds start, against Burnley in the FA Cup in that first month. But her first league goal, securing a point against Brighton, felt like a big moment.
Although obviously important for her confidence, the boss doesn’t believe there has been any issue with that. A lot of it is just about building familiarity.
“It’s not about confidence with Lea. She understands, and I’ve been really clear with her, that we need to supply [her] in that box. I think it’ll be great for her [confidence], but I also don’t think it was the thing that she holds on to,”
Skinner explained during his post-match press conference.
“She’s in a new team. I’ve told her and Ellen [Wangerheim], it’s going to take six months of learning. Join in the winter and you’ll be ready to go next season.”
SERVICE FROM FULL-BACKS IS KEY
For Skinner, the answer is simple: “[If] we service Lea in the box, she’ll score lots and lots of goals.”
United’s evolution over time has meant the team is no longer operating with traditional wingers, with a transition to inside forwards.
“She’s been missing service. We’ve changed our style with the recruitment that we’ve had to make. And we’ve played really well and we’re really fresh. [But], if we can’t get up the pitch to give her support, there’s no point just pumping the ball long and expecting her to hold it up.
“If we can get [the ball] to Lea Schuller in the box, just like [Elisabeth Terland], we will score lots and lots of goals.”
United’s natural width these days comes from deeper, with marauding full-backs Jayde Riviere and Anna Sandberg playing as important an attacking role as they do defensively. Unfortunately, both have suffered injuries in the second half of the season and missed games as a result.
“We’ve only had Jayde and Anna back for the last couple of games, so really, wide full-backs are key for us, and that’s just really simple football,”
Skinner continued. “I’m trying to make all the cogs fit.”