Sophie Downey’s match report has landed.
Just as Storm Claudia tore through the northwest 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 of the table.
That’s eight wins on the trot for City now in the league. They’re making very good headway in their bid for a first WSL title since 2016. Second-place Chelsea have a chance to respond tomorrow when they face Liverpool in St Helens.
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This defeat will give Marc Skinner plenty of food for thought. He rotated his squad again after the Champions League meeting with PSG on Wednesday, with Malard dropping to the bench, and his team lacked a cutting edge in the opposing third.
Full-time: Manchester City 3-0 Manchester United
City go four points clear at the top of the WSL and really this was all over at half-time. Goals from Knaak, Shaw and Hemp earn a convincing win and bragging rights for the blue half of Manchester in the derby.
90+9 min: Beney almost gets a goal for her efforts as she closes down Sandberg but she deflects the ball behind for a goal-kick. Ouahabi is now off receiving treatment for a bloody nose.
90+7 min: It’s all a bit scrappy in midfield. United will finish with 10 players.
90+5 min: Awujo has sat down on the bench but Rose is back on the pitch. Very odd.
90+4 min: The game is back under way with both players on the sidelines.
Rose has got a big bump on her forehead as well. Crikey. They’re both up and about, thankfully.
90+2 min: There’s a clash of heads at a United corner. Awujo tries to guide the ball over the line but is met by Rose and the pair bang heads after the defender clears. There is a massive bump on Awujo’s head.
90 min: Seven minutes added on …
89 min: Awujo then plays in Rolfö down the United left but her cross to the back post evades Ouahabi and the substitute Williams.
87 min: Awujo does well to wriggle away from a couple of City players and lets fly from distance but it’s far from troubling Yamashita. High and wide.
85 min: Yamashita is pretty keen to hold on to her clean sheet. United are yet to have a shot on target.
83 min: United will take no more risks with Toone and Awujo comes on in her place. Shaw is also replaced with Clinton coming on against her old team.
81 min: Shaw has gone down holding her head after she was closed down by retreating United defenders. She’s still feeling the effects of the impact.
80 min: Miedema works back and wins the ball off Zigiotti with a sliding tackle. She releases Shaw in behind and the striker delays one too many times and Middleton-Patel gratefully scoops the ball up. World class from Miedema.
77 min: The corner comes out to Beney but the youngster’s first-time half-volley swerves well wide.
76 min: The home crowd are trying to start a Mexican wave, judging by the amount of countdowns I can hear. Beney diverts their attention as she wins a corner off Sandberg.
74 min: Jeglertz turns to his bench. Hemp makes way for Beney and Blindkilde Brown is replaced by Lohmann.
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72 min: United hit the post! Park and Malard combine on the edge of the box and Park goes for power at the near post and hits the upright. Malard was clattered after playing the pass by Knaak. No card.
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70 min: Shaw goes close! She fronts up Le Tissier and drives into the area, coming inside to unleash a left-footed shot that flies over the bar.
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69 min: United work the ball out to Blundell on the right but her cross has no direction or pace on it and Yamashita gathers.
67 min: Hemp spins away from a couple of United players on the edge of the box but her curled effort is high and wide. Malard then leaves Knaak on the deck but her drive towards the area is stopped before she reaches a shooting position.
65 min: It’s a bit ragged, this second half. City are happy to sit back and soak up pressure but United are struggling to bring any sort of quality on the ball.
63 min: Skinner introduces Rolfö and Blundell for Galton and Riviere. Janssen tries to find Malard over the top but the flag goes up.
61 min: Sandberg skews a Hemp corner behind for another. This one goes short but Zigiotti wins it back. United are preparing two changes.
59 min: Toone is moving a lot better after that ankle knock. Hemp plays Shaw in behind but the flag is up.
57 min: Audacious from Hemp! Casparij’s long diagonal is flicked on by Miedema and Hemp tries to lift it first time over Middleton-Patel from range but the ball lands on the roof of the net.
55 min: Rose goes in for another battle with Malard on halfway and comes away the winner. It’s going to be more of a test for the City backline this half though.
53 min: Knaak and Rose double-team on Malard to shepherd the France striker away from goal and the ball goes behind for a goal-kick.
51 min: Toone is back on but not moving well. City waste an attack as a heavy ball out wide evades Hemp and goes out for a goal-kick.
49 min: Toone is helped to her feet and hobbles over to the touchline. She may try to carry on. United carry on with 10 for now.
It’s not looking good for Toone. Awujo is being briefed on the bench.
47 min: Toone is down holding her ankle after a coming-together with Blindkilde Brown. The City midfielder stepped on her foot.
Second half begins
We’re back under way. Malard has replaced Terland for United.
Recommended half-time reading
Suzanne Wrack speaks to Arsenal’s Alessia Russo
and Chelsea’s Millie Bright
and Aston Villa’s Natalia Arroyo!
