Suzanne Wrack’s verdict has landed. Be about your business: clickity click! Thanks for reading this MBM. Stay safe and warm, everyone. Nighty night.
Casey Stoney’s verdict. “It’s a big one in terms of the title race. But that was never our ambition. Our ambition was to make the top three, and now we’ve made that difficult, but it’s still in our hands. It’s very important we start picking up points. We’ve lost too many games this month, and at this level, if you drop too many points you put yourself in jeopardy. We’ve got big players out at the moment, but I still thought we had a squad capable of getting something, so it wasn’t good enough.”
Lucy Bronze talks to BT Sport. “It’s my first home derby, so it was kind of special to kick off the scoring. Winning the game, a clean sheet, it was kind of a fairytale game for me personally. Caz Weir’s goal was probably a lot better than mine. That was pretty special! It was quite Eric Cantonaesque, which is quite ironic! We worked hard for all the goals and could have had a couple more, but it was nothing less than we expected. If we keep winning all our games, we will finish the league with the title. We’re ready to compete in all competitions at the highest level.”
FULL TIME: Manchester City 3-0 Manchester United
City leapfrog United into second place in the WSL, two points behind leaders and reigning champions Chelsea. United didn’t play badly at all; it’s just that City were magnificent. A confident display capped by a goal of swaggering brilliance by Caroline Weir. The goal of the season, surely.
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90 min +3: Lavelle worms down the left and reaches the byline, standing up an inviting cross at the far post. Bronze and Stanway get in each other’s road, and United clear. A four-goal spanking would be unfair on United, even if City are good value for their win.
90 min +1: The first of five added minutes passes by without incident. Everyone just wants to hear the final whistle now. It is freezing, after all, and we’re done here.
90 min: Coombs replaces Caroline Weir, whose goal will be replayed until the rapture. It was such a delicate dink from the edge of the box, crisply chipped yet so gently floated. A work of art.
88 min: Toone makes way for Fuso.
86 min: That was breathtakingly brilliant. Such composure and skill. Lavelle replaces White.
SENSATIONAL GOAL! City 3-0 United (Weir 84)
This is a world-class goal! United are in the business of clearing the ball. Toone gives it away to Weir, 25 yards out on the left. Weir takes up possession and spins Groenen in one elegant move, then spots Earps a yard or two off her line. From the edge of the box, she floats an inch-perfect diagonal chip over the keeper and into the top right. Good luck seeing a better goal this season.
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82 min: Happily, Roebuck is fit to continue. Her first act is to defend a corner, and she watches Thorisdottir head harmlessly wide right.
81 min: But the City keeper has hurt her neck in doing so. A good long once-over from the doctor.
80 min: Press chases a long pass down the left and tries to round Roebuck, who has raced off her line as is her wont. It looks as though Press is going to work enough space to roll a shot into the unguarded goal from an angle, but Roebuck springs up and fingertips out for a corner.
78 min: Hemp intercepts a loose United pass and drives towards their box. She lays off to Stanway, who hits a pearler towards the top left. The ball smacks poor Amy Turner flush in the face. The entire stadium shudders. That would have floored most heavyweight boxers. Turner gets up, as hardy and determined as they come, and helps to defend the resulting corner.
76 min: Kelly snaffles the ball out on the right and slips infield for Weir, who dances around in the United area, trying to sort her feet out for a shot. There’s no time, as Amy Turner - who has had an evening of highs and lows - comes across to dispossess her with ease.
75 min: And they do.
74 min: City are scenting blood now. White creams a shot towards the top right. Just wide. Then Kelly drives in from the right and is unceremoniously stopped by a hard-as-nails tackle from Batlle. Corner. United really need to defend this one.
73 min: United try to respond quickly, Press wedging down the inside-left channel, nearly releasing Sigsworth. Bronze reads the danger, sticking in a foot and hoicking out for a corner. Nothing comes of the set piece.
GOAL! City 2-0 United (Hemp 71)
They’ll have to go for it now. Kelly surges down the right, breaks past Amy Turner and shoots hard from a tight angle. Earps parries, but the ball drops to Hemp, who hits a first-time slapshot towards the top right. The ball spoons up, off the top of Amy Turner’s head, and into the top right!
