Skinner urges Reds to be ruthless

Friday 30 September 2022 11:50

Manchester United Women's boss Marc Skinner insists his players must not 'take their foot off the gas', as we prepare to face Aston Villa in the FA Women's Continental Tyres League Cup tomorrow lunchtime.

Having successfully achieved two wins from two so far in the WSL this term, United will be buoyed by recent form, and hoping to build on our strong foundations.

Boasting a strong defensive record too, with no goals conceded so far this season, Skinner has urged his players to deliver more of the same this weekend.

Skinner: We have to be at our best Video

Skinner: We have to be at our best

Marc Skinner insists his side must meet the levels he expects of them, as United Women prepare to take on Aston Villa...

''I've just said in our huddle at the end, do not take your foot off the gas at all," said the 39-year-old when asked how United can build moving forward

''Our mentality has changed and it must continue to change. We can't sit here and make excuses or reasons, we have to put the best of ourselves on the pitch and build everyday. That includes games.

''When we play this game we know how difficult it is going to be, we are going to a tight compact ground in the Bescot Stadium, against an opponent that has just won their last two games. We have to be at the best of our very own performances to warrant a result. Only then can we say we have probably earned it.''

With Villa also boasting the same perfect record as us heading into Saturday's showdown in the West Midlands, something will seemingly have to give in terms of the two team's current unbeaten streaks.

Marc praised Villa's dynamic playstyle ahead of the clash, but insisted his full focus is on what United can do during the 90 minutes.

''Obviously their stand out result will be the one against Man City,'' he added. ''I thought their energy was good, their press was good, but obviously there are parts to their game which we feel we can exploit and that's our job to look to exploit that.

Skinner issues team news for Villa clash

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The United Women boss gave the lowdown on his squad ahead of the upcoming Continental Cup fixture.

''I think they have recruited well and they have added a lot of quality to the group, for example Rachel Daly is great recruitment.

''For us, we need to do what we can do in order to look to exploit the opponent and every team as ourselves and every other team in this league will give you something different to the best of their ability.

''It's then our job to try and unlock that and find that weakness. But all credit to them, it's a great start for them and even when Carla Ward mentioned she felt they didn't play that well against Leicester, they still came out with a result which is important. It's going to be a tough game.''

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