United haven’t played particularly badly but they are very shaky in their own box without Phallon Tullis-Joyce in goal. City have been ruthless. They’ve had a whole week to prepare for this one, whereas United were in WCL action on Wednesday – and it shows.
Half-time
It’s all going to plan for Manchester City. Rebecca Knaak’s header gave them the lead before Khadija Shaw’s poacher’s finish doubled their advantage. Lauren Hemp’s fine finish in stoppage time has given them a commanding lead but is it an insurmountable one?
45+4 min: United look shaken and are limping towards half-time.
GOAL! Manchester City 3-0 Manchester United (Hemp 45+2)
What a finish! Casparij marauds infield and lays the ball off to Hemp on the edge of the box. She has plenty of time to set herself and arrow a left-footed shot into the near top corner. Middleton-Patel has no hope. Game over?
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45+1 min: Hemp’s corner curls towards the back post and Miedema heads it against the upright but the whistle goes for a foul.
45 min: Five minutes of added time. Fujino wins a corner off Sandberg …
GOAL! Manchester City 2-0 Manchester United (Shaw 43)
The stoppage in play did the trick for City! Shaw beats Middleton-Patel to Casparij’s inviting cross and toes the ball into the back of the net. It’s expert centre-forward play, finding space in between the two centre-backs. A wonderful cross too.
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42 min: Jeglertz is able to give his team some instructions while play is stopped. Yamashita is, unsurprisingly, absolutely fine to continue.
40 min: Yamashita hits the deck, stretching out her right leg. Convenient for City as United’s momentum is broken …
39 min: Park and Toone are starting to find each other regularly. Hasegawa and Blindkilde Brown are successfully fighting fires in the City midfield for now.
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37 min: United try to apply a bit of pressure. Galton and Sandberg are combining well down the left. Toone lofts a ball in the box but Terland is flagged for offside.
35 min: Sandberg finds space inside the City area and pulls a low ball back across the box but nobody in a red shirt is there.
34 min: Toone and Park have not really been able to get into the game. There’s not a lot of space between the City lines with Hasegawa sitting between the back four and the rest of the midfield.
32 min: Half-chance for United. Sandberg’s cross is not dealt with by Rose and Galton swings a leg at it. Rose redeems herself by blocking the shot at close quarters.
30 min: Yamashita claims the free-kick. Too floaty from Toone.
29 min: Zigiotti is cleaned out by Knaak after Riviere played a great ball down the United right. Knaak gets a yellow for her troubles. Toone will swing the free-kick in …
Rebecca Knaak loves a derby! She scored in both league meetings between these two last season. Not bad for a centre-half.
GOAL! Manchester City 1-0 Manchester United (Knaak 26)
City lead! A Hemp corner is headed back across goal and Knaak guides it back to whence it came and it floats into the back of the net at the near post. As routine a corner as you’ll see.
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25 min: There are half-hearted appeals for a penalty from the United players after Park spins away in midfield and tries to play through Galton. The United winger is then bumped off the ball by Rose in the area but nothing is given. And rightly so: proper shoulder-to-shoulder, that.
23 min: Janssen goes into the book for a foul on Shaw on the touchline near halfway. The United centre-back is on eggshells now.
22 min: City are trying to play a high line and United expose it with a long ball over the top to Galton. Her low cross is cut out and then she and Park get in each other’s way on the second ball. Decent opening.
20 min: Middleton-Patel does just enough to punch away an inswinging corner from Hemp that looked like it might be heading straight in.
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19 min: Shaw should do better. She picks up on a loose touch from Fujino in the box and hits a low ball across goal when maybe she should’ve gone herself.
18 min: United win a corner of their own as Casparij blocks Sandberg’s cross. Hasegawa heads it clear at the near post and Toone then skews a volley well wide from the edge of the box. No shots on target as yet.
16 min: Casparij finds space on the City right and drifts a cross towards the back post. Riviere diverts it out for a corner which is taken short and wasted, to the ironic cheers of the United fans in that corner of the ground
14 min: Hemp is OK and rejoins the action. Riviere goes long for Terland but her pass is intercepted.
12 min: Sandberg wins a corner for United off Fujino. Zigiotti’s ball is cleared out to Miyazawa and her volley is blocked by Hemp, who catches it right on the forehead. The England winger is receiving treatment after she stayed down.
10 min: Hemp drives down the City left again and cuts the ball back for Shaw but Janssen gets out to block the shot. Still a bit ropey from United.
9 min: Hemp looks to release Miedema down the left but Le Tissier comes across to put the ball out. It’s the centre-back’s 122nd consecutive start in the WSL for Brighton and United.
7 min: United try to get a foothold in the game and win a corner that comes to nothing. Any possession will do for them at the moment.
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5 min: Hasegawa is denied on the line! Hemp’s ball picks out the Japan international at the back post and she prods the ball goalwards but it’s stopped on the line by a defender.
