Whenever Manchester United face Manchester City, there is always a lot at stake.
The Women’s Super League clubs meet at Old Trafford. The focus will be on the league title and a place in Europe next season.
City Aim to Clinch WSL Title
Manchester City are top of the WSL table. They need a maximum of eight points from their remaining four matches to clinch a first league title in a decade.
United are second, eight points behind. Chelsea are third, nine adrift of City, while Arsenal are fourth and 11 points back, with two games in hand.
Manchester City won 3-0 when the teams last met in November.
With the top three qualifying for Europe, will United turn around their derby form and boost their chances of qualifying for next season’s Women’s Champions League?
Or will City put themselves on the brink of winning a second WSL title?
United’s Champions League Challenge
United’s task has been made even harder with the fixture sandwiched between both legs of their Champions League quarter-final tie with Bayern Munich.
They were beaten 3-2 in a gruelling encounter at Old Trafford. They are missing key midfielder Ella Toone through injury.
Marc Skinner said the aim is to beat City and cut the gap.
He added that nobody is out of it and that the team is growing massively.
Stopping Khadija Shaw
If United hope to have any chance of succeeding, they must stop Khadija Shaw.
The Manchester City striker has scored a league-leading 18 goals in 18 matches. She bagged the quickest hat-trick in WSL history last weekend during a 5-2 demolition of Tottenham.
Skinner said you have to mark her first in the box and that she is an incredible footballer.
He added that he has a lot of respect for Manchester City, who have some fantastic footballers.
Skinner said they have to be street-wise, clever and smart, resilient and find the right spaces to block, then hit them and hurt them.
City Look to Continue Impressive Season
City are on a high after an impressive season so far. However, they have failed to win their past two away games.
Their explosive home win over Tottenham was the perfect response to a disappointing draw at Aston Villa the week before.
United have won only two of their 12 WSL meetings with City and lost 3-0 in the reverse fixture at Etihad Stadium in November.
After six runners-up finishes in the past nine seasons, will City emerge triumphant?
Skinner said his team will give absolutely everything.