Sophie Downey’s match report has gone live, so it’s time to put this blog to bed. Thanks for your company – bye!
The player of the match Jess Park speaks
It’s incredible – I don’t think there’s a feeling that comes close to it. I’ve been working really hard and that [a first league goal for City] was the final bit I wanted, and today I managed to get it.
We’ve got so much confidence in each other and that shows on the pitch. That really helps me.
[On the first goal] It was a brilliant pick out and I just thought, ‘Keep it down, keep it down!' I saw it go in and, yeah, the feeling can’t compare.
Bunny Shaw’s reaction
We’re solely focussed on the league now and today was a very good result. The first 20 minutes were a bit nervy but after that we played well.
You can’t score all the time but as long as you’re working for the team, good things can happen. [On her goal] Me and Jess work a lot in training and we demand a lot of each other. It was similar to the Chelsea goal.
Last year I scored a lot of goals but there was another level for me to go to. I watch a lot of videos with Shaun [Goater] and we look at certain movements I could make to create space either for me or my teammates.
Full time: Manchester City 3-1 Manchester United
Manchester City go top of the WSL, at least for the next 24 hours, after an ultimately comfortable win in the derby. United were probably the better team at the start and end of the game – but City were vastly superior either side of half-time, particularly the 10-minute spell in which the outstanding Jess Park scored twice and made a third for Bunny Shaw.
United deserve credit for their persistence, which was rewarded with an own goal from Kerstin Casparij, but they never really looked like getting back in the game.
| Pos | Team | P | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Man City Women | 17 | 34 | 43 |
| 2 | Chelsea Women | 16 | 34 | 40 |
| 3 | Arsenal Women | 16 | 17 | 34 |
| 4 | Man Utd Women | 17 | 13 | 28 |
| 5 | Liverpool FC Women | 16 | 4 | 28 |
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90+9 min Shaw misses a decent chance after good play from Fowler, and that’s the end of that.
90+4 min Le Tissier’s long ball into the box is helped by on by the header of Turner and claimed comfortably by Keating. City are always there.
90+2 min Geyse is booked for sending Hemp flying.
90+1 min Saying which, there are eight minutes of added time.
90 min City have weathered the storm and are going top of the WSL table for the next 24 hours at least.
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88 min: City substitution Esme Morgan replaces Leila Ouahabi, who made the first goal and had an excellent duel with Geyse.
87 min Zelem’s corner leads to a desperate scramble in the City area. Le Tissier scoops the ball towards goal and eventually Williams is penalised for handball.
86 min: United substitution Melvine Malard comes on for Toone, who had a disappointing day.
85 min Garcia controls a long ball superbly, Cruyff-turns Angeldal and finds Toone on the edge of the area to her left. Toone cuts inside and curls wide of the far post.
84 min: City substitution As the attendance of 40,086 is announced, Filippa Angeldal comes on for Laura Coombs.
82 min This is United’s best spell of the game, by a distance, and City have been temporarily reduced to booting the ball anywhere.
80 min Geyse wriggles away from Coombs on the right and drives a cross that is crucially cleared by Kennedy. City look, if not nervous, then at least a bit uncomfortable.
78 min Both players are on their feet. It was an accidental collision off the ball when the original corner was cleared to the edge of the area.
77 min The corner leads to a clash of heads between Williams and Greenwood, and the referee blows the whistle a split-second before Geyse smashes a very good chance over the bar.
76 min Geyse’s shot hits Ouahabi and spins behind for yet another corner.
76 min Geyse wins a corner for United, who could make life exceedingly interesting by getting a second goal.
75 min Shaw has an immediate chance to make it 4-1, dragging wide of the near post from a tightish angle on the left side of the area.
United will feel they’ve earned that with a determined spell. After a longish spell of possession in the City half, Toone played in the overlapping Bluindell on the left. Her cross took a big deflection off the stretching Casparij and wrongfooted Keating at the near post.
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GOAL! Man City 3-1 Man Utd (Casparij og 74)
Well I never.
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72 min The corner is played short to Blundell, whose cross isn’t held by Keating. She gets away with it.
