Changes expected against Liverpool in Women's League Cup clash
United Women begin the group stage by hosting north west rivals Liverpool in the season's first game at Leigh Sports Village.
Marc Skinner named unchanged lineups in United’s opening two WSL fixtures, but the boss has hinted at “some” rotation as the League Cup gets underway.
League Cup fixtures at this stage of the competition, because of their midweek nature, tend to be ripe for significantly switching things up and keeping players fresh for weekend WSL commitments. Top flight clubs will often face lower league opposition too – although United didn’t have that last season.
The postponement of Sunday’s game against Chelsea has changed the dynamic somewhat. United no longer have the fixture against the champions looming only three days after facing Liverpool, which may lessen the need to keep starters fresh when the following game is now 10 days away.
At this stage of the season, it might then be preferrable to stick rather than twist in a bid to improve familiarity in what has been a new look team and shape from previous campaigns.
The more likely scenario will be somewhere in between, with the Liverpool fixture still a good opportunity to give players who’ve only had substitute minutes – or for some, none at all – vital match practice. Ensuring the deeper squad is sufficiently primed when different options are needed for the various challenges that lie ahead cannot be overlooked, even at this stage.
Skinner’s declaration ahead of this game that he wants a “highly competitive squad” points to at least a few changes for that reason – although he insists it is “deserved minutes” and not “rotation” for the sake of it.
The boss has a dislike of the specific term, dubbed the ‘R’ word in the past.
"There'll be some differences in some of the team tomorrow,” he explained ahead of the game, teasing but giving away as little as possible.
Gabby George, Simi Awujo, Hinata Miyazawa, Celin Bizet, Rachel Williams and Melvine Malard are the players who have had minutes without starting either game so far this season. Only Awujo, Miyazawa and Bizet have been on the pitch at some point in both. Hayley Ladd and Aoife Mannion are the only available outfield players not to feature in some capacity.
There remains no Anna Sandberg, sidelined with “swelling” but with insistence that it is “nothing too serious”. Emma Watson, who had been getting a run-out at Under-21 level following a year out of action with an ACL injury, has also picked up what is described as a “little niggle” in training.
A change in goal has been mooted by some from outside, which would mean a senior United debut for Safia Middleton-Patel, promoted to second choice this season. But Skinner’s comments on the subject suggest that, while diplomatically not ruled out, it is unlikely in a game still of relative magnitude.
“The reality is she's a very young keeper. Keepers tend to need a little bit longer time because the depth of talent pool tends to be that the older players are more experienced right now,” he said.