Marc Skinner previews Manchester United’s FA Cup fifth round clash vs Southampton

Manchester United women face Southampton in the FA Cup fifth round this afternoon.

When speaking to reporter in his pre-match press conference, United manager Marc Skinner said that his side must try to strike fear into what he sees as a fearless opponent.

The only way to do that in a game like this is to start on the front foot, and as you mean to go on…

United won’t be winning the WSL this season, so the FA Cup is the only chance our women’s team has of winning silverware this season. The same applies to our men’s side.

“Marieanne [Spacey-Cale] has got them playing some really nice football, they’re a very good team to watch, they’re good on the eye and they have some very good players,” Skinner said, as quoted by WSL Full Time.

“I like the youthful vibe about them as well, there’s no fear from them. I expect a ‘no fear’ game from them against us but we have to put in a performance that strikes fear into them, we have to perform like that.

“I’m really looking forward to the game and I’m sure Southampton are too. We have got to be our special selves and put every bit of attitude, aggression and professionalism into the game and we know we have the qualities to win it.

“It won’t be easy but we’ve got to be focused on what we can achieve. We have to do everything in our power to play well.”

Skinner added: “Every game is important to us, so I’m not placing any more importance on this game because it’s a cup game in a knockout competition. I don’t enter games thinking that, I don’t think it’s healthy. I think you have to enter the game knowing that you have to put your best performance in to win it.

“It’s important for the players, staff and fans because we want to win things, we are ambitious. We want to focus on the performance, focus on the game which is against a very good team and if we do that, we have every chance to progress. We don’t know what is going to happen beyond that, all we can do is control our performance.”

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