There is a storm brewing on the red side of Manchester. A tempestuous concoction of disappointing results, off-field issues and a club in flux has led to pressure being heaped on Manchester United’s manager Marc Skinner in recent weeks by a section of the team’s famously vocal supporters. “Skinner Out” signs have been increasingly visible in stadiums and chants on the same lines have become more audible as fans express their frustration at their title hopes and, perhaps more significantly, their European ambitions dwindling to a faint flicker.
It is a story emblematic of modern-day football, one that illustrates how fast things can change in an unforgiving sport. Just over seven months ago, while problems were building around player contracts, there could be little fault found with Skinner in terms of United’s on-pitch performance. Last season, his second, he guided his side to runners-up in the WSL, their best finish, and Champions League qualification. This time last year United were top, playing an engaging brand of attacking football while displaying a resilience that challenged the traditional hierarchy. They pushed Chelsea all the way and lost only twice, missing out by two points on the final day in a season where they possessed the division’s meanest defence and second-best attack, while also reaching a first FA Cup final.
