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Just as Storm Claudia hit the north-west the prior day, City blew the visitors aside at the their home ground. It was a convincing 3-0 victory for Andrée Jeglertz’s side thanks to goals from Rebecca Knaak, Bunny Shaw and Lauren Hemp. It was a display that truly announced their championship potential as they reinforced their place at the league summit.

Consecutive Setbacks for Manchester United

This result marked successive Women's Super League losses for the United manager's side for the initial occasion since last May, placing them seven points off the league leaders with their title hopes hanging by a thread.

United’s ability to balance league and continental football with a limited team has been a widely debated issue since they secured entry to the UCL. Looking at the schedule, it always felt like this was the matchday that would seriously challenge this fortitude. Regrettably for the opposition, they looked weary all game, the landmark win against the French side clearly having had an impact.

Team Changes

The United manager had sought to make changes with a a few adjustments. Toone, Elisabeth Terland, Dominique Janssen and Leah Galton all added freshness, although the omission of the in-form Melvine Malard to the sidelines caused surprise.

Manchester City, in opposition, have no such workload concerns. Andrée Jeglertz made one change from the previous win over the Toffees with Hemp making her return to the lineup since returning from a physical setback.

Overpowering Start

The pressure started to gather for the United boss and his squad from the opening minute. This was a exhibition of the quality from City whose dynamic attack manipulated and dismantled the opposition with a superb first half display that saw them net a trio in under half an hour.

This placed City firmly in control and left United struggling. Before this encounter, the away side had allowed just six in this league campaign but they disintegrated in the face of the hosts' offensive ingenuity.

Opening Threats

The omens came early when Vivianne Miedema used her strength to bundle Zigiotti off the ball, only to drag her shot off target. Hemp was at the heart of everything early on, using the space left by Riviere down United’s right side. Her deliveries were posing a threat and led to an attempt for Yui Hasegawa that Anna Sandberg scrambled off the line.

The Red Devils had several sorties forwards, their direct style giving them choices in the wide areas but they could not trouble Ayaka Yamashita. City, meanwhile, commanded the ball, taunting their opposition and trying to pull them out of their organization.

Scoring Spree

They turned chances into goals with almost thirty minutes played when Fujino won the home team a set-piece. A ball to the back post was headed across goal by Shaw for Rebecca Knaak to nod home. It was City’s seventh headed goal of the term.

They added to their cushion with another pair of goals just before the interval. When Rose was permitted to maraud through the center from central defence, the play opened up for the hosts. The key Kerstin Casparij collected the pass on the right before providing a pinpoint low cross for Bunny Shaw to force home. A short time later, they had a additional score after a swift turnover in possession saw Hemp afforded the room to drive a attempt home from outside the box.

After the Break

The clearest adjustment came from the United manager at the half-time as Malard came on for Terland but by this time it was ineffective to shift the momentum of the contest. Ex- Manchester City player Park came closest, hitting the woodwork, but the away team were lacking in ideas and were unable to register a solitary shot on target.

The home side, meanwhile, could have extended their advantage when a superb Miedema pass sent Shaw away only for her to fail to convert but it was insignificant to the winning team. Previously unable to defeat any team who ended above them last season, the manager's side now have wins against the Gunners and Manchester United to put them in a commanding situation after nine games.