With a month to go before the start of the Women's Super League season, Manchester United are without a manager and have a thin squad.

Manchester United were knocked out of the Women's Champions League in the quarter-finals last season With a month to go before the start of the Women's Super League season, Manchester United are without a manager and have a thin squad. The club said on Monday that Marc Skinner had left his position by mutual consent, ending a five-year spell that included a first major trophy. The timing of his departure increased concerns that United are in danger of being left behind after a quiet summer of recruitment. Having previously faced criticism regarding their women's team, are they scaling back resources further, seeking a more sustainable model or moving in a new direction? In April, Skinner faced questions about his future, insisting he had "no doubts" that he remained the best person for the job. There had been no internal discussions about his position going into the World Sevens tournament in May - and the club were satisfied with results. The expectation was to challenge for silverware and try to qualify for Europe again. United lost the League Cup final to Chelsea, missed out on a top-three finish by nine points but had reached the quarter-finals of the Champions League.