Marc Skinner has been delighted with United’s fast start to the league season but says his team are still in transition, integrating news players after a busy summer.
We’re in a good space. We’re still learning. I can tell that there are parts of our game that are not smooth but I’ve been happy with our clean sheets. I think that’s huge for us. We’re embedding a new goalkeeper into a starting position. We’re embedding new defenders, new midfielders, new forwards.
We’re playing some really exciting stuff and, even in training, I’m starting to see little connections in players that haven’t played together before. I think that is really important for us. It’s still our style, but I just think you’ll see individuals do things differently.”
And what of the challenge posed by Spurs?
It’s going to be an intriguing game. I won’t take Tottenham ever lightly. I pay every team the respect they deserve and this is a team that can score goals, create chances, has great counter-attacking ability. We’ve just got to try to control it as much as possible. It’ll be a good game. It will be tight.
Footage of footballers trotting across grass before a football match.
A reminder that Melvine Malard is injured for United and it looks like she’s been joined on the sidelines by Brazilian forward Geyse. The hosts still look pretty strong through, with Leah Galton continuing in her left back role and Celin Bizet coming into the forward line.
For Spurs, it will be all about that link-up between Martha Thomas, Beth England and Jessica Naz up top. We’re about 45 minutes from kick-off at Leigh.
Manchester United: Tullis-Joyce; George, Turner, Le Tissier, Galton; Clinton, Janssen, Naaslund; Toone, Bizet, Terland.
Hello and welcome to today’s live Women’s Super League offering. And it comes from Leigh Sports Village, where unbeaten Manchester United host Tottenham. OK, United have only played twice in the league so far this season, but with two wins from two confidence is high. Spurs have been a mixed bag with a win, a draw and a defeat from their three encounters so far.
Grace Clinton is most certainly the player to watch today. The 21-year-old England prodigy is aiming become the first ever United player to score in each of their first three WSL appearances for the club. She showed huge promise on loan at Tottenham last season – so there’s narrative for you. United boss Marc Skinner boasts a super record against Spurs, too, going seven games against them unbeaten.
The game kicks off at 12.30pm (BST) and we’ll bring you team news in the next post, so let’s get stuck into this, shall we? Yes, let’s.