MANCHESTER IS BLUE: MANCHESTER DERBY WSL EDITION

 Monday 11 December 2023

Barclays WSL 2023/24

Game 6/6, Matchday 6.

MANCHESTER IS BLUE AS CITY DOMINATE UNITED

Despite Laia Aleixandri’s red card, Manchester City delivered a statement message to the WSL teams after beating United 3-1 at Old Trafford.

PREVIEW:

A first women’s Manchester Derby at Old Trafford is always a momentous occasion in the football calendar. Both teams arrive on the back of mixed results. Manchester United are unbeaten still after thrashing Rehanne Skinner’s West Ham United by 5-0 thanks to goals from summer signing Geyse da Silva Ferreira, Millie Turner, Nikita Parris, Lucia García, and Melvine Malard to continue the team’s unbeaten run under Marc Skinner.

Whereas Manchester City have lost back-to-back games coming into this fixture as their unbeaten home run was ended by Melissa Phillips’s Brighton and Hove Albion, thanks to a goal from Lee Guem-min as she tapped in former Manchester City forward Pauline Bremer’s pass. With these two defeats, both home and away (at Boreham Wood to Arsenal & at the Joie Stadium to Brighton), can the Blues strike back in this momentous clash against their city rivals?

TEAM NEWS:

Marc Skinner makes 2 changes from their win against West Ham United, with Melvine Malard and Lisa Naaslund starting as summer signing Hinata Miyazawa and Jayde Riviere drop to the bench in a 4-2-3-1 formation that sees Geyse spearhead the attack, captain Katie Zelem partner with the Norwegian Naaslund in the CDM positions, Malard shifts to RM/RW, that will see Nikita Parris shift to LM/LW with Ella Toone at CAM. An interesting change at the back sees Han Blundell at RB and winger Leah Galton at LB.

Gareth Taylor makes 3 changes from their home loss to Brighton, as Alex Greenwood, Leila Ouahabi and Lauren Hemp return to the team, while Mary Fowler, Esme Morgan and Julie Blakstad make way in a 4-2-3-1 formation, which sees Laia Aleixandri at RB, with Khadija “Bunny” Shaw the spearhead of this attack.

KICK-OFF: FIRST HALF

Here we go in the first ever Women’s Manchester Derby at Old Trafford as Manchester City look to return to winning ways in the WSL and Man United will look to continue their unbeaten start to the season. Manchester City advancing very nicely towards the United area, as Bunny Shaw sees her shot saved by Mary Earps, with the first going the way of Manchester City. French winger Malard has been United’s main threat as she terrorised the City backline and won a penalty on 21 minutes as the returning Alex Greenwood interfered with her arm as Cheryl Foster pointed to the penalty spot. PENALTY TO MANCHESTER UNITED. The responsibility on the hands of 27-year-old skipper Katie Zelem. She is up against Khiara Keating in goal, who has saved one penalty overall, in the defeat to Arsenal, but can Zelem convert this? Oh yes, she does!! Makes no mistake in taking the penalty, despite young Keating going the right way, but it was too much for the 19-year-old to do. Manchester United have their first goal in this derby.

Katie Zelem scored from the spot to give United the lead. MUN 1 – MCI 0.

After the penalty, Man United thought they were 2 up through Geyse, but only for the offside flag to go against the 25-year-old Brazilian forward. A relief for City after that offside against Geyse.

They eventually got the equaliser on 34 minutes. After Chloe Kelly speeded past Lisa Naaslund, and found Dutch midfielder, Jill Roord as she calmly scored. The 26-year-old former Arsenal midfielder was having a really good time back in England, this time for Manchester City. It was the deserved leveller for City with only 11 minutes left till half-time.

Jill Roord and Chloe Kelly celebrate City’s equaliser after 34 minutes. MUN 1 – MCI 1.

And soon after that, City were in front. It was barely 1 minute since Roord got the equaliser and this time it was Lauren Hemp who scored a superb finish that hits the bar and into the net beyond Mary Earps. Bunny Shaw won the ball after Japanese women’s Ballon D’Or nominee Yui Hasegawa pressurised Katie Zelem into giving away possession and Bunny Shaw found Lauren Hemp and she made no mistake. It was a quick-fire double to add to Manchester United’s defensive woes. Lauren Hemp returning from injury, shows her quality once again.

Lauren Hemp wheels off in celebration with Laia Aleixandri and the team as City lead 2-1 with 10 minutes remaining. MUN 1 – MCI 2.

Hemp delivering the sucker punch to United was the answer Gareth Taylor wanted as City continued to dominate and keep possession against their city rivals. City have been the better team throughout the first half, creating chance after chance and eventually they had a big chance. Leila Ouahabi’s through ball was met by 25-year-old winger Chloe Kelly, but only for 30-year-old Mary Earps to deny her. It was a huge chance for Man City

HT at Old Trafford, with Manchester City keeping a slender lead against United. 

KICK-OFF: SECOND HALF

The second half was much better from Manchester United as they kept the ball and started to run at City. But at the other end of the pitch their defence continued to falter. And exactly what happened on 55 minutes. Khadija Bunny Shaw charged onto Maya Le Tissier’s poor back pass to leave England number 1; Mary Earps stranded as City ran into a 3-1 lead 10 minutes into the second half.

Bunny Shaw celebrates her side’s 3^rd goal as City ran away with the lead with 35 minutes to play.

Manchester City were in absolute control of the game until the 72^nd minute, when Spanish defender Laia Aleixandri dragged down United substitute and her country team-mate, 25-year-old Lucía García Córdoba was on the charge until the former Atletico Madrid defender dragged her down to get a second yellow card to get sent off. With that sending off, City were once again down to 10 women after Aleixandri’s dismissal. But they were able to hold on to three points after back-to-back defeats in the WSL. FT at Old Trafford, and that is that. Manchester City have now got their 7^th victory out of 13 in all competitions and 6^th in 8 meetings in the WSL.

POST MATCH PICTURES:

Chloe Kelly and Khiara Keating showing love to the City fans after their 3-1 win.

Despite the loss to City, Mary Earps takes a selfie with the United fans after FT.

Han Blundell and the United players receiving applause from their fans after the loss to City.

WHAT’S NEXT?

Manchester United will look to regain form by travelling to Ashton Gate, Bristol to take on Lauren Smith’s Bristol City on Sunday 26 November 2023

Manchester City meanwhile, will welcome Tottenham Hotspur women to the Joie Stadium on Sunday 26 November 2023, to continue their winning streak in the WSL this season.