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71 min Garcia runs Casparij to win another corner. United have found a bit of energy from somewhere.
70 min Geyse runs at Ouahabi to win a corner for United, who are having a decent spell.
69 min Zelem wins the ball just outside the City area after a good press from United. Garcia has a couple of shots blocked and City break through Fowler, whose long-range shot is straight at Earps.
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67 min Keating springs from her line to dive at the feet of Williams, who was running onto a loose ball in the area. Good goalkeeping.
66 min After good play by Fowler, Mannion does well to block Coombs’ shot from the edge of the area.
64 min City play through the United press until Fowler spins Turner and is pulled back. That might have been a yellow card. After an even first 30-35 minutes, the game is painfully one-sided now.
60 min Hemp plays a smooth one-two with Ouahabi and crosses deep to Shaw, who heads over from four yards. She couldn’t get over the ball.
58 min Those early chances for Geyse and Parris seem a long time ago. United’s fragile confidence was shattered by those goals either side of half-time.
57 min: Man Utd substitutions Riviere has admitted defeat, which makes sense with an FA Cup semi-final on the horizon. Aoife Mannion replaces her and Rachel Williams comes on for Nikita Parris.
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55 min Play resumes with United down to 10 for the time being. In fact Riviere is coming back on, though she isn’t moving brilliantly.
54 min Riviere is being helped to her feet, though she won’t be able to continue.
52 min Riviere slips while trying to change direction and stays down. She looks in a lot of pain.
51 min Here’s the top of the WSL table as things stand.
| Pos | Team | P | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Man City Women | 17 | 35 | 43 |
| 2 | Chelsea Women | 16 | 34 | 40 |
| 3 | Arsenal Women | 16 | 17 | 34 |
| 4 | Man Utd Women | 17 | 12 | 28 |
| 5 | Liverpool FC Women | 16 | 4 | 28 |
50 min Fowler’s second corner bounces kindly for Hemp, whose snapshot hits Geyse and goes behind for another corner.
49 min Fowler’s inswinging corner is punched away the backpedalling Earps. That wasn’t a million miles from going straight into the net.
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49 min We know how important goal difference could be in the title race, so City are unlikely to settle for three goals. Fowler wins another corner on the right…
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48 min What a game Jess Park is having – two goals and an assist now, and the assist was arguably the best of the lot.
Bunny Shaw has scored after 30 seconds of the second half! Park was too strong for Zelem in midfield and played a marvellous reverse pass to put Shaw through on goal. Le Tissier tried to challenge from the side but bounced off Shaw, who had loads of time to calmly pass the ball into the corner.
It’s her 68th goal for City, which makes Shaw the club’s all-time leading goalscorer.
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GOAL! Man City 3-0 Man Utd (Shaw 46)
And it’s goodnight from United.
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46 min City begin the second half – no changes on either side.
Half time: Man City 2-0 Man Utd
City are in control of the derby thanks to a pair of volleys from Jess Park. United started well, with Geyse particularly dangerous on the right, but City slowly wore them down as the half progressed.
The first goal should have been disallowed for offside, though City will point out that Hannah Blundell probably should have been sent off at 0-0.
45 min Two minutes of added time.
It was another volley, though this was much simpler. Fowler took the corner short to Casparij, got the ball back and gave to Hasegawa in space. Her deep, angled cross from the right was headed back across goal by Kennedy, and Park quicker than Le Tissier to volley past Earps from close range.
Updated
GOAL! Man City 2-0 Man Utd (Park 45)
They didn’t get half time: Jess Park has made it 2-0!
44 min Fowler’s cross from the right deflects onto the roof of the net. United need half-time because City are finding a lot more space now.
41 min The resulting corner, taken by Zelem, is headed across goal and wide by Le Tissier.
40 min: Good save by Keating! The game has come to alive. Geyse rolls Ouahabi on the right and smashes an angry shot from a very tight angle. Keating flies to her left to beat it round the near post.
39 min: Shaw has a goal disallowed! This time the flag does go up as Shaw stabs a loose ball past Earps from four yards. She was miles offside so there’s no controversy that time.
