Fuming Skinner pinpoints reason for United’s lacklustre draw vs. Tottenham as CL hopes fade

Manchester United boss Marc Skinner has reacted to his side’s underwhelming draw against Tottenham Hotspur, explaining what went wrong. Frustrating draw United returned to action on Sunday afternoon but they had to settle for a share of the points against the London outfit. The hosts dominated large parts of the game, dominating possession and firing several shots at United goalkeeper Phallon Tullis-Joyce. Signe Gaupset, Cathinka Tandberg, Olivia Holdt, Ella Morris and Lenna Gunning-Williams all came very close for Tottenham, but they either couldn’t hit the target or were denied by an inspired Tullis-Joyce. United’s chances were few and far between and not even the return of talismanic midfielder Ella Toone helped their cause. Toone last played in December, when she picked up an injury that had kept her sidelined since. She was brought on in the 63rd minute. Her biggest contribution was a 25-yard free-kick, which drew the Tottenham goalkeeper into a good save. Tottenham managed 22 shots to United’s 10. The result has seen United climb up to third place, just one point above Arsenal, who have three games in hand. It continues a poor run of form for the Reds. United have won just one of their past eight games across all competitions. This run includes defeats to Chelsea in the FA Cup fifth round and League Cup final, home and away losses in the Champions League quarter-final against Bayern Munich, a derby loss at the hands of Manchester City and now, a second domestic goalless stalemate in five weeks. After the final whistle, Skinner spoke to the BBC and criticised his players’ pressing against Tottenham, branding it “not good enough” and “too passive.” Skinner’s reaction Skinner said, “We weren’t at the speed of the game we needed to be – the pressing wasn’t good enough.” “Tottenham edged it in the first half, second half it ebbed and flowed. It was back and forth. Most of their shots came from distance.” “In possession we needed more composure. We want to be aggressive – we were too passive in the front press. We changed that at half-time.” He added, “We need to start games more effectively than we did today.” On falling behind in the race to secure Champions League football, Skinner remarked, “It’s obviously in Chelsea’s hands but we play them. We still have to beat Brighton and Chelsea (in our last two games).” “We’re disappointed about dropping points today but in reality we needed to do more to get the three points.” This latest setback is bound to increase scrutiny on Skinner, who was already under immense pressure following the way United’s season has unravelled after a promising start. Featured image Jan Kruger via Getty Images The Peoples Person has been one of the world’s leading Man United news sites for over a decade. Follow us on Bluesky: @peoplesperson.bsky.social Derick Kinoti Derick Kinoti is a football writer at The Peoples Person who has covered Manchester United and the Premier League extensively for years. His work blends sharp analysis, tactical insight, and engaging storytelling that resonates with fans around the world. Derick has gained valuable experience in football journalism, developing strong expertise in SEO writing, digital content creation, and social media engagement. A tech enthusiast with a Computer Science degree from the University of Nairobi, he ultimately swapped code for football commentary, bringing an analytical, detail-oriented approach to his writing. Derick is convinced Wayne Rooney is the true GOAT and won’t hear otherwise!