Casey Stoney

Proud coach Stoney gutted at Gunners defeat

Monday 16 September 2019 23:00

Casey Stoney's emotions were understandably mixed after watching her Manchester United Women's team lose to one of the country's leading sides by the narrowest of margins for the second successive week.

While the head coach was rightly proud of her charges, there was also frustration at the way Arsenal took all three points back to North London, with a deflected strike by Danielle van de Donk finally beating the excellent Mary Earps with just a minute of normal time remaining.

Here are Casey's key quotes from her post-match interview on MUTV...

Proud of my players

"I'm gutted for them, I'm really gutted for them. We've pushed the top two teams all the way. We've created good chances again tonight and we haven't taken them. It's a similar story to last week but I can't ask any more of these players. I said that. It's those fine margins and do you know what? We'll change those fine margins and get them going our way by our hard work, our dedication. I don't fault these players ever, they're so committed, they love this football club, they want to be out there and they want to give everything. My overriding emotion is pride but obviously I'm gutted they haven't walked away with something today."

Immense defence

"Look how far we've come in this short space of time. We're pushing teams right to the edge and for them to celebrate like that when they got the winning goal, they knew they were in a game today. Like I said, if we take our chances it's a different story but having said that, we're creating them so it's positive. We defended immensely today and it's just devastating for them that we've conceded one."

Frustrated by Arsenal's good fortune

"Yes, we're frustrated. I thought a lot went their way tonight, I have to say that. It was a deflected goal. I thought our players acquitted themselves brilliantly. I thought they were putting their bodies on the line, they did everything I asked of them. I can't ask any more than that."
Need to be more clinical

"Yes absolutely, we know that and we said it last week. It's fine margins and you're not going to get as many chances. The positive thing is we're creating them and now it's about taking them."

Go again next week

"Yes, we've said that. Now we recover. We've got next weekend off because we aren't in the Continental Cup that week and obviously we build for Liverpool now. I don't think the fans who come here will ever be disappointed with the effort and the application and the way we play our football."

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