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70 min: United make their second change of the evening. Ladd, one dubious challenge away from a second yellow card, is replaced by Sigsworth. An attacker for a midfielder; United are going for it.
68 min: ... so having said that, a lull.
66 min: Bronze is in the wars, this time clipped to the floor by Hanson. This game is turning into an entertaining scrap.
65 min: Another break for United as the free kick’s sent into the box and comes off Amy Turner’s head for a corner. The ref awards a goal kick.
64 min: So having said that, Bronze dribbles hard down the right and draws a free kick from Ladd, who hung out a cynical leg. No second yellow, much to Bronze’s irritation. Ladd has got away with one there.
63 min: Hemp and Weir combine down the left, nearly opening United up, but Thorisdottir stands firm. Nearly all of City’s attacks are coming down this flank.
61 min: United come again, a rejuvenated Toone dribbling down the right and sending in a deep cross. Press wins a corner with a snapshot. City half clear the corner, but Toone comes again down the right. Her cross is dangerous, hit high towards the near post, but there’s nobody in red to take advantage. This is much better from United.
59 min: Happily for United, Toone drags herself up and limps on. She looks good to go. From the resulting free kick, Amy Turner falls to the floor in the box amid a melee. No penalty.
58 min: Greenwood clatters into Toone’s ankle, earning a yellow. Toone is down, shaking her head.
56 min: Thorisdottir launches long down the right. Press hares after the ball. Roebuck races out of her area but doesn’t get there. Press loops over the keeper from 40 yards, but she’s operating at full speed and full stretch, and hoicks the ball well over the bar. That’s a much better effort than this entry makes it sound. City hearts were in mouths there.
54 min: Hanson goes in late on Bronze, shouldering her to the ground. The referee gives the United sub a good talking-to.
52 min: Weir should send Hemp tearing off into space down the left, but gives the pass too much juice. Goal kick, but City are causing United all sorts of bother down the left flank. Thorisdottir has her work cut out.
50 min: Hanson slips a ball down the left for Presss, who zips in from the flank, past Houghton, and shoots towards the bottom left from a tight-ish angle. She gets plenty behind her shot, but Roebuck is well-positioned to claim. Better from United.
48 min: The Hemp-White combo nearly clicks again, but Millie Turner gets in the road to block before White can do any serious damage.
47 min: Sub-zero temperatures in Greater Manchester, but it doesn’t take City long to warm up again. Hemp, who has been effervescent this evening, makes down the left and whips into the box for White, who swivels and sends a fierce shot towards the bottom right. Earps does very well to parry.
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City get the second half underway. No changes.
Half-time reading.
HALF TIME: Manchester City 1-0 Manchester United
Hanson is immediately in the thick of it, bursting down the left and sending in a low cross that causes momentary panic in the City defence. But that’s the end of the first half. City go in at the break a goal to the good. They’ve been well worth it. United have struggled up front, and on paper the loss of Galton won’t help, but that late cameo from Hanson may give them some hope for the second, and City pause for thought.
45 min: Kirsty Hanson comes on in place of the stricken Galton. There will be two added minutes.
44 min: The United ten deal with the City corner.
43 min: Galton’s taken a bad knock to her left ankle. It looks serious. She can’t put any weight on it, and she’s helped off slowly by the physios. Pain etched across her face, a few tears. United haven’t got a sub ready, so will defend the corner with ten women.
41 min: A rumble in the United box. Hemp tries to force something goalwards. It’s deflected out for a corner on the left. But before it can be taken, there’s a pause as Galton receives treatment.
39 min: Hemp crosses from the left. White meets it first time, but her shot hits the back of Amy Turner. White meets the rebound with a stunning bicycle kick, aimed towards the bottom right. Earps is down quickly to smother on the line. That’s sensational football all round.
38 min: Hemp robs Zelem and romps down the inside left. She’s got Kelly to her left and White in the middle. United are very much on the back foot, but Hemp undoes all her good work with a clunker of a pass towards Kelly. Goal kick.
36 min: United’s revival continues as Toone crosses from the right and Press flashes a header into the arms of Roebuck. The response to going behind was delayed, but here it is now.
