Marc Skinner: Man United Women’s boss identifies West Ham’s threat

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·18 Maret 2026

Marc Skinner: Man United Women’s boss identifies West Ham’s threat

Manchester United Women will be looking to bounce back against West Ham United tonight.

Responding to cup final disappointment

The Red Devils disappointingly fell to a 0-2 defeat to Chelsea in the final of the League Cup on Sunday.

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They have no time to feel sorry for themselves as they come up against West Ham in the league, as they aim to hold onto second place in the WSL.

Head coach Marc Skinner spoke to the media in a press conference looking ahead to the game against the Hammers.

Skinner was first asked to reflect on the final defeat and he said that he felt similar feelings after watching the game again. He explained that the only difference between the two sides was the quality of play in both boxes and that he felt his side more than matched the Blues.

He was then asked about the short turnaround before the next match and he responded, “it’s more individual meetings at this stage. We’ll go through the game plan with some video, then do a light walkthrough on the pitch to keep players fresh. The squad is used to this from the Champions League, so it’s about small, focused details. The players have the quality to handle the rest.”

West Ham threat

The head coach was then asked to highlight what threat West Ham will carry towards his side.

Skinner elaborated, “their front line is very talented, so we have to be ready for counterattacks. It’s not a big pitch either, so you have to manage that. We’ll try to take the game to them, but we must be sharp with the ball because their counter threat is real. Taking our chances will be key.”

Injury updates

The head coach also revealed that Phallon Tullis-Joyce and French star Melvine Malard had a couple of knocks in the final but there are no major worries.

Learning from failure

Skinner was once again asked about what his side can learn from Sunday’s disappointment and he stated, “Chelsea have years of experience at this level. They know how to win even when games are tight. It’s not fear—my team doesn’t fear them—but in those key moments, we rushed decisions, which is unusual for us.”

He explained, “the positive is the players recognize it. Now we have to respond against West Ham.”

Away day success

Finally, Skinner was asked to comment on why he thinks his team is faring so well on the road this season.

He explained, “it shows the spirit of the team. Away games bring everyone together, and our fans travel incredibly well—it often feels like a home game. Now it’s about responding to Sunday. West Ham will be a real challenge, but I’m looking forward to seeing how the team reacts.”