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Similar to bad weather hit the northwest the night before, the home side blew the visitors away at the Etihad. It was a statement three-nil win for their manager's side due to goals from Rebecca Knaak, Bunny Shaw and Lauren Hemp. It was a display that clearly signaled their championship potential as they consolidated their position at the league summit.

Successive Losses for Manchester United

This result marked consecutive Women's Super League losses for Skinner's side for the initial occasion since last May, placing them a sizable gap off the league leaders with their championship aspirations hanging by a thread.

Manchester United's capacity to balance league and continental soccer with a limited squad has been a frequently analyzed issue since they qualified for the European competition. Reviewing the schedule, it always seemed this was the period that would fully examine this fortitude. Sadly for the opposition, they appeared weary from start to finish, the landmark win against Paris Saint-Germain clearly having left its mark.

Team Changes

Marc Skinner had tried to rotate the squad with a several alterations. Toone, Elisabeth Terland, Janssen and Leah Galton all added freshness, although the omission of the high-performing Malard to the substitutes caused surprise.

The hosts, in comparison, have no such fitness concerns. Jeglertz made one adjustment from last week’s win over Everton with Lauren Hemp making her first start since returning from injury.

Overpowering Start

The pressure started to accumulate for the United boss and his side from the first whistle. This was a show of the power from Manchester City whose potent offense manipulated and pulled the visitors apart with a superb initial 45 minutes showing that saw them net a trio in 21 minutes.

This placed City firmly in control and saw the visitors struggling. In advance of this fixture, the away side had let in just few in this WSL season but they disintegrated in the wake of City’s attacking flair.

Early Chances

The warning signs came quickly when Miedema used her physicality to muscle Zigiotti off the ball, only to pull her shot past the post. Lauren Hemp was at the core of everything in the beginning, taking advantage of the room left by Riviere down the visitors' right side. Her deliveries were posing a threat and led to an attempt for Yui Hasegawa that Sandberg scrambled off the line.

The Red Devils had multiple attacks forwards, their long-ball tactic giving them choices in the wide areas but they could not challenge Yamashita. City, meanwhile, commanded the ball, taunting their opposition and trying to lure them of their defensive shape.

Triple Strike

They turned chances into goals with almost half an hour played when Fujino won the hosts a corner. A ball to the back post was directed across goal by Bunny Shaw for Rebecca Knaak to score. It was Manchester City's 7th goal from a cross of the campaign.

They added to their lead with another pair of goals just before the half-time. When Rose was permitted to drive through the middle from central defence, the field opened up for the hosts. The prominent Kerstin Casparij picked the ball up on the right before sending a precise low cross for Shaw to bundle home. Four minutes later, they had a additional score after a quick shift in possession saw Hemp given the opportunity to strike a attempt home from outside the box.

Second Half

The most obvious adjustment came from Skinner at the half-time as Malard was introduced for Terland but by this time it was too late to alter the outcome of the match. Former Manchester City player Park came nearest, striking the upright, but the away team were offensively poor and failed to produce a one shot on goal.

The home side, on the other hand, could have extended their cushion when a delightful Vivianne Miedema long ball sent Shaw away only for her to fail to convert but it mattered little to the hosts. Having failed to overcome any team who placed above them last season, Jeglertz’s side now have successes against the Gunners and Manchester United to put them in a strong situation after the opening fixtures.