Marc Skinner: Playing at Old Trafford again a 'symbol' of progress for Man Utd

Manchester United Women will play a game at Old Trafford for the fourth time when West Ham visit the ‘Theatre of Dreams’ on Saturday evening, coinciding with Women’s Football Weekend.

Having first played at the famous stadium in 2021 without fans due to Covid-19 restrictions – West Ham were also the opposition that day – United are now returning to Old Trafford for the third time in 12 months after beating Everton last season and Aston Villa earlier this season.

This is also the first time that two women’s games will have been held at Old Trafford in one season.

United, whose average home crowd for WSL games at Leigh Sports Village this season has been in excess of 5,000 – the highest in the league for matches at primary stadiums - will be hoping to break the club attendance record of 30,196 set at Old Trafford last time.

Going back to Old Trafford for a second time this season, rather than being left as an annual occasion, manager Marc Skinner said is a ‘symbol’ of the progress the club is making.

But he insists that progress is already visible every day behind the scenes, highlighted by the purpose build training facility that is currently under construction at Carrington.

“Every day, we’re seeing the building progress right in front of our eyes that is being built purposefully for us. I can see that and it’s tangible.

“It has to keep growing and I know this club will help that. It’s exciting times for us and we’ve just got to keep putting in performances on the field that our fans are happy with.”

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Not only have United played at Old Trafford already this season, they have been to the Emirates Stadium, Etihad Stadium and Tottenham Hotspur Stadium as well. The average attendance across those four games has been more than 34,000.

Off the back of record breaking European Championship last summer, it is no longer an occasional novelty for the women’s game. But with repeated exposure to such venues and attendances comes the experience and familiarity of how to rise to it.

“They feel different when you first do them,” Skinner said. “You don’t know how to react, you can’t look at experiences of how this feels for each individual. You’re looking for cues and triggers from player to show you how they react in those moments.

“But because we’ve had so many of them now, and it helps as well because you look at the Lionesses in the bigger tournaments and all of the girls that went to the Euros and stadiums were packed out. I feel they have had those experiences now.

“It's becoming more consistent within the women’s game. It’s a huge thing and helps us in the process. But we have to keep putting on performances so that people will keep filling these big stadiums.”

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