Manchester United must “build the story” of a rivalry with Liverpool, says coach Marc Skinner.
United host Liverpool in the Women’s Super League on Sunday, their first game after the winter break.
The game doesn’t yet have the stakes of the men’s game – but they are growing and being pushed by the fans, according to Skinner.
“It could be a huge game, the more experience you have against each other to build history,” he said.
“Liverpool are a very good team, and going forward I think it will be like the men’s rivalry. Our job is to implement the performance to maintain the standards of this game.”
It will be the first league meeting between the sides since September 2019, following Liverpool’s relegation from the WSL.
Under manager Matt Beard, Liverpool have returned to the top flight this season and Skinner feels it is now possible to establish the match as a key one for clubs and fans alike.
“For us it’s exciting, the type of game we want to play,” he said in his pre-match press conference.
“We will be super focused and super charged, the way our fans treat him is how we treat him. It will take time to build the history of the men’s game, but Liverpool will play with the same intensity as us.
“They’re still the biggest part. Our fans make the rivalry as well as the performance on the pitch. We have to make a cauldron out of it and give nothing to Liverpool. We’ve all played in front of empty stadiums and it’s not fun .”
“We would be stupid to be distracted”
United enjoyed a superb first half of the season, winning seven games and losing just one of their first nine WSL games to place themselves in the title hunt.
However, they could face a tricky transfer window, with several key players including Euro 2022 winners Alessia Russo and Mary Earps nearing the end of their contracts.
They also lost experienced midfielder Lucy Staniforth, who moved to Aston Villa with just six months left on her contract.
Skinner said his side are looking for midfield reinforcements, as well as other transfer options.
He said of Staniforth: “With the work we are doing, her time was becoming less and less important, so we decided that was the best option for the player. There was no problem for us, we wish him all the best. Our job is to watch what we do in that window.”
On England striker Russo now being able to talk to other clubs, with his contract expiring this summer, Skinner said: “It complicates things, the reality is these conversations have probably been going on for a while.”
He also confirmed they were in negotiations with first-choice goalkeeper Earps over a new deal.
Third-placed United have the chance to close in on top two Arsenal and Chelsea on Sunday, as the London sides face off at the Emirates Stadium.
Skinner said: “There are points to lose but in the end we don’t care what they are doing, we would be stupid to be distracted. We have to focus on this very difficult task at Liverpool.”