35 min: United are working their way back into the game. Zelem finds a pocket of space in the centre circle and glides forward, only to be clattered by White. The United captain gets up and takes the free kick herself, sailing it long towards Amy Turner, who can’t quite reach it, six yards out and level with the left-hand post. Goal kick.
33 min: Press grooves down the right and draws a foul from Hemp, who could easily go in the book for the challenge but doesn’t. The referee seems the liberal sort. A free kick, though, and a chance for United to line up on the edge of the City area. Zelem hooks it long. Galton, at the far post, can’t connect. Kelly can’t clear. The ball squirts to Ladd, who spins on the penalty spot and aims for the top right. It’s not far wide. United’s best chance so far.
31 min: United have been on the ropes since conceding, so understandably stroke the ball around the back awhile in the sterile fashion, reducing the temperature a little.
29 min: Greenwood smacks a dismal free kick straight into the wall, but then meets the rebound with a sweet volley that nearly bagatelles its way through a crowd to White. Not quite. United clear.
28 min: Another City attack, Stanway nicking the ball off Ladd’s toe and romping down the inside-right. Ladd gives chase and cynically trips Stanway, with few other red shirts around. A yellow card, and a free kick in a dangerous position, 25 yards out, just right of centre.
27 min: The goal has inspired City, and rattled United. Hemp nearly releases Weir down the left, but Amy Turner does well to muscle in and intercept. Then some space for Stanway, who hits a shot-cum-cross from the right that nearly arcs over Earps and into the net. Just over the bar. United need to hang on here.
25 min: Hemp turns on the jets with a view to burning up the left touchline. She’s clumsily checked by Thorisdottir, who is slightly fortunate not to go into the book for her cynicism. The referee settles for a stern word. Nothing comes of the resulting free kick, despite City loading the box.
GOAL! City 1-0 United (Bronze 23)
Yep. United are shambolic when defending the set piece again. The corner’s whipped to the near post. Amy Turner, in the middle of a melee in the six-yard box, heads weakly out. Bronze meets the dropping ball and lashes it into the bottom right from eight yards.
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22 min: City are the leading scorers in the WSL this season with 43 goals. Their attack hasn’t quite gelled yet. But here comes Hemp, winning a corner down the left. United conceded twice from set pieces last weekend against Reading. Is it all about to come together for City here?
20 min: Hemp dribbles infield from the left with purpose, real ball-glued-to-toe stuff. She eventually runs out of road, swarmed by red shirts, but that was an exhilarating run.
18 min: Kelly crosses deep from the right. Weir meets it with a header at the far post, but Thorisdottir blocks. United break, Groenen playing a cute reverse ball down the left to release Galton, who looks for Press at the far post. Dahlkemper hooks out for a corner. Nothing comes of the set piece, but the game has finally sparked into life.
16 min: Ladd shovels a ball down the right and very nearly finds Press on the edge of the City box. Roebuck reacts well, racing out of the area to blooter clear.
14 min: City put their first serious attacking move together, Greenwood, Weir and Hemp combining well down the left. Greenwood fashions a cross from a tight spot near the corner flag, and it’s dangerous, fizzing through United’s six-yard box, but there’s nobody in sky blue to poke home.
13 min: Groenen launches long down the right, hoping to release Press, but again the pass is too weighty and Roebuck is able to come out and claim on the edge of the box without drama.
11 min: United are looking to soak up pressure, snaffle possession, and counter quickly. Zelem nicks the ball and very nearly sends Galton careering down the left, but there’s too much juice on the pass. Throw. City were light at the back, so it’s a spurned opportunity.
10 min: This game has nearly ground to a halt. Extremely ponderous. An illustration, if we needed it, that the stakes tonight are extremely high. Season-shaping.
8 min: Both teams continue to size each other up. It’s cagey and cautious.
6 min: City are enjoying the bulk of the possession, though United are making them work to retain the ball. Plenty of pressing and snapping into the tackle.
4 min: City take up possession and stroke it around confidently, then make their first front-foot statement. Walsh rasps a long pass down the right for Kelly, who can’t quite wriggle into space, but they ball’s recycled to Weir. She appears to be clipped by Ladd, just to the right of the D, but the referee strangely isn’t interested. We play on.
