Manchester City Thrash United In Derby To Stretch Lead At Top Of Wsl

Just arsenic Storm Claudia tore done nan north-west nan erstwhile evening, Manchester City blew Manchester United distant astatine nan Etihad. It was a connection 3-0 triumph for Andrée Jeglertz’s broadside acknowledgment to goals from Rebecca Knaak, Bunny Shaw and Lauren Hemp. It was 1 that genuinely announced their title credentials arsenic they consolidated their spot astatine nan apical of nan table.

It was a consequence that signalled back-to-back WSL defeats for Marc Skinner’s broadside for nan first clip since May 2024, leaving them 7 points disconnected nan convention leaders pinch their title hopes hanging by a thread.

United’s expertise to juggle home and European shot pinch a bladed squad has been a hotly discussed taxable since they qualified for nan Champions League. Looking astatine nan calendar, it ever felt for illustration this was nan week that would genuinely trial this capability. Unfortunately for nan visitors, they looked fatigued throughout, nan historical triumph against PSG intelligibly having taken a toll.

Skinner had tried to freshen things up pinch a fistful of changes. Ella Toone, Elisabeth Terland, Dominique Janssen and Leah Galton each added energy, though nan dropping of nan in-form Melvine Malard to nan chair raised a fewer eyebrows.

Manchester City, successful contrast, person nary specified loading worries. Jeglertz made 1 alteration from past week’s triumph complete Everton pinch Lauren Hemp making her first commencement since recovering from injury.

The large wind clouds started to stitchery for Skinner and his squad from nan first whistle. This was a show of nan spot from City whose move onslaught played pinch and pulled nan visitors isolated pinch a sublime first half capacity that saw them people 3 goals successful 21 minutes.

This put nan hosts firmly successful power and near United each astatine sea. Prior to this encounter, United had conceded conscionable six successful this convention run but they fell isolated successful nan look of nan City’s imaginative prowess.

Bunny Shaw scores Manchester City’s 2nd goal. Photograph: Alex Livesey/Getty Images

The informing signs came early erstwhile Vivianne Miedema utilized her spot to bundle Julia Zigiotti disconnected nan ball, only to resistance her changeable wide. Hemp was astatine nan bosom of everything early on, exploiting nan abstraction near by Jayde Riviere down United’s correct side. Her deliveries were causing problems and led to an opportunity for Yui Hasegawa that Anna Sandberg scrambled disconnected nan line.

United had respective forays forwards, their nonstop style giving them options successful nan wide areas but they could not problem Ayaka Yamashita. City, meanwhile, dominated possession, teasing their guidance and trying to propulsion them retired of their structure.

They made their unit count pinch almost half an hr played erstwhile Aoba Fujino won nan hosts a corner. A transportation to nan backmost station was headed crossed extremity by Shaw for Knaak to motion home. It was City’s seventh headed extremity of nan campaign.

They extended their advantage pinch 2 much goals conscionable earlier nan break. When Jade Rose was allowed to maraud done nan mediate from cardinal defence, nan transportation opened up for City. The influential Kerstin Casparij picked nan shot up connected nan correct earlier delivering a pinpoint debased transverse for Shaw to bundle home. Four minutes later, they had a 3rd aft a swift turnover successful possession saw Hemp afforded nan abstraction to thrust a changeable location from distance.

The astir evident alteration came from Skinner astatine nan break arsenic Malard entered for Terland but by this clip it was excessively precocious to alteration nan people of nan game. Former Manchester City subordinate Jess Park came closest, hitting nan post, but nan visitors were creatively abject and grounded to registry a azygous changeable connected target.

The hosts, meanwhile, could person extended their lead erstwhile a delightful Miedema agelong shot sent Shaw distant only for her to fluff her lines but it mattered small to nan hosts. Having grounded to hit immoderate squad who vanished supra them past season, Jeglertz’s broadside now person victories against Arsenal and Manchester United to put them successful a beardown position aft 9 matches.