Skinner: It could be the game of the weekend

Skinner: It could be the game of the weekend

Marc Skinner believes that Manchester United Women’s fixture against Brighton & Hove Albion on Saturday could be the game of the weekend.

The Reds remain unbeaten with three Barclays Women’s Super League clean sheets to start our season, while Brighton are also on nine points with three wins from four.

The game will see a number of familiar faces with Nikita Parris, Maria Thorisdottir and Sophie Baggaley playing for the Seagulls whilst Elisabeth Terland goes back to her former club for the first time.

Skinner spoke to the press on Thursday morning about his new striker, the way the season has gone so far and also gave an injury update on the squad.

TERLAND IS LIKE THE TERMINATOR

“We were watching Liz [Terland] for the season before last so we’d had pinpoints but I think her breakout season was last season, because what it showed was that she’s got a consistency in the league. The biggest thing when you’re looking at recruitment is it’s not just talent and it’s not just projected talent.

“It’s actually if they have experience of doing it within the league. What always impressed me with Liz and, more importantly, for a number nine is her mentality. It’s her mindset.

“When we spoke, we spoke about ways in which we can improve. Even the chances she missed last year, she could have had a few more [goals] than she did, like with clear-cut chances. There’s areas of the game that I think we can continue to improve.

“Working on the left-hand side, I think is something we can constantly improve with her. The best way for me to put it is, if you look at like the way the Terminator would see on the movie and it is like you’re narrowing down the angle, what it is – that’s how I see Lizzie’s brain working because she’s so ruthless in those moments.

“It was her attitude when I spoke to her, it was all about she wants to win. She wants to push herself. She’s hungry for success. Not only as a person but, obviously, as a team. It always helps when there’s a fantastic photo of her and her brother in Manchester United kit. So it always helps when you have a passion for the club but it was always those key traits for me.

“It was about her ability to zone in on the moments that matter, which is the boxes. You saw against Tottenham first 30, 40 minutes. We weren’t anywhere near our best but it was those moments that mattered in the game. Phallon Tullis-Joyce at one end and and, obviously, Liz at the other. She is an impressive human and that was why she had to be our number nine.”

BRIGHTON WILL TRY TO GET ON THE BALL

“It can definitely be a factor in the game [playing at the Amex]. We’ve felt it as well at Old Trafford, it’s a consistency of the message. I’m sure they’re in a space where it might not affect them as much because they’ll be confident coming into this game and they should be. I’ve watched their games. They’re playing a possession-based style of football.

“They’ve obviously got some real, experienced players that really make them tick and I think it’s going to be an exciting tie. I think it might be one of the games of the weekend because it’s a tough challenge for both teams.

“From our perspective, we have to make sure that we nullify [them] as best we can, but understand and be very clear on this. Understand that they value possession as a high metric for them. So if they do win in that score on Saturday, but we win the game, then that’s part and parcel of football.

“I think it’s a team that will try and draw you in. They’ll try and make you make mistakes in your press and they’re very good at exploiting it. So Dario [Vidosic] has done a great job.

“I think it’s exciting for Brighton fans, seeing what they’re going to do, but we have to make sure we show our experience. We have to show the other side of the game in this in this moment, be as ruthless as we are at the back, and in each box, and try to win the game but know it’s going to be an exciting game for sure.”

WE WANT TO FIGHT FOR EACH OTHER

“Clean sheets build and breed confidence because it knows that you’re a team and I felt, against Tottenham, we probably gave up a few more chances than we probably would like. United’s goalkeeper and defenders have to probably deal with like three big moments a game and the rest we do in possession and we create our own. So I think, if we can prepare for that, then it’s those clean sheets that breed the confidence and the focus to know that you’re kind of in control. I think the more you’re in control, the better you feel going into being able to finish.

“This is a team that wants to fight for each other. It wants to work together. I felt we’d done a great job of working out the problems in the first half against Tottenham, and that’s the difference. You want a team that’s successful, you have to have a team that’s willing to fix problems and not moan about them.

“This is what our team are doing fantastically well and we’ll get them on Saturday. Brighton will cause us problems because of the way that they play, and we will have to fix them live and do it calmly enough to exploit the opponent, and that’s what we’re going to plan to do.”

INJURY UPDATE

“We’re hopeful that Geyse will be available for the weekend. Melvine Malard will still be out, Anna Sandberg will still be out. Jayde Riviere, we’re still assessing, but may be out. Then the only other one that I’m aware of is, obviously, Evie Rabjohn as a longer-term situation. Apart from that, I believe everybody’s available training today and tomorrow.

“Melvine has been training in terms of in the gym. She’ll probably look to return after the international break. The good thing was we caught it early, so it wasn’t an extreme strain, it wasn’t a tear. We’re in a good space with it, but, probably and hopefully, for the Arsenal game. If not, the game after that, I think she’ll be back.

“Anna is doing really well. I still think she’s probably five or six weeks away, to be honest. She had a small procedure but she’s in really good spirits, which means that it’s gone well.”

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