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Just as Storm Claudia hit the northern region the prior day, the home side blew United away at the Etihad Stadium. It was a emphatic three goal triumph for their manager's side thanks to goals from Knaak, Shaw and Lauren Hemp. It was a performance that firmly established their leadership claims as they reinforced their position at the top of the table.

Successive Setbacks for United

This result represented back-to-back WSL losses for Marc Skinner’s side for the initial occasion since last May, putting them seven points off the top team with their championship aspirations in serious doubt.

Manchester United's capability to balance league and continental football with a small team has been a widely debated subject since they qualified for the UCL. Reviewing the calendar, it always appeared this was the period that would seriously challenge this ability. Unfortunately for the opposition, they seemed tired all game, the landmark win against Paris Saint-Germain clearly having left its mark.

Team Changes

The United manager had attempted to rotate the squad with a a few changes. Ella Toone, Elisabeth Terland, Janssen and Leah Galton all provided freshness, although the dropping of the in-form Malard to the sidelines caused surprise.

Manchester City, in comparison, have fewer fitness worries. The City coach made one adjustment from the previous win over the Toffees with Hemp making her initial starting appearance since recovering from a fitness issue.

Commanding Opening Period

The pressure started to accumulate for the United boss and his squad from the opening minute. This was a show of the power from City whose dynamic offense played with and dismantled the opposition with a sublime opening period performance that saw them score three goals in under half an hour.

This put the hosts in a commanding position and saw the visitors disorganized. Before this fixture, the away side had let in just six in this WSL season but they collapsed in the wake of the hosts' attacking flair.

Opening Threats

The warning signs came soon when Miedema used her power to bundle Julia Zigiotti off the ball, only to send her shot off target. Hemp was at the core of everything from the start, using the room left by Riviere down the visitors' wing. Her passes were posing a threat and led to an attempt for Hasegawa that Sandberg kicked off the line.

United had several sorties forwards, their direct style giving them alternatives in the flanks but they could not challenge the City goalkeeper. Manchester City, in the meantime, controlled the ball, probing their rivals and trying to pull them out of their defensive shape.

Goals Galore

They made their pressure count with almost thirty minutes played when Fujino won the home team a set-piece. A ball to the far post was nodded across goal by Bunny Shaw for Rebecca Knaak to score. It was Manchester City's 7th headed goal of the season.

They added to their advantage with two more goals just before the break. When Rose was permitted to drive through the midfield from the back, the pitch opened up for City. The influential Kerstin Casparij picked the ball up on the right before providing a pinpoint ground pass for Bunny Shaw to tap home. Shortly later, they had a third after a rapid turnover in the ball saw Hemp given the room to drive a attempt home from range.

Second Half

The clearest adjustment came from the United manager at the interval as Malard entered for Terland but by this time it was too late to alter the outcome of the match. Ex- City player Park came most likely to score, hitting the woodwork, but the away team were offensively poor and failed to register a solitary shot on target.

The home side, on the other hand, could have extended their advantage when a excellent Vivianne Miedema long ball sent Shaw away only for her to miss the chance but it did not affect the result to the hosts. Having failed to overcome any side who finished above them last season, Jeglertz’s side now have successes against Arsenal and United to place them in a commanding standing after the opening fixtures.