What's behind United's poor derby performance?
Marc Skinner's side were outplayed in 3-0 loss to rivals - why and what next?
It’s hard to know where to start with Manchester United’s 3-0 defeat to Manchester City on Saturday.
Going 2-0 down inside the opening 20 minutes of a Manchester derby is a disaster, and it easily could have been more.
This game felt all too familiar to the reverse fixture between the two sides earlier this season. City looked a class above United, making the game look like a training exercise at times. City went on to win Saturday’s clash 3-0, but they had a first-half header disallowed, another shot off the crossbar, and multiple other chances created. United can be very grateful that the scoreline wasn’t bigger.
With just one win in six games in all competitions for United, could this squad finally be starting to run out of steam? Or are they being tactically out done? Or perhaps it’s a combination of the two.
Lack of energy
There’s no doubt Marc Skinner’s side are running on empty right now. This was their fifth game in 13 days and they’ll be facing Bayern Munich in the second leg of their Champions League quarter-final on Wednesday.
The squad is additionally stretched due to the list of injuries mounting up with forward Elisabeth Terland the latest to be added to the list. Currently, United have Ellen Wangerheim, Leah Galton, Ella Toone, Dominique Janssen, Anna Sandberg and Terland all missing through injury, with Julia Zigiotti Olme also absent from this game through suspension.
Skinner spoke about the lack of energy being a factor in his post-match interview, saying: “We’re limited because of the amount of games we’ve had. I think that the players are giving you all they’ve got. So, we’re making uncharacteristic mistakes because of fatigue. If we’re energised today, I think we take the game to City. Knowing the team and how we’re working, fatigue just really is affecting the decision-making. I think City took advantage of that, which was credit to them”
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