Manchester United manager Marc Skinner described his team’s resilience as “off the scale” after they came back from two goals down to secure UEFA Women’s Champions League qualification with a 2-2 draw against Manchester City.
United recovered from a 2-0 deficit, and hung on with ten players for the final stages after Aoife Mannion was sent off, to seal a top-three finish.
Skinner praised his team’s efforts, but looked ahead to the importance of this summer’s recruitment to compete in Europe.
What did Marc Skinner say?
After going behind to goals from Laia Aleixandri and Rebecca Knaak, a header from Grace Clinton and equaliser from substitute Melvine Malard secured United the all-important point.
“To go 2-0 down, to then come back and to go down to 10 players against Manchester City who are a ball possession team and to see the game out absolutely feels like a win. And obviously it secured Champions League for us. So, yeah, huge, huge moment.”
It is only the second time United have qualified for the Women’s Champions League, and they failed to reach the group stages on their first attempt in 2023. Today saw them seal at least third place with one Barclays Women’s Super League game remaining.
Looking ahead, Skinner said: “In order to go into the depths of Champions League and actually from our perspective, qualify for Champions League group stage, because that’s the next ask, we’ve got to add that depth and that quality of play in the depth so that they can change the game. We have a good depth, but we need a little bit more.
“But Champions League gives you that and it gives you that recruitment – people want to come to a Champions League team. So hopefully it opens that market for us.
“We need to be very good in that space for us to push forward.”
Skinner said the club are aware the team need backing in the market, and added that there is a “big summer” ahead.
Reflecting on the final stages of United’s performance, where they were reduced to ten players after a second booking for Aoife Mannion, Skinner described the team’s mental resilience as “off the scale.”
“I watched them today go into this game and it’s at Old Trafford. It’s a big derby. The last one we played here against them, we lost. And I felt no nerves. I felt they were in control and I felt they were ready. And even when we go down to 10 players, we were ready.
“This team has the most immense spirit. And now we need to add the depth too in order for us to be challenging at the top for winning the title, not just qualifying for Champions League.”
United face Arsenal on 10th May in their final league game, before playing Chelsea in the Adobe Women’s FA Cup final on 18th May.