Skinner issues early team news for Everton clash
United Women boss Marc Skinner has revealed how the Reds are shaping up ahead of Sunday's visit to Everton.
After a midweek trip to Durham for the Conti Cup, the Reds are on the road again as we face Everton away from home in a bid to maintain our 100 per cent winning start to the Women's Super League season.
We currently sit level with Arsenal at the top of the league after four games and have an identical record to the Gunners in every category.
With a chance to build on that start just around the corner, Skinner addressed the availability of the squad in his pre-match interview with club media, ahead of the journey to Merseyside.
Everton v United Women: Skinner's preview
Marc Skinner addresses the availability of United Women's injured players in his preview for Sunday's WSL game...
It's a positive update for fans hoping to see Alessia Russo return from injury, as the boss reveals our no. 23 is in contention to be back in the travelling squad this weekend.
She could be joined by Grace Clinton, who is also in with a chance of being named in the matchday squad for the first time this season, as we come up against her former club.
Full-back Ona Batlle will miss this game having being subbed off in our 4-0 win over Brighton due to concussion. Skinner reveals that they are progressing "cautiously" with the Spaniard to make sure she is ready for upcoming games.
Aoife Mannion is the only other member of the squad that is unavailable, as she continues her rehab from an ACL injury she picked up last season.
"Everyone else is fit and healthy, and we're looking forward to taking it into this challenge this weekend," Skinner told club media.
With an almost complete team, the boss knows we will have to be at our best to overcome Everton after their "impressive" start to the season.
"I've been really impressed in terms of no surprises: Brian [Sorensen] has come in and done an excellent job in terms of changing the style of play that they have, they're much more based with the ball, very good at moving it and finding pockets of space," he said.
"We've got to be very careful in the way that we approach that.
"But there are, as with any teams, ways we can exploit them, as they will see with us, but it's a good team that are performing really well."
He added: "I thought they were very good against Chelsea so it will be a very difficult game but something we've got to perform well against to take the points."
United's game against the Toffees will kick-off at 14:00 GMT on Sunday.