It was a fine goal, the move and the finish. Hemp waited for Ouahabi to overlap on the left and slid the ball down the line. Ouahabi’s first-time cross found Park, who cushioned a crisp volley past Earps from 10 yards.
United are not happy, because replays show Bunny Shaw was definitely offside in the build-up. There’s no VAR so the goal stands.
Updated
GOAL! Man City 1-0 Man Utd (Park 37)
Jess Park volleys City ahead with her first league for the club!
36 min Moments later Hasegawa cracks a terrific drive from 25 yards that whistles just wide of the left-hand post. Earps may have had it covered.
35 min: Chance for City! Now United almost get in a mess playing out fom the back. Earps gives the ball to Le Tissier on the edge of the area, with Hyemp behind her. Her challenge diverts the ball to Park, who shoots well wide from the edge of the D.
34 min: Garcia hits the bar! Parris forces an error just outside the area on the right and moves the ball infield to Garcia. Her first-time shot is crucially blocked by Casparij, but the ball still loops towards goal and is fumbled a little awkwardly onto the roof of the net by Keating. In fact the ball hit the bar at one stage, but ultimately Keating got it out of danger.
32 min Shaw is fractionally offside as she runs onto a long through pass from Park (I think). She would have been in on goal.
31 min City have started to control the threat of Geyse, who was United’s main threat in the first 20-25 minutes. It’s an intriguing game, if not the most exciting in terms of goals and chances. Yet.
29 min Keating miscontrols Greenwood’s backpass, which causes a brief panic among the home fans as the ball rolls towards goal. She calmly chases after it and boots a pass out to the right wing.
27 min: Good save by Earps! Park has City’s first effort on goal, an awkward, dipping shot from 25 yards. Earps dives to her right, watches the flight and pushes the ball behind for a corner.
Updated
25 min I’ve only seen one replay of that Blundell challenged on Shaw. I think it was a foul, though I’m not 100 per cent sure. What isn’t in doubt is that, had a foul, been given, Blundell would have been booked again.
24 min Hemp runs at Riviere and tries to cross at the exact moment Riviere makes contact with a sliding tackle. The ball ricochets dramatically over Earps and onto the roof of the net. That would have been a Christmas video classic.
23 min Blundell should be off this time! Shaw surges past her on the right and went over after a clash of knees – but the referee gave a goalkick rather than a free-kick. The latter would have meant a second yellow card.
21 min Blundell is booked for a late sliding tackle on Casparij. Her studs were high, into the Achilles, so that’s a fair decision; had it been more forceful Blundell could even have been sent off.
20 min Still no shots for City, on and off the target. They won’t panic, not at this stage, but Gareth Taylor would like them be a bit more indecisive. They’ve had roughly 60 per cent of the possession.
Updated
18 min Marc Skinner will be delighted with this United start. They are really causing City problems in transition. Toone leads another break but dithers slightly before finding Geyse, who is also a bit too indecisive and eventually has her cross blocked.
14 min: Chance for Geyse! She is suddenly causing all kinds of problems. First she beat Ouahabi on the byline with a Cruyff-turn and crossed, which led to Garcia having a shot blocked. Geyse also had a shot blocked and then sliced a volley wide from 12 yards after a header across the area.
Updated
13 min: Good save by Keating! From nothing, a chance for United. Geyse beats Hemp and Ouahabi on the right, mainly through determination rather than skill, and slides a precise pass into Parris. She takes a touch and cracks a shot that is turned round the near post by the diving Keating.
Updated
10 min United’s wide players, Geyse and Lucia Garcia, are being forced back. City continue to probe in the usual manner, with no signs of impatience yet. But United have defended very well until now.
8 min City have established control in terms of possession, though their tempo is on the slow side. Long way to go eh.
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6 min Zelem isn’t penalised for a crunching tackle that leaves Casparij on the floor in pain. She got the ball but went through Casparij’s leg to get there; I suspect the referee was unsighted.
No matter, Casparij is fine.
Updated
5 min City are starting to take possession of the ball, as is their wont. The game hasn’t really settled down yet.
