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Just as Storm Claudia tore through the north-west the previous evening, Manchester City blew Manchester United away at the Etihad. It was a statement 3-0 victory for Andrée Jeglertz’s side thanks to goals from Rebecca Knaak, Bunny Shaw and Lauren Hemp. It was one that truly announced their title credentials as they consolidated their place at the top.
In contrast, it was a result that signalled back-to-back WSL defeats for Marc Skinner’s side for the first time since May 2024, leaving them seven points off the league leaders. Their ability to juggle domestic and European football with a thin squad has been hotly discussed and it always felt like this was the week that would truly test this capability. Unfortunately for the visitors, they looked fatigued, the historic win against PSG clearly having taken a toll.
The United manager was not ready to give up their title challenge but admitted that they needed to strengthen.
“We deserved it. We gave City those goals,” he told BBC Sport. “It wasn’t like they dominated us; that’s the scary thing.”
“We’ll see at the end of the season,” he continued. “I still think you can catch them. I don’t see anything exceptional with them… What we need to do is use the winter window to recruit the people we need to help to support this team.”
Skinner had freshened things up with a handful of changes. Ella Toone, Elisabeth Terland, Dominique Janssen and Leah Galton all added energy, although the dropping of the in-form Melvine Malard to the bench raised a few eyebrows.
Manchester City, in contrast, have no such scheduling worries. Jeglertz made one change with Lauren Hemp making her first start since recovering from injury.
The storm clouds started to gather for United from the start. This was a show of the strength from City whose dynamic attack played with and pulled the visitors apart with a sublime first half performance that saw them score three in 21 minutes. This was no mean feat against the second-meanest defence in the WSL, one that had conceded just six this campaign.
The warning signs came early when Vivianne Miedema used her strength to bundle Julia Zigiotti Olme off the ball, only to drag her shot wide. Hemp was at the heart of, exploiting the space left by Jayde Riviere down United’s right Her deliveries were consistently dangerous and led to an opportunity for Yui Hasegawa that Anna Sandberg scrambled off the line.
United had several forays forwards, their direct style giving them options but they could not trouble Ayaka Yamashita. City, meanwhile, were strong in possession, teasing their opposition and trying to pull them out of their structure.
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They made their pressure count with almost half an hour played when Aoba Fujino won the hosts a corner. A delivery to the back post was headed across goal by Shaw for Knaak to nod home. It was City’s seventh headed goal of the campaign.
They extended their advantage just before the break. When Jade Rose was allowed to maraud through the middle, the pitch opened up. Kerstin Casparij picked the ball up on the right before delivering a pinpoint low cross for Shaw to bundle home. Four minutes later, they had a third after a swift turnover in possession saw Hemp afforded the space to drive home from distance.
Malard entered the fray in the second half but it was too late to change the course of the game. Former Manchester City player Jess Park came closest, hitting the post, but the visitors were creatively abject and failed to register a single shot on target.
The hosts, meanwhile, could have extended their lead when a delightful Miedema long ball sent Shaw away only for her to fluff her lines but it mattered little. Having failed to beat any team who finished above them last season, Jeglertz’s side now have victories against Arsenal and Manchester United to put them in a strong position after nine matches.
