United boss Marc Skinner has been under pressure for most of his time in charge of the club, really. The 43-year-old has dealt with it impressively well overall, too, given the various factors out of his control that have not helped.
This season alone, an underwhelming summer transfer window left him with a squad unfit for competing across four fronts, something which led to one pundit suggesting the club had let the women’s team down. Three good January signings made up for that in some areas, until a barrage of injuries left United with a threadbare bench for the trip to Munich on Wednesday.
But with that pressure heightened by the Red Devils’ FA Cup exit, their League Cup final defeat and a Women’s Super League title charge that felt dead way back in mid-November, it was hard to find excuses for Skinner as his team lost 2-1 at the Allianz Arena to be knocked out of the Champions League.
It all started so well, too. Skinner had his team attacking with intent in the first half, with Melvine Malard causing problems in particular. After just 15 minutes, she’d already beaten Bayern goalkeeper Ena Mahmutovic and forced the young shot-stopper into two good saves. The momentum was all with United.
Yet, after the break, the Red Devils didn’t have a shot until the 87th minute, when they were suddenly 2-1 down on the night and 5-3 down on aggregate. It was never expected that United could keep up that high energy all game, but the difference was so drastic and detrimental, with no respite offered by the attack.
Perhaps it was a lack of energy brought on by an over-stretched and injury-hit squad, but Maya Le Tissier’s post-match comments did not suggest as much and Skinner did himself few favours with the way he used his bench. Lea Schuller, the free-scoring forward signed from Bayern in January, wasn’t introduced until the 86th minute.
Again, there are many mitigating factors that mean United’s run to the Champions League quarter-finals, on their debut in the competition, was excellent and certainly not an underachievement. But the manner in which the Red Devils collapsed in Wednesday’s second leg will leave a bitter taste, given the position they were in with just 45 minutes to go in the tie.
