‘Brilliant, but can be beaten’ – United’s Skinner and Le Tissier preview WSL second-place decider against Arsenal | OneFootball

Manchester United manager Marc Skinner and captain Maya Le Tissier previewed the team’s final Barclays Women’s Super League match of the season, which will decide who takes the runner up spot in the league.

United face Arsenal at the Emirates knowing a win would leapfrog them into second – matching their best-ever position achieved in 2022/23.

What did Marc Skinner say?

Asked whether next weekend’s Adobe Women’s FA Cup final against Chelsea would play into selection decisions, Skinner said: “I don’t think we ever turn up to Arsenal and think that you don’t want to win the game anyway. So for us, it’s a non-negotiable.”

“I think this is such a big game that people will also want to be playing in this game to get some rhythm for the final maybe as well.”

“There’s a lot on this game so I think we’ll take this absolutely fully focused before the FA Cup final.”

United have already secured Champions League qualification with a draw against Manchester City at Old Trafford, but a second-place finish would mean they face one less round of qualification for the league stage. It would also see their season start later, providing some potentially vital rest after the European Championships.

Skinner confirmed that Jayde Riviere, who was withdrawn injured against Manchester City, is having an ankle injury assessed and will not be involved. Rachel Williams is also unavailable, though Skinner said both could be back for the FA Cup final.

Asked what lessons he took from United’s draw with Arsenal in the first half of the season, Skinner said: “We weren’t as brave in possession as we are now. We were still finding who we were so I think it was day and night between what we expect on Saturday versus what we got in that game.

“I felt we were at times too passive but resilient enough to get a result out of it.”

Arsenal recently qualified for their first UEFA Women’s Champions League final in 18 years by beating Lyon, but have since suffered surprise defeats to Aston Villa and Brighton.

“The last two games they have probably been a little bit distracted with getting through to a Champions League final – congratulations to them on that, it’s no mean feat with the teams they have beaten. So we know on their day they can be brilliant, but then if they’re not on their day then they can be beaten.”

“We don’t fear Arsenal. We respect them, but we don’t fear anyone.”

What did Maya Le Tissier say?

Reflecting on leading the side to European qualification for only the second time in their history, and in her first season as captain, Le Tissier added: “It was always going to end up at that game at Old Trafford against City, it was just meant to be.”

“I don’t think we ever thought that we were going to lose that game even when we went down to 10 (players) and I think that just shows the togetherness and the spirit of the team.”

“I think our team definitely performs better when we’re under the pressure a little bit, that’s where we have fun that’s where we like to be and I think it’s not going to be any different on Saturday.”

United travel to the Emirates to face Arsenal on Saturday 10th May, with kickoff at 12:30.