‘I’d expect Leicester to be more aggressive’ says Marc Skinner ahead of Manchester United’s duel with Foxes

MARC SKINNER believes Manchester United will face an aggressive and resurgent Leicester City top tier this weekend.

The Red Devils chief, who hailed Mary Earps’ Fifa award, reckons United’s Prem stars’ league cup triumph has energised the club.

GettyMarc Skinner’s team could move five points clear at the top of the Women’s Super League with a win against Leicester City[/caption]

GettySkinner expects his players will face a high pressing Leicester side at Leigh Park Village on Sunday[/caption]

GettyWillie Kirk’s team have won two of their last three league games[/caption]

On Sunday Skinner’s side could move five points clear at WSL’s summit with a home win against Willie Kirk’s battlers. 

The last encounter between the teams ended in a 1-0 October away victory for United who have lost just one top tier match so far this term. 

Their duel with the Foxes, who are bottom and battling for WSL survival  comes three days before Chelsea’s WSL clash with Brighton. 

Of the threat posed by Leicester, Skinner, 39, said: “In all honesty I’d expect Willie to be more aggressive. 

“When I look at the way that he sets up, the way he’s attacked Manchester City and in some of the other games, they’ve set up with an attacking kind of temperament and personality. 

“This might be a game where we expect more of a high press so we’ll prepare either way. 

“It’s something we’re going to have to continue to try and avoid and to overcome.

“Knowing Willie’s character in the way that he is, you know, I’m pretty sure he will set up an aggressive team.”

Despite their 2-0 home loss to Manchester City on February 4, Kirk’s players have enjoyed improved results this year. 

These include 3-0 and 1-0 defeats of Brighton and Liverpool in January and February. 

And they are now just a point behind Reading with Leicester having a game in hand.  

Skinner added: “Since Willie has been in (charge) I think there’s been a real turn of results.

“They’ve been way more aggressive and that’s nothing against what was happening before because Lydia set up a really structured team.  

“I’ve just seen the way Willie wants to go and attack games and that’s rubbed off on some of their results. 

“With the Liverpool game I felt Liverpool should have taken something from it.

“But I know the way he really likes to play, I know what he wants to do with his teams. 

“I’d expect them to not fear us at all and come to try and take some points.”

United’s match, which kicks-off at 12:30pm at Leigh Park Village, comes six days after Mary Earps being named Fifa’s best women’s goalkeeper of 2022. 

The gong for the Red Devils stopper, 29, follows some stunning performances for club and country.

This includes Earps becoming the first goalkeeper to keep 50 clean sheets in the WSL.

Skinner added: “We’ve spoken about Mary a lot during our press conferences, but for all the praise we give, her ability to win things like that just cements the quality she has.

“I think what we can use it for is the power within this country to keep growing our own players.”

Aside from pushing for Champions League qualification, Man United are chasing their first major silverware win since their 2018 promotion to the top tier. 

And Skinner believes the Carabao Cup triumph of Erik ten Hag’s men, who play Liverpool in the Prem on Sunday, has boosted the vibe within the club. 

The trophy is the first piece of silverware the Prem side have won in six seasons.

The United boss added: “It really feels palpable. 

“You can actually feel it when you walk into the building, when you’re in the hallways and whenever we speak to our counterparts on the men’s team. 

“You can just feel this real energy around the whole club. 

PASkinner reckons the Carabao Cup win for Erik ten Hag’s side has boosted good vibes within the club[/caption]

“The Academies – both female and male – are always producing the quality of players who should be at Manchester United.

“It’s such a special group for that. 

“But when you look at the most senior teams, we’re all striving for the same things which is to be successful and to progress.”