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Similar to bad weather hit the northern region the night before, City swept Manchester United aside at the Etihad. It was a convincing three goal triumph for their manager's side owing to goals from Rebecca Knaak, Shaw and Lauren Hemp. It was a result that truly announced their championship potential as they consolidated their position at the WSL pinnacle.

Successive Losses for United

This scoreline signalled consecutive Women's Super League losses for Skinner's side for the maiden instance since last May, leaving them seven points off the top team with their championship aspirations severely dented.

United’s capability to manage league and European football with a thin team has been a frequently analyzed topic since they secured entry to the European competition. Considering the schedule, it always seemed this was the period that would truly test this capability. Unfortunately for the opposition, they appeared fatigued from start to finish, the landmark win against Paris Saint-Germain clearly having had an impact.

Team Changes

Skinner had tried to rotate the squad with a a few alterations. Toone, Elisabeth Terland, Janssen and Galton all brought energy, although the exclusion of the high-performing Malard to the substitutes raised a few eyebrows.

The hosts, in comparison, have fewer workload worries. The City coach made one adjustment from last week’s win over Everton with Lauren Hemp making her initial starting appearance since recovering from injury.

Commanding Opening Period

The pressure started to accumulate for the United boss and his team from the kickoff. This was a exhibition of the quality from City whose potent forward line manipulated and dismantled the opposition with a excellent opening period display that saw them score three goals in 21 minutes.

This put the hosts in a commanding position and left United all at sea. In advance of this encounter, United had allowed just six in this league campaign but they collapsed in the face of the hosts' creative prowess.

Opening Threats

The warning signs came quickly when Miedema used her power to bundle Zigiotti off the ball, only to drag her shot wide. Hemp was at the center of everything in the beginning, taking advantage of the space left by Riviere down United’s right side. Her deliveries were creating danger and led to an opportunity for Yui Hasegawa that Anna Sandberg scrambled off the line.

United had multiple sorties forward, their direct style giving them alternatives in the wide areas but they could not test the City goalkeeper. Manchester City, in the meantime, commanded possession, teasing their opposition and trying to pull them out of their organization.

Goals Galore

They turned chances into goals with almost half an hour played when Fujino won the hosts a set-piece. A cross to the far post was directed across goal by Bunny Shaw for Rebecca Knaak to head in. It was City’s seventh header of the campaign.

They increased their advantage with another pair of goals just before the interval. When Rose was allowed to drive through the middle from defense, the play widened for City. The key Casparij collected the pass on the right before sending a pinpoint driven ball for Bunny Shaw to bundle home. A short time later, they had a third after a swift shift in the ball saw Hemp allowed the space to fire a shot home from range.

Final Period

The clearest adjustment came from Skinner at the half-time as Melvine Malard came on for Elisabeth Terland but by this time it was too late to shift the momentum of the game. Ex- City player Jess Park came nearest, rattling the woodwork, but the away team were lacking in ideas and did not manage to record a one shot on target.

The hosts, in contrast, could have extended their cushion when a superb Vivianne Miedema long ball sent Bunny Shaw away only for her to miss the chance but it mattered little to the hosts. Having failed to defeat any team who ended above them in the prior term, City's side now have victories against Arsenal and United to put them in a commanding position after nine games.