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Emotions will be heightened on Saturday when Manchester City and Manchester United come head-to-head in the Women’s Super League for the 12th time. From Caroline Weir’s sublime lob to Georgia Stanway’s red card and Ella Toone’s hat-trick at the Etihad Stadium, in recent years this burgeoning rivalry has started to provide the type of memorable moments worthy of a derby of this nature.
The latest encounter, at the Etihad Stadium on Saturday lunchtime, promises to be extra-fascinating given the teams’ form. City – who have won five WSL derbies to United’s two – went top last weekend; United are third, four points behind. Both have lost once this season.
There are several narratives. How will Andrée Jeglertz, in his first campaign with City, fare against Marc Skinner, who will be managing United for the 97th time in the WSL? What about the deadline-day drama that led to Jess Park and Grace Clinton swapping clubs? How will Jeglertz’s dynamic style match with United’s more direct approach? How will both defences hold up in the face of potent attacks?
One player who knows exactly what this derby means is Park. There will, no doubt, be plenty of emotions for the 24-year-old creative midfielder as she makes her first return to her childhood club, where she spent her formative years in senior football.
Park had eight years at City after bursting on to the scene at 16, making 122 appearances. She described joining United as “one of the hardest decisions” she has had to make, the transfer based on a desire to get more game time, having found opportunities somewhat limited.
The move has gone better than even she may have imagined. Park has been one of the season’s most impressive performers, her style easily integrating with United’s because of the freedom she has. Alongside her four goals and two assists, she has registered the league’s second-most-successful take-ons (15) and second-most-progressive carries (24).
At City, Park acted more as a provider, producing cutting passes from deeper areas for players such as Bunny Shaw to latch on to. Under Skinner she has licence to roam, finding pockets in which to operate when coming in off the right, bouncing off Ella Toone and allowing the right-back, normally Jayde Riviere, to maraud into the space down the wing.
“[Park has] awoken players around her,” Skinner said this month. “She adds another skill set that brings out the best in others … Look at the way Toone started the season. Her and Jess have a special relationship – they come to life together.”
Clinton has had a more difficult time settling at City after departing United somewhat acrimoniously. Despite scoring on her debut, the 22-year-old has had fitness concerns that have limited her opportunities but she is available for Saturday.
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There has been a change in City under Jeglertz, in style and mentality. As Shaw said last week, they are winning games they would not have last season. Jeglertz, since very early in his tenure, has wanted his side to be intense in the press, front-footed on the ball and fluid, with a diverse way of attacking. It is paying off: City have the WSL’s highest expected goals (20) and have had 141 shots on goal. Shaw has had 41 of these. However, they are not as clinical as they could be and their defence, partly down to injury and partly down to style, can look fragile.
On Saturday their attacking potency will be tested as they come up against the second-meanest defence in the league. Jeglertz is looking forward to the challenge and the opportunity to play such a fixture on the grandest stage.
“You can’t take down how big it is,” the Swede said. “We need to live that and enjoy playing these kind of games because this is why they started playing football. That will be one of my key messages. But at the same time, they are playing the game, not the event, so we need to make sure that we do the things we are supposed to and do that with determination.”
