🔗 Share this article

Similar to the recent storm tore through the northwest the night before, the home side blew United away at the Etihad. It was a emphatic three goal triumph for Andrée Jeglertz’s side thanks to goals from Rebecca Knaak, Bunny Shaw and Lauren Hemp. It was a performance that firmly established their leadership claims as they consolidated their place at the top of the table.

Consecutive Defeats for United

This outcome signalled successive WSL losses for Skinner's side for the first time since May 2024, putting them a significant margin off the league leaders with their trophy ambitions hanging by a thread.

The Red Devils' capacity to juggle league and continental football with a limited team has been a hotly discussed topic since they secured entry to the UCL. Considering the fixture list, it always felt like this was the matchday that would seriously challenge this fortitude. Sadly for the opposition, they appeared fatigued throughout, the memorable win against PSG clearly having left its mark.

Tactical Shifts

The United manager had attempted to rotate the squad with a handful of alterations. Toone, Terland, Dominique Janssen and Galton all brought energy, although the exclusion of the on-form Melvine Malard to the sidelines raised a few eyebrows.

City, in contrast, have no similar loading worries. The City coach made one change from last week’s win over Everton with Lauren Hemp making her initial starting appearance since recovering from injury.

Overpowering Start

The pressure started to build for Skinner and his side from the first whistle. This was a demonstration of the strength from City whose energetic forward line controlled and dismantled the opposition with a superb initial 45 minutes showing that saw them put three past the keeper in 21 minutes.

This left the home team completely dominant and saw the visitors all at sea. In advance of this match, United had let in just few in this domestic competition but they fell apart in the face of City’s offensive ingenuity.

Early Chances

The omens came early when Miedema used her physicality to bundle Julia Zigiotti off the ball, only to drag her shot wide. Lauren Hemp was at the core of everything in the beginning, taking advantage of the space left by Jayde Riviere down United’s right side. Her crosses were causing problems and led to an attempt for Hasegawa that Sandberg scrambled off the line.

United had a number of attacks forwards, their direct style giving them alternatives in the flanks but they could not trouble Ayaka Yamashita. Manchester City, in the meantime, dominated possession, probing their rivals and trying to lure them of their structure.

Goals Galore

They turned chances into goals with almost half an hour played when Aoba Fujino won the hosts a set-piece. A delivery to the far post was nodded across goal by Bunny Shaw for Rebecca Knaak to score. It was City’s 7th headed goal of the campaign.

They added to their lead with another pair of goals just before the break. When Rose was permitted to maraud through the center from defense, the play widened for the hosts. The influential Kerstin Casparij received possession on the right before delivering a pinpoint driven ball for Bunny Shaw to tap home. Four minutes later, they had a third after a swift shift in possession saw Lauren Hemp afforded the room to drive a shot home from distance.

Final Period

The primary adjustment came from the United manager at the break as Melvine Malard entered for Elisabeth Terland but by this time it was futile to alter the outcome of the match. Former City player Park came nearest, hitting the post, but the visitors were creatively abject and failed to produce a solitary shot on goal.

The hosts, in contrast, could have added to their advantage when a delightful Miedema through ball sent Bunny Shaw away only for her to fail to convert but it mattered little to the hosts. Previously unable to beat any team who finished above them in the prior term, City's side now have wins against Arsenal and Manchester United to place them in a strong position after the opening fixtures.