2 min Lucia Garcia wins a corner for United, who have started on the front foot. Zelem’s inswinging corner is helped on at the near post loops dangerously across the face of goal before Shaw heads clear. It was a brave header, with Turner behind her, and there was a clash of heads between the two. They’re fine.
1 min After the players take a knee, United kick off from right to left as we watch.
The captains Alex Greenwood and Ella Toone go through the pre-match formalities. This is a really big game, in front of a crowd that is expected to break 40,000.
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Gareth Taylor’s pre-match interview
We’re more than capable of catching up Chelsea’s goal difference but that’s not in our thought process today; it’s about three points. It’s an important goal and a difficult game for us.
Marc Skinner’s pre-match interview
We’ve got to make it uncomfortable for Manchester City, because they’re going for the title themselves. We’ve got to run our legs off. If we do that, we have the quality to win the game.
Late change to City team
Laia Aleixandri has been injured in the warm-up, so Alanna Kennedy will replace her in the defence. These are the revised teams.
Manchester City (possible 4-1-2-3) Keating; Casparij, Kennedy, Greenwood, Ouahabi; Hasegawa; Park, Coombs; Fowler, Shaw, Hemp.
Substitutes: MacIver, Stokes, Houghton, Kelly, Angeldahl, Morgan, Blindkilde Brown, Mace, Pritchard.
Manchester United (possible 4-2-1-3) Earps; Riviere, Le Tissier, Turner, Blundell; Zelem, Naalsund; Toone; Geyse, Parris, L Garcia.
Substitutes: Tullis-Joyce, Evans, Mannion, Rabjohn, Aherne, Irene G, Ladd, Malard, Williams.
Read Will Unwin’s match preview
United’s visit will be City’s first game at the Etihad this season, with the 7,000-capacity Joie Stadium across Ashton New Road their regular home. More than 43,000 people were at Old Trafford in November and expectations are for a similar crowd on Saturday.
Team news
City are unchanged; United bring in the Brazilian attacker Geyse for Melvine Malard.
Manchester City (possible 4-1-2-3) Keating; Casparij, Aleixandri, Greenwood, Ouahabi; Hasegawa; Park, Coombs; Fowler, Shaw, Hemp.
Substitutes: MacIver, Stokes, Houghton, Kelly, Angeldahl, Morgan, Blindkilde Brown, Mace, Kennedy.
Manchester United (possible 4-2-1-3) Earps; Riviere, Le Tissier, Turner, Blundell; Zelem, Naalsund; Toone; Geyse, Parris, L Garcia.
Substitutes: Tullis-Joyce, Evans, Mannion, Rabjohn, Aherne, Irene G, Ladd, Malard, Williams.
Your team to take on United! 🩵
— Man City Women (@ManCityWomen) March 23, 2024
XI | Keating, Aleixandri, Greenwood (C), Coombs, Fowler, Hemp, Ouahabi, Park, Casparij, Shaw, Hasegawa
SUBS | MacIver, Stokes, Houghton, Kelly, Angeldahl, Morgan, Blindkilde Brown, Mace, Kennedy#ManCity | @etihad pic.twitter.com/MyW4CRaLFS
In the red corner! 🥊❤️🔥#MUWomen || #BarclaysWSL
— Manchester United Women (@ManUtdWomen) March 23, 2024
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Preamble
Hello and welcome to live coverage of the Manchester derby at the Etihad. United are not in the title race this season, a source of frustration too all concerned, but they are still a huge part of it. Their matches against City today and Chelsea on the last day of the season may well decide who finishes as champion.
City’s run of ten straight league wins – don’t mention the cups – started in the return fixture. They were sixth going into that game. Now they are second, behind Chelsea only on goal difference. Chelsea play West Ham tomorrow, so even a draw today will put City top. But they won’t be thinking like that.
Kick off 12.30pm.
| Pos | Team | P | GD | Pts |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Chelsea Women | 16 | 34 | 40 |
| 2 | Man City Women | 16 | 32 | 40 |
| 3 | Arsenal Women | 16 | 17 | 34 |
| 4 | Man Utd Women | 16 | 15 | 28 |
| 5 | Liverpool FC Women | 16 | 4 | 28 |
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