Skinner's Squad Squeeze: Janssen and Riviere Race the Clock Before Everton

Picture this: you're Marc Skinner, gaffer of Manchester United Women, nursing a pint after a gritty midweek draw, only to realise your squad's looking thinner than a striker's excuses. With Everton looming this weekend in the WSL, the boss dropped some injury bombshells that have Red Devils fans biting their nails. As reported by She Kicks Magazine via OneFootball, it's a proper waiting game.

Half-Time Heartache and Hamstring Hassles

Dominique Janssen hobbled off at the break against West Ham United midweek, and Skinner confirmed it's a niggling hamstring tweak. "Dom came off with a little hamstring thing," he said, keeping it casual like he's chatting over a post-match curry. The team's giving her a once-over this Friday morning, fingers crossed she'll be back in the mix after their late return from that London slog.

Then there's Jayde Riviere, who didn't even make the squad for West Ham. Good news on that front, though – she's already testing the pitch today, and the early checks look promising. Skinner reckons she might miss Everton but could be ready for the Bayern Munich Champions League showdown next Wednesday. "If it's not Everton, hopefully Bayern," he added, ever the optimist.

The rest of the lot? A bit knackered from the schedule, but raring to go. No major dramas there, just the usual fatigue from grafting up and down the park.

Sideline Stalwarts Still Sidelined

It's not all fresh legs, mind. Leah Galton, Ella Toone, and Anna Sandberg are still on the naughty step, nursing their own knocks. Toone's absence stings extra hard – that girl's a creative sparkplug. United's been grinding through games without their full firepower, and it's showing in the scoreboard.

Since the international break, the goals have dried up like a desert pitch. Blank against West Ham, and that League Cup final heartbreak versus Chelsea? Ouch. Skinner's squad needs to rediscover its ruthless edge, pronto.

Terland to the Rescue? Tactical Tinker Time

Enter Elisabeth Terland, the Norwegian nugget who could be Skinner's secret weapon. The gaffer sees her not just as a No. 9 battering ram, but versatile enough to slot into the No. 10 role, pressing from midfield with the smarts of a chess grandmaster. "Teri has the quality in pressing and intelligence," Skinner enthused. "Arriving late, finishing from the edge – real threat."

He's banging on about getting forward players on the pitch, and Terland fits the bill. Imagine her ghosting in late, smashing one past the keeper – pub dreams right there. Skinner won't overuse the tactic, but at the right moments? Game-changer. She can drop deep as a nine too, keeping defenders guessing.

United's attack has been flatter than a pint left overnight, but with Terland's nous, they might just fizz up again. Everton will be no pushovers, mind – those Toffees love a scrap at home.

Road to Redemption

Skinner's facing the classic manager's conundrum: patch up the backline while unlocking the forwards. Janssen and Riviere's fitness will dictate the starting XI, but the long-term absentees mean rotation roulette. Bayern in midweek adds spice – a win there could turbocharge WSL form.

Fans, stock up on the Solskjaer scarves and dream of glory. United's still in the hunt, but they need bodies and goals, sharpish. Will Terland be the hero? Or will injuries derail the charge? Tune in this weekend – it's set to be a belter.

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