Marc Skinner reacts to Man Utd's early Conti Cup exit
Manchester United manager Marc Skinner described it as ‘disappointing’ to see his team eliminated from the Continental Cup at the group stage, with a game even still to spare.
United beat Everton 4-2 on Wednesday night to claim a first victory in the competition this season, but having only drawn their two previous games and also failed to take a bonus point in either penalty shootout, the three points were still not enough.
Aston Villa’s win over Sheffield United in Group A’s other game ensured that Skinner’s cannot finish above them, with only top spot guaranteeing a place in the quarter-finals. The place on offer to the best runner-up is also now out of reach due to Manchester City and Liverpool from Group B both having more points than United can possibly amass even if they win their final game.
Given that United were one win away from reaching last season’s Conti Cup final and have begun the WSL campaign in red hot form, it is a setback to be out of a winnable competition so soon.
“We’re disappointed not to make the knockout rounds. But the reality is, in this competition, we should have won the first two games. We played Aston Villa and Durham – we always seem to get Durham away,” Skinner said after the final whistle.
The United boss reflected positively on the performance against Everton, even if it came too late in the wider picture, and at least took some relief in the fact that it was fixable moments under their own control in previous games against Aston Villa and Durham that cost them.
“There is a little bit of sanctuary to know that it was in our hands, but we’ve got to do more in the first two games,” he said. “We were leading in both games and on penalties in both. That’s our fault, but we can own that because the performance tonight shows our progression as a group.”
United return to WSL action on Sunday in a huge Manchester derby against neighbours City at the Etihad Stadium. The Conti Cup group stage will then conclude with what is now a dead rubber at home against Championship side Sheffield United a week before Christmas.
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