Manchester United head coach Marc Skinner says that his side will be taking nothing for granted against Birmingham City on Sunday and they are going to have to earn the right to collect points at St Andrew’s.
The Red Devils come up against the Barclays FA Women’s Super League’s joint-worst defence this weekend while their opponents are one of just three sides yet to collect a point in this season’s competition.
When speaking to FAWSL Full-Time ahead of Manchester United’s trip to The Midlands, head coach Skinner said that his side are prepared to earn the right to collect three points whilst also commenting that he believes that Birmingham City are showing signs of getting things right on the pitch.
“I think they can (survive), I really do,” Skinner said when discussing Birmingham City’s potential battle against relegation. “When I look at the Chelsea game, in the first half they really did limit Chelsea – yes, it was a hard block and they are difficult to overcome and you have to find special ways to do that but I felt that they were competitive and I felt that they were actually moving really well physically around the field.
“I know Scott (Booth), we played against him when I was at Birmingham and we went up to Glasgow, his teams were very well-organised and his character really drove his players on and I know Tony (Elliott) very well too. There are good people there who are going to try and drive that team on from where they are right now. I think they are in the best position with those people that are in charge.
“I am preparing my team to face a team with a really tough mentality and togetherness and we’ve got to go there and try to unpick that with our own mentality and earn the right to win. We are not going to go there thinking that we are going to win, we are going to go there to earn the chance to win.”
This weekend, Skinner returns to Birmingham City for the first time since leaving the Blues in 2019. Reflecting ahead of his return, the now-Manchester United head coach said that Birmingham City is a wonderful club.
He said “We are returning to the club but it’s not the club as I know it, we didn’t play at St Andrew’s, I think I only had one game there.
“It is nice to go back to Birmingham. I have a lot of love for the people at the club, for the ethos of the club and for the fact that it starts you at the humblest of beginnings. It is one of the most resourceful clubs when you look at the careers of the players which it has helped start.
“It is a wonderful club and I feel as privileged to be in this job as I felt in that job. I know that they have gone through their trials and tribulations but hopefully, they can still get investment and backing.
“I have nothing but love for that club until we play them on Sunday then hopefully, I’ll resume that love afterwards. It is very much a club that I am looking forward to going back to because of the respect that I have for it.”
Manchester United’s Barclays FA Women’s Super League fixture at Birmingham City kicks-off at 6.45pm on Sunday evening and will be broadcast live on Sky Sports Main Event and Sky Sports Football.