2 min: United are on the front foot immediately, Toone pressing Greenwood down the right. A couple of throws lead to nothing, but a statement of intent has been issued to the WSL form team.
United get the ball rolling ... but only after a knee of solidarity, fairness, equality and love is taken. There’s no room for racism. Kick it out.
The teams are out! It’s that time-honoured sky-blue/red dynamic. No supporters at the big derby, sadly, but you could still slice the tension in the air into wafer-thin strips. We’ll be off in a minute!
City boss Gareth Taylor’s turn. “Hopefully form really counts. We’re in form, scoring goals. We’ve been really impressive at the top end of the pitch. We’re playing some good football, to boot, so we’re looking forward to it. United have had a positive season. They’ve managed to win games and tried to be consistent. We had a good result last weekend when they had a slip-up, and when you get a result like that you need to take advantage of it. Great game, it’s just a shame we’re missing the supporters, but we’ll try to do our bit and make sure we’re the ones who take home the three points. We want to take the points and stay in touch, because there’s plenty more football to come.”
Lauren James is out injured tonight, but Stoney is asked about the mindless abuse the 19-year-old striker recently received on social media. “I’m very proud of Lauren, for speaking up and standing up at such a young age. She shouldn’t have to do that, she shouldn’t be facing the discrimination she is. But the government have to do more. The social media platforms have shown they’re not going to. So unless the government start putting policies in place, it’s not going to change.”
United boss Casey Stoney talks to BT Sport. “The performance on Sunday wasn’t good enough. We’re very aware of that as a collective: staff, players. We need a real big response tonight if we’re to get anything out of this game. You want a big game after a defeat, and we weren’t anywhere near our levels. The team does generally bounce whenever we’ve had a setback, and I’m confident in my squad that they’ll put a performance in. City are a good side, scoring lots of goals, we’re going to have to be at our very best levels. Transition in this game could be important.”
Pre-match entertainment. Here’s Suzanne Wrack on Manchester City’s new centre-back Abby Dahlkemper, a cornerstone of the USA’s 2019 World Cup win.
City are on a roll, and are therefore in if-it-ain’t-broke mode. No changes to the team that won 2-1 at Arsenal.
United went down 2-0 at home to Reading in their last run-out, and make one change. Striker Kirsty Hanson drops to the bench, with Jackie Groenen stepping up to bolster the midfield.
The teams
Manchester City: Roebuck, Bronze, Dahlkemper, Houghton (C), Greenwood, Walsh, Weir, Stanway, Kelly, Hemp, White.
Subs: Bardsley, Taieb, Coombs, Mannion, Park, Lavelle, Beckie, Morgan, Davies.
Manchester United: Earps, Thorisdottir, A Turner, M Turner, Batlle, Zelem, Ladd, Groenen, Toone, Galton, Press.
Subs: Bentley, Bourne, Jones, Fuso, Harris, Hanson, Ross, Sigsworth,
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Preamble
When these city rivals met at the Leigh Sports Village in November, Manchester United striker Tobin Heath sent a swerving screamer into the top left from 25 yards, sparking a comeback that turned a two-goal deficit into a 2-2 draw. But it didn’t knock Manchester City’s confidence. Since then, City have won six Premier League games on the bounce (and eight in all competitions). The latest was a hard-earned 2-1 victory at Arsenal that has put Gareth Taylor’s side very much in the title race (and pretty much knocking the Gunners out of it). By contrast, since the derby, United have gone on to win five but lose two, against leaders Chelsea, then a shock 0-2 reverse at home to Reading.
City go into this as the form horse, then, and if they win, they’ll leapfrog United into second place, a mere two points behind Emma Hayes’ reigning champions Chelsea. A win for United, and Casey Stoney’s women will draw level with Chelsea at the top ... but they’ll have to do it without November’s hero Heath, who is out with an ankle injury. Can the likes of Lucy Bronze and Ellen White push home City’s on-paper advantage? This next chapter of a three-horse title race promises intrigue and excitement. It’s on!
Kick off: 7pm GMT.
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