United have won four and drawn three of their WSL matches this season and are currently fifth in the table, six points behind leaders Chelsea, who they face on Sunday (12:00 GMT kick-off).
But it was the run of three consecutive draws against Brighton, Arsenal and Aston Villa that increased scrutiny on Skinner.
Despite keeping five clean sheets in seven WSL matches, United have lacked ruthlessness at the other end of the pitch, scoring just 11 goals – fewer than five teams in the WSL and less than half the tally of the Sunday’s opponents, Chelsea.
One of the reasons for this, according to Skinner, was the relatively “new team” he said he is working with this season.
Summer signings Dominique Janssen, Celin Bizet and Elisabeth Terland have become regular starters, while midfielder Grace Clinton, who spent last season on loan at Tottenham, and goalkeeper Phallon Tullis-Joyce have entered the team.
Skinner believes that provides context for why United have not been firing on all cylinders, but his comments did not go down well with his supporters.
“He’s said some strange things. Sometimes he gets into trouble. Sometimes I think he says too much,” former England striker Ellen White, who played with Skinner at Birmingham City, told BBC Radio 5 Live.
“He’s an absolutely phenomenal coach, in terms of my development, one-on-one and on the field.
“Maybe on the management and communication side, he lacks a little understanding.”
Former Arsenal striker Ian Wright said he was “pleased” to see United fans “cheering him up” for those comments and that he disagrees with Skinner.
Speaking on the Crossways podcast, Wright said: “What he [Skinner] He says, regarding the new players: he has been on this team for quite some time.
“They should be much better. Listen to that interview. [after the 0-0 draw with Villa] and there was no plan B, no real structure to what they were doing.
“They were playing a Villa team who were bottom of the league and he talks about how they got a good result at home.
“That’s why I was very happy to see that Manchester United fans were talking to him about the interview.”
