Skinner: I am so proud of this team
Manchester United boss Marc Skinner says he is ‘unbelievably proud’ of his players after our 1-1 draw with Paris Saint-Germain on Tuesday evening.
Melvine Malard came on in the second half of the UEFA Women's Champions League first leg to equalise for the Reds after Tabitha Chawinga's opener.
We will travel to Paris next week for the second leg, as we aim to book a place in the group stages of the competition for the first time in the club’s history.
Skinner spoke to the press after the game to share his thoughts on a historic night at Leigh Sports Village.
Skinner: Our team belongs at this level
Marc gives his assessment of United's 1-1 draw at home to PSG in the UEFA Women's Champions League...
On a game of two halves…
"From the start of their season they have played a number of systems so we were adapting and evolving to be able to play against both. We have to pay respect to them. We are new to this situation. In the second half once we knew exactly how they were going to play and what they were going to do, we unleashed the players who needed to do the business – and they did. It was a of two halves in my opinion. They were counter-attacking in the second half, they were very physical.
"I think the reality is that the first half was the fast team we have played against, the highest intensity. I think it took a bit of time to see and feel it. I am so proud of the resilience in the first half because they stayed in the game. There was some really good emergency defending. Then in the second half, I felt like we had them on the ropes. We could have taken the game. It was a huge shift in 45 minutes. It felt like we could have won the game in the second half but in the overall game, a draw felt a fair result."
On lessons learnt ahead of the second leg…
"What I think we will do is learn from our second half as well as our first half resilience. I think you have to mix both styles of the first half resilience with the second half attacking to go and win the game. We had to attack second half, we’re at home and we had to go out and try and find a way. That was our first Champions League game and the players put in a performance like that. I am so, so proud."
Zelem: This is a great result for us
Captain Katie thinks we're in good stead for next week's second leg, having drawn the first 1-1 at home to PSG...
On getting a result in Paris…
"I believe we can do it anywhere so I am going to believe we can do it in Paris. We belong at this level, I have no doubt about that. We are going to need experience and to gain experience. We are going to need to work hard to get into the group stages but the second half shows that we are a team that is strong together. We have to earn it now. We have great shoulders to stand on from our men’s team and that breathes into all of our club. We are one. We have to take that belief into the second leg that we are Manchester United and we can beat anybody. We have to match them and learn how to exploit them."