Manchester United's head coach, Marc Skinner, believes that strengthening the squad during the January transfer window is crucial for their Women's Super League title aspirations. After a 3-0 defeat to
Manchester City at the Etihad Stadium, United find themselves trailing their rivals. Rebecca Knaak, Khadija Shaw, and Lauren Hemp scored for City, putting them four points ahead of Chelsea and leaving United three points further back in third place.
United struggled to keep up with City, managing only 0.9 expected goals compared to City's 2.3. Skinner expressed his frustration at not being able to influence the game from the bench. Despite this setback, he doesn't see City as overwhelmingly superior but acknowledges that United needs more depth to compete effectively for their first WSL title.
Skinner remains optimistic about catching up with City and sees potential in using the winter transfer window to bolster the team. "We need to recruit players who can support us," he stated. He believes that with the right additions, United can close the gap on their rivals and improve their chances of success.
The boss reflects on today's gameManchester United Women (@ManUtdWomen) November 15, 2025
When asked about specific transfer targets, Skinner confirmed he has players in mind and plans to pursue them actively. "I think we will continue to chip away at them," he said. He hopes that new signings will bring necessary adaptations to the team, which could have potentially changed the outcome against City even when trailing by three goals.
Despite recent setbacks in the WSL, including a loss to Aston Villa last week, United is performing well in Europe. They are one of three teams with a perfect record after three games in the Women's Champions League. Their next match is against Wolfsburg on Wednesday.
Following their European fixture, United will face West Ham in the WSL on December 7. Three days later, they will play Lyon, another team maintaining a 100% record in the Champions League. These upcoming matches present opportunities for United to regain momentum both domestically and internationally.
The focus remains on strengthening the squad through strategic recruitment during the January transfer window. Skinner is determined to enhance United's competitiveness and believes that with targeted signings, they can bridge the gap with their rivals and push for success in both league and European competitions.