4 min: City hit the post! Miedema shrugs off Zigiotti, cuts inside and her low shot clips the outside of the post with Middleton-Patel rooted to the spot.
3 min: Hemp causes more problems for the United defence, fronting up Riviere and floating a ball to the back post where Shaw just can’t on the end of it.
1 min: Very early scare for United. Fujino whips a ball in from the right and Hemp almost gets on the end of it at the back post. Riviere is able to clear.
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Kick-off
Vivianne Miedema of Manchester City gets us under way.
Kick-off is nearly upon us. The teams walk out in front of a healthy crowd at the Etihad. It’s derby time!
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Manchester United’s captain, Maya Le Tissier, is the stepbrother of Bournemouth’s Alex Scott, who is in Thomas Tuchel’s England squad for the first time. I have to confess that I did not know this. The pair grew up in Guernsey and Scott has been speaking about their childhood in football:
Growing up, we would fly over every weekend together. She’d have her games, for Hampshire, and I’d be playing for Southampton as a kid.
Every weekend, one of our parents and ourselves were flying over. It took a lot, especially for our parents, the amount of money they were paying and the amount of dedication they put in too for us to dream to be footballers. It’s a credit to them.
We’re just happy now we’re both playing at the top level. Obviously she’s flying for Man United and for the Lionesses as well, so I can be proud of her as well.
Lauren Hemp has been speaking to City’s media channels pre-match:
United are a quality side. We’ve got so much respect for them. They’ve done well this season. I think today will come down to who wants it the most and hopefully we can bring as much quality as we can. In the tough moments we’ve got all the fans behind us and it’s so special it being at home. We’re in this together and so hopefully we’ll get the job done.
United come into this one off the back of beating PSG in the Champions League in midweek but Marc Skinner’s side took their eye off the ball last weekend in a 1-0 home defeat to Aston Villa. They are four points behind their city rivals and, as Jeglertz suggested this week, are expected to challenge for what would be their first WSL title.
Manchester City are absolutely flying right now. Since losing to Chelsea in the WSL’s opening game, they have won seven in a row and sit above the defending champions at the top of the table.
Andrée Jeglertz, who is looking to deliver City’s first league title since 2016, today gets his first taste of the Manchester derby.
“This is the biggest game so far, I would say,” Jeglertz said this week. “I’m really looking forward to it, to play in that stadium in front of our home fans and also with the precision we have as a team right now.
“United are a great team. I think they have done very well, both in Champions League but also in the league. They are definitely going to be in top of the league to compete with the other teams that have the right to win the league. They will definitely be a contender to that.”
“One of the hardest decisions.” That was how Jess Park summed up swapping City for United this summer after making 122 appearances for the club, her first coming at the age of 16. The attacking midfielder went in search of more game time under Marc Skinner and her ambitions have been rewarded.
In eight appearances, including six starts, in the WSL, she has scored four and set up another two. She earned an England recall in October but had to pull out because of concussion. Ella Toone has particularly enjoyed playing alongside Park.
“She 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.”
Jess Park starts for United against her former club. Grace Clinton, the other half of the summer swap deal, is named on the bench for City.
Elsewhere for United, Safia Middleton-Patel continues to deputise in goal for the injured Phallon Tullis-Joyce. Melvin Malard and Fridolina Rolfö have to make do with a place on the bench after their goals against PSG in midweek.
As for City, Lauren Hemp makes her first start since September after recovering fully from an ankle injury, coming in for Iman Beney in the only change from the team that beat Everton last weekend.
Confirmed lineups
Both coaches have named their starting XIs:
Man City (3-4-2-1): Yamashita; Rose, Knaak, Ouahabi; Casparij, Blindkilde Brown, Hasegawa, Hemp; Fujino, Miedema; Shaw
Subs: Keating, Clinton, Coombs, Wienroither, Lohmann, Beney, Prior, Thomas, Oldroyd
Man Utd (4-1-4-1): Middleton-Patel; Riviere, Le Tissier, Janssen, Sandberg; Miyazawa; Park, Zigiotti, Toone, Galton; Terland
Subs: Rendell, Blundell, George, Awujo, Naalsund, Rolfo, Griffiths, Malard, Williams
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Preamble
It’s derby day in Manchester as two of the form teams in the WSL this season go head to head at the Etihad Stadium. Manchester City are top of the league and on a seven-game winning streak since losing their season opener at Chelsea. Manchester United are only four points behind them and have won five of their last six matches in all competitions, including the Champions League victory against Mary Earps’s PSG on Wednesday.
This fixture produced 10 goals across two league games last season – Ella Toone’s hat-trick in a 4-2 away win for United still fresh in the memory from January. The last derby in May, at Old Trafford, ended in a 2-2 draw as United held on for a point after being reduced to 10 players.
Let’s hope for more drama today in this 1.30pm (GMT) kick-off. Get in touch with your thoughts – on the game or the WSL title race, perhaps – or with your favourite Manchester derby moments.
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