Man Utd down but not out - Skinner sure Bayern lead can be overturned
Manchester United boss Marc Skinner knows going to Germany and overturning a 3-2 first-leg deficit against Bayern Munich in the Champions League will test his side like never before. But he refuses to believe it is a task beyond them. Skinner rejected claims his side were naive in not shutting the game down after they had twice fought back from conceding goals to former Chelsea star Pernille Harder, even though the first came after just two minutes as Bayern executed their gameplan to perfection.
Instead, he preferred to look at the positives of a match that eventually turned against them thanks to an 81st-minute strike from Momoko Tanikawa. "I wouldn't call it a naivety," said Skinner. "There's going to be a little bit of learning in any game, especially when you're playing a quarter-final of the Champions League.
"I'm frustrated with all three goals. I don't think they had to work particularly hard to earn them. "But what I know about this team is that they will be open and honest with that and obviously we've got another leg to try and fix it and turn it around.
"We have belief. Of course we do. There is no point going to Germany if we don't.
" Nevertheless, Bayern coach Jose Barcala said he expected United to play with a "really aggressive high press" and set his team the task of getting behind them immediately. His players carried out their instructions to perfection. Arianna Caruso played the pass into the space between United's defence and their penalty area and Harder outpaced skipper Maya Le Tissier to score, just as she did in the second half when eventual match-winner Tanikawa provided the pass.