After a disappointing loss to Lyon in the Champions League, Marc Skinner was keen to focus on the positives for Manchester United moving forward.
United lost 3-0 to Lyon but it wasn’t all bad for the WSL side with qualification already secured.
Marc Skinner takes positives from Lyon defeat
A 3-0 defeat to Lyon wasn’t the end of the world for Manchester United this week.
Marc Skinner outlined his high hopes for the team before their penultimate Champions League group game as he looked to top the league phase with a win.
The United boss didn’t get what he wanted out of the clash but he was keen to identify the positives from Wednesday’s game.
“What I love is the fact that we’re having these conversations that we’re going, ‘But you could have beaten Lyon, you should have’. How far have we come?” Skinner said.
“It’s the first year we’ve qualified for the proper competition. We want to [beat Lyon], but we also have moments to grow. We’re seven years old. We’ve qualified [for the knockout phase] already.”
Defeat in the #UWCL. pic.twitter.com/0jl9l2gVly
— Manchester United Women (@ManUtdWomen) December 10, 2025
Skinner made two changes at half time with his team one goal down and despite conceding two in the second period, they looked better after the break.
“It’s not as easy as just going and attacking them, but I’d like to see us be more aggressive with the ball. I felt first half we rushed a little bit when we were in possession. Second half we took a little bit more time, responsibility, and that’s what you’ve got to be if you’re playing against Lyon,” he said.
“But it’s the first time we’ve played against Lyon. So, you know, you’ve got to learn on the fly and I think there’s some learnings that we’ll take from this game to help us move forward.”
United certainly have come a long way in the last few years and despite the loss, they have still qualified for their first-ever Champions League quarter final.
What next for Manchester United?
United don’t have long to reflect on their loss to Lyon, with their final WSL clash of 2025 coming up on Sunday.
The Red Devils simply have to win this weekend, with their local rivals Manchester City currently in the driving seat at the top of the WSL.
Anything but a win against Spurs on Sunday will see United’s title hopes diminish but they will be confident on picking up all three points against a poor Tottenham side.
United play Juventus in their final Champions League group game of the season but with qualification already secured he may choose to give chances to some younger stars.
Skinner’s side face off against Tottenham again in their final game of 2025 but this time in the League Cup quarter-final.
