Everton 0-5 Manchester United: 'Back to what we do best' says Marc Skinner

Manchester United are "back to what we do best" said manager Marc Skinner after they thrashed Everton in the Women's Super League

United were knocked out of the Champions League by Paris St-Germain in midweek but they returned to winning ways and maintained their unbeaten league start with Sunday's win.

The win was also their first in the league since the opening day of the season after they were held to back-to-back draws.

Skinner told BBC Radio 5 Live: "To come out and put a performance in like that, I would echo the word professional, but we were also devastating at times.

"We've had a lot of football in the last 22 days, but I think we could have scored more.

"That was back to a Manchester United performance, back to what we do best."

Summer signing Melvine Malard set the Reds on course for victory early on as she nodded past Courtney Brosnan to collect her second league goal of the season.

The hosts' chances were limited, although Nicoline Sorensen came close when she blasted over the bar in the first half and Hanna Bennison had an effort from range tipped over the crossbar.

United were the livelier of the two sides going forwards and Brosnan was forced into a clever save to stop a glancing Nikita Parris effort shortly before the break.

But Parris managed to get the better of the Everton goalkeeper in the second half as Brosnan was unable to palm away the United forward's powerful close-range header.

Rachel Williams put the game to bed as she extended her side's advantage after coming on as a substitute, bundling past Brosnan on the goal-line despite an initial save.

Williams wasn't done, however, and headed home a Jayde Riviere cross to score her side's fourth, securing her double after just 12 minutes on the pitch.

Parris then chipped the goalkeeper to add a late fifth in injury time.

The result leaves United sitting in third with eight points, while Everton are 10th with just three points.

Any concerns that Manchester United may have lacked firepower in the absence of Brazilian playmaker Geyse and winger Leah Galton through sickness were quickly laid to rest on Sunday.

They responded to their midweek Champions League exit by showing early attacking intent and grabbed the lead after just 14 minutes.

"It was nice to score first and get the clean sheet," said Skinner. "This season we have been chasing every game.

"Last year we were frightening, we would score early and the game would be done, and the lull would come in the second half."

Malard and Parris both stepped up to the task of ensuring United continued to pose an attacking threat, each carving out chances and getting on the scoresheet.

Another promising attacking display from the bench by Williams, who has scored three times so far this term, should further enthuse Skinner when he considers the depth of his side's talent.

Spanish forward Lucia Garcia, who was benched on Wednesday, was equally impressive with her darting runs proving to be a handful for the Everton defence.

"I asked the players before the game to be more ruthless in both boxes," added Skinner.

"We have good build-up but if you then get to the final third and don't take the chance, what's the point? If they have a chance and we don't get the block in, what's the point?

"The girls were magnificent in both areas today."

While Everton's chances were numbered, the work of Riviere to keep Clare Wheeler at bay on the right-hand side was crucial when it came to stopping the hosts finding a path back into the game.

Mary Earps had just four shots on target to deal with as Skinner's side recorded their first clean sheet of the campaign.