Skinner confirms return timeline for key United star ahead of Saturday’s crunch Manchester derby

Manchester United Women’s head coach Marc Skinner has confirmed exactly when Ella Toone should be back. Sidelined Toone has not seen any competitive action for four months. She has been recovering from a hip injury since the turn of the year. Her last appearance was the League Cup quarter-final victory over Tottenham Hotspur. She has been sorely missed, the most recent evidence of which was United’s 3-2 loss to Bayern Munich in the first leg of the quarter-final at Old Trafford on Wednesday evening. United put up a valiant effort but the German champions just proved too much for them. It’s still not over and there is everything to fight for in the return fixture. United had hoped to have Toone back for the Manchester derby on Saturday, but Skinner has revealed that she will not be available. Skinner told reporters that Toone is likely to return after the international break. Team news Skinner also shared an update on other sidelined players including Anna Sandberg, Dominique Janssen, Ellen Wangerheim, Leah Galton and Celin Bizet Donnum, who is expecting a baby. Asked whether any of them will be back in contention for the derby, Skinner answered, “Probably not.” “We’ll be further along in terms of availability, so Jayde [Riviere] will be further along with her availability. Teri [Elisabeth Terland] will hopefully be okay.” “But probably not additionals coming back, no. Layla [Drury] will obviously be back in because she wasn’t in the Champions League squad, so she’ll be back in as well. I wouldn’t expect anyone else.” He said about Toone, “The plan is, hopefully, the game after the international break [against Spurs].” “She’s training on the field, she’s doing individual bits, she’ll hopefully be back with more team bits soon enough, so the aim is, and the hope is, that we can get her back for after the next international window.” United face Tottenham on 26 April. Featured image Matt McNulty 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!