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Just as the recent storm hit the northern region the prior day, Manchester City blew the visitors aside at the their home ground. It was a emphatic three goal triumph for the City coach's side thanks to goals from Rebecca Knaak, Bunny Shaw and Lauren Hemp. It was a display that firmly established their leadership claims as they reinforced their place at the top of the table.

Successive Defeats for Manchester United

This outcome represented back-to-back WSL losses for the United manager's side for the first time since last May, placing them a sizable gap off the league leaders with their trophy ambitions in serious doubt.

United’s ability to manage league and European soccer with a limited squad has been a hotly discussed issue since they earned a place in the Champions League. Looking at the schedule, it always felt like this was the week that would fully examine this capability. Regrettably for the opposition, they seemed fatigued throughout, the landmark win against Paris Saint-Germain clearly having left its mark.

Team Changes

Skinner had tried to make changes with a handful of alterations. Ella Toone, Terland, Janssen and Leah Galton all added freshness, although the omission of the in-form Malard to the substitutes raised a few eyebrows.

Manchester City, in comparison, have fewer fitness concerns. Andrée Jeglertz made a single alteration from the previous win over Everton with Hemp making her first start since recovering from injury.

Dominant First Half

The storm clouds started to gather for Skinner and his squad from the opening minute. This was a exhibition of the strength from Manchester City whose dynamic forward line manipulated and pulled the visitors apart with a superb opening period showing that saw them put three past the keeper in 21 minutes.

This placed City in a commanding position and saw the visitors disorganized. In advance of this fixture, the away side had let in just few in this league campaign but they disintegrated in the face of City’s creative prowess.

Early Chances

The warning signs came quickly when Vivianne Miedema used her strength to muscle Julia Zigiotti off the ball, only to pull her shot wide. Hemp was at the core of everything from the start, taking advantage of the gap left by Jayde Riviere down the visitors' right flank. Her deliveries were posing a threat and led to an opportunity for Yui Hasegawa that Anna Sandberg cleared off the line.

The Red Devils had a number of attacks ahead, their direct style giving them options in the wide areas but they could not challenge the City goalkeeper. City, on the other hand, dominated the ball, taunting their rivals and trying to draw them out of their structure.

Triple Strike

They turned chances into goals with almost half an hour played when Aoba Fujino won the home team a corner. A cross to the back post was directed across goal by Shaw for Rebecca Knaak to score. It was City’s 7th headed goal of the term.

They increased their lead with another pair of goals just before the interval. When Jade Rose was allowed to maraud through the midfield from defense, the field widened for the hosts. The key Casparij picked the ball up on the right side before delivering a pinpoint ground pass for Bunny Shaw to force home. Four minutes later, they had a third goal after a quick turnover in possession saw Hemp allowed the room to drive a shot home from outside the box.

Final Period

The clearest change came from Skinner at the half-time as Melvine Malard came on for Terland but by this time it was too late to change the course of the game. Former Manchester City player Park came most likely to score, striking the post, but the away team were offensively poor and were unable to record a solitary shot on target.

The hosts, meanwhile, could have extended their advantage when a superb Miedema pass sent Bunny Shaw away only for her to fail to convert but it did not affect the result to the hosts. Having failed to defeat any team who finished above them the previous campaign, City's side now have victories against the Gunners and Manchester United to position them in a favorable position after nine matches.