Manchester United Women are beginning a season-defining week. The next three fixtures in the Champions League and the Women’s Super League are the biggest in the team’s history. Fittingly, they will also be on the biggest stages. Instead of the team’s usual home at Leigh Sports Village, Old Trafford will host the first leg of their Champions League quarter-final tonight against Bayern Munich and Saturday’s derby against Manchester City in the WSL. Free fan zones are being introduced near the stadium to help ramp up the atmosphere. Marc Skinner’s side round out the eight-day swing with the return leg next Wednesday at the Allianz Arena in Munich. The first leg will also be the first senior Champions League quarter-final played at Old Trafford since Ole Gunnar Solskjaer led the men’s team out against Barcelona seven years ago. Back then, United Women were the runaway leaders of the FA’s newly branded Women’s Championship in their first year as a professional team. They were coming off a 5-1 win over Tottenham Hotspur with goals from Katie Zelem, Mollie Green, Jess Sigsworth, and Leah Galton. United’s women have come a long way since, but now stand at a difficult footballing crossroads, wondering how to make the leap from good to great. On Sunday, Melvine Malard’s stoppage-time goal earned a 2-1 win against Everton and sent the team second in the WSL table, but United’s Champions League qualification is still in the balance. A top-three finish is required, but they are only one point ahead of Chelsea and three points ahead of Arsenal, who have two games in hand. In their four completed seasons under Skinner, United have finished fourth, second, fifth, and third in the league. If reaching this month’s League Cup final was a sign of progress, their 2-0 defeat against Chelsea signalled that there is still work to do. Club CEO Omar Berrada told the club’s website after the final, 'Although disappointing, it does not take away from the enormous progress this team continues to make.' A reasonable team performance came undone thanks to two Chelsea goals that were described as 'rubbish' by Skinner, who has now lost three cup finals to Chelsea as United head coach. Fan sentiment is split on Skinner. Some regulars at Leigh Sports Village believe he and his coaching staff do well to keep the team punching above their weight. Others believed his defensively pragmatic approach to games has run its course, and the squad would be better off with a fresh face in charge. But Skinner retains the faith of senior executives at the club. Eleven months ago, he signed a contract extension until June 2027. The club have made steady, if not quite spectacular, progress under the 43-year-old, but United’s record against Chelsea suggests the team may need fresh ideas if they wish to add more silverware to their FA Cup in 2024. Chelsea are likely to cede their WSL crown, but United must focus on their own fixtures. And with the Champions League quarter-final looming, United Women's players will be looking to make a statement. So, the next seven days will be crucial in shaping their future. The team's preparation and strategy will be key in determining their success. But for now, the focus is on the first leg against Bayern Munich at Old Trafford.