Marc Skinner press conference: Team news vs Everton, Conti Cup, setting standards, transfer plans

Manchester United are quickly back in action this week as they face Everton in a crunch Continental Cup group game, just days before a Manchester derby at the Etihad Stadium.

United go into this one off the back of a thumping 5-0 win over Aston Villa in front of a club record crowd at Old Trafford. But they have struggled in the Conti Cup so far this season, failing to win either game or claim penalty shootout bonus points and now being at the mercy of results in other games.

Here is a roundup of all the key talking points as Skinner addressed the media on Tuesday.

Team news

“No negatives. Everyone barring Aoife [Mannion] is available for selection.

“Aoife may be put into a squad in the next couple of games before Christmas. But obviously the big aim for her to train with the team fully and engage in games is after Christmas.

“It’s really positive at the moment. The medical team and the players are doing a great job of keeping everybody healthy.”

Potential for rotation

“We have to really define what rotation means. It’s not about just putting other people into the game. I’m putting international players into games…players that are hungry and training well. Because everyone is performing well, it’s really the hardest part of my job to pick this team.

“It will be a balance, but I’ve got nothing but praise and admiration for the players that are coming in. I respect everything they are going to do within this game, so there will be rotation but not for the sake of it – it will be for the quality of it.

“It’s just natural when you have a three-game week for us to do that anyway. We will have our sole focus on trying to win the game tomorrow. [Manchester] City comes after that.

“It’s hard because it feels when you talk about rotation that these players are getting given a chance. That’s not the case at all…these players are top class players. It’s just that we are playing well.

“We did rotate towards the end of the Villa game because of the way we got ourselves ahead. But it was much more about if you deserve to be in this team. I’m not going to give anyone anything, they’ve got to deserve to play for Manchester United. Just because we have quality players on the bench doesn’t mean they get given any time, they have to earn it.”

Could Under-21 players be involved?

“The reality is the player we’re identifying in the next wave who are training and competing for contracts with the club are currently injured and not in contention for these games coming up. As we go into the New Year, they will be involved a lot more.

“In training week [before games], we often have the academy girls in with us as well so we’re constantly having that. [U21 head coach] Charlotte [Healy] is pretty much a full-time fixture with what we’re doing in the first-team so you can sense there is a real tight connection between us and the academy. It’s just now about growing them and exposing them at the right time.”

Wanting more from 5-0 win vs Aston Villa

“When I watched the game back, the goals are excellent. But actually, there are moments when we go through [like] in the first minute of the second half – that’s got to be a goal. The ref made a mistake on the goal that Leah [Galton] should have scored and there were moments at the back when I felt we could have been a little tighter in the way we had given the ball away.

“It’s about knowing and balancing that. I’m happy with the result, I don’t want to be a grinch at Christmas time, but the reality is I have to set really high standards for these players because they expect them. We just need to keep focusing on what we need to do – two tough games this week and then Sheffield United next week before Christmas. I want to put three good performances in.”

Conti Cup progression at risk

“What we’ve prepared ourselves for is to be part of the bigger games. Even if we win these games in the Conti Cup against Everton and Sheffield United, we’re still not guaranteed [to go through] because it will go on Aston Villa.

"What we need to do is make we can give ourselves a chance to win this group against a really good Everton team. We do focus game by game. It would be inexcusable to look past an Everton team that are so good."

Atmosphere in Man Utd squad

“We’re really positive. More importantly, I think we’re showing there’s a consistency there of a high level. Even when we win 5-0 we are not happy with the standards, in terms of there are moments when we want to be even better. I’m happy we’re edging away from complacency. I want to see extra focus from us and a really big push going into Christmas to put ourselves into contention.”

Expectations from Everton

“We want to try and win the ball high and early and Everton have the quality to possess the ball for longer periods – they’re trying to almost lull you into a false sense of security so that they know when to jump and then play through your lines quickly. It’s about, at times, staying compact and allowing them to have the ball, and then knowing when you to jump and when to press.

“I think just exacting a little more patience from us at times in this game. But then opening them up and being ruthless because that’s what I’m enjoying about the team so far this season.

“They’ve adapted their press slightly. There have been adaptations to their shape. We’ve looked at those and analysed it as well.

“I want to see the players come in and express themselves. I’ve asked for personality to be shown in the last few games against Arsenal, Chelsea and Aston Villa. I expect the same, for this team to show their personality with and without the ball, to try and destroy what Everton can bring, and bring everything we want and put that on Everton. If we get that tomorrow, I’ll be a happy coach.”

Could looming Manchester derby be a distraction?

“I’m hoping not…I’m sure there is [potential for distraction]. There is a game in the way, so some people will focus on that, but if they take their eyes off [Everton] it might jeopardise them playing against Manchester City, so we have to put everything into winning this game.

"We had to earn a 3-0 win [against Everton] earlier in the season and we have to win this game if we’re to have aspirations of getting out of this group and into the quarter-finals."

January transfer window

“In every window, we will look to be present if the right people are available. We have been assessing since the summer and since before summer.

"We are aware of people’s contracts and we are aware of our targets. If the right people are there and it’s the right moment, we will, for sure, look at how we adapt and evolve our squad.

“We are not done [building the squad], I’ll be very clear on that. We are no way near done. We have to keep growing as a team, and keep growing our experience, but for sure add new players in going forward.”

For more from Jamie Spencer, follow him on Twitter!