Skinner: Wednesday will be a nice barometer

Our first game of the group stage takes place on Wednesday 2 October (19:00 BST), with fans back at Leigh Sports Village for the first time this season.

United have won our opening two league games against West Ham and Everton and are looking to continue that strong start this week.

Ahead of the game, Skinner spoke to journalists about squad rotation, the postponement of our Women's Super League fixture against Chelsea and more.

IT’S GOOD TO SEE WHERE WE ARE AT

"I think [Liverpool is] a good test. We played them in the League Cup last year and we won the game, but in the league we fell short to set-pieces. So we've got to be alive to those tomorrow night. I think it'll be a good challenge. Knowing Beardy [Matt Beard], I think he'd have liked to have gained maximum points out of the [first] two games [in the WSL] but having played West Ham and played Leicester in pre-season, you have to break them down.

"I think it will be a different game tomorrow. I think it'll be a nice, short, small barometer based on where we're at in the season with both teams just to see where their recruitment lies and where the game will go."

I WANT A COMPETITIVE SQUAD

"We've always taken the League Cup seriously and it just falls at a time where you have to get three game weeks, so you have to be balanced for the players. If we play different players in this game,it's not about rotation, it's about deserved minutes. I want a highly competitive squad.

"There'll be some differences in some of the team tomorrow. We really want to go as far as we can in this cup as well. So it's not about taking this one lightly at all. It'll just be about trying to get a good performance and a win tomorrow night."

SAF IS READY TO FACE THE CHALLENGES

"The reality is she's a very young keeper [Safia Middleton-Patel]. Keepers tend to need a little bit longer time because the depth of talent pool tends to be that the older players are more experienced right now. We have a great goalkeeping department that has a good focus on how they develop so it's about learning, it's about giving them exposure.

"Should she be called on tomorrow night I have no problem that she will be ready and ready to deal with what the challenges of the game will face. I'm happy with the development. We're going to expect a lot from our younger players, and she's got to rise to the very top and she's right on track to do that."

I FEEL FOR THE FANS

"For me, most importantly, it’s the fans that have that have been affected, which is something we clearly don't want to happen. I think from a playing perspective for both Chelsea’s welfare and our welfare players wise, I think it's the right decision. We don'twant any more injuries. We've seen Everton potentially take an injury again at the weekend. We don't want that.

"So I think from a player welfare [point of view] it's the right thing for me. It's more the effect on the fans. Wherever we fit the game in, let's make sure it's accessible to the fans and they're looked after because I think that's the most important thing. It was sold out. We just need to make sure it favours them as well. I think that's really key. I think the reality is still for the quick turnaround, which would have been for us or Chelsea, I just think it would have put the players at risk. And I don't think we need to do that this early in the season."

INJURY NEWS

"There’s only two that will be missing. Emma Watson's just taken a little niggle so she'll be out. She'll probably be back next week, so it's come a little bit too early for her. Anna Sandberg still has some swelling that we just need to get out, but not nothing too serious. We're going to have to be patient. She's easily worth waiting for.

"It's a frustrating for her because I think you'll see an excellent player and someone that we can really grow with, but it's just going to take a little bit longer. She was already partway through the season in the Swedish league. So she's had a little bit of football. So once she's back, she won't be too far off being ready to then play games."