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Much like the recent storm hit the northern region the night before, City swept United aside at the Etihad. It was a emphatic three goal triumph for the City coach's side thanks to goals from Knaak, Bunny Shaw and Lauren Hemp. It was a performance that truly announced their championship potential as they reinforced their standing at the WSL pinnacle.

Consecutive Defeats for Manchester United

This outcome signalled successive league losses for the United manager's side for the first time since last May, leaving them a sizable gap off the league leaders with their title hopes hanging by a thread.

United’s capability to balance league and European soccer with a small roster has been a widely debated issue since they secured entry to the Champions League. Looking at the fixture list, it always appeared this was the week that would seriously challenge this fortitude. Regrettably for the away side, they seemed tired from start to finish, the landmark win against Paris Saint-Germain clearly having taken a toll.

Team Changes

The United manager had tried to make changes with a a few adjustments. Ella Toone, Elisabeth Terland, Dominique Janssen and Leah Galton all brought freshness, although the dropping of the high-performing Malard to the sidelines was questioned.

The hosts, in comparison, have fewer workload issues. Andrée Jeglertz made one change from last week’s win over Everton with Lauren Hemp making her initial starting appearance since healing from a fitness issue.

Dominant First Half

The storm clouds started to build for Skinner and his side from the opening minute. This was a exhibition of the quality from City whose potent forward line controlled and dismantled the opposition with a superb initial 45 minutes performance that saw them put three past the keeper in under half an hour.

This left the home team completely dominant and had Manchester United all at sea. Before this fixture, United had conceded just few in this WSL season but they collapsed in the wake of Manchester City's offensive ingenuity.

Early Chances

The warning signs came early when Miedema used her power to push Julia Zigiotti off the ball, only to send her shot past the post. Hemp was at the core of everything in the beginning, using the room left by Riviere down the visitors' right flank. Her passes were causing problems and led to an attempt for Hasegawa that Sandberg scrambled off the line.

The Red Devils had a number of sorties forward, their long-ball tactic giving them alternatives in the wings but they could not trouble Yamashita. City, on the other hand, commanded possession, probing their rivals and trying to pull them out of their defensive shape.

Triple Strike

They made their pressure count 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 Knaak to head in. It was City’s 7th goal from a cross of the campaign.

They increased their lead with two more goals just before the break. When Rose was allowed to advance through the center from central defence, the play widened for City. The prominent Kerstin Casparij received possession on the wing before sending a pinpoint low cross for Bunny Shaw to bundle home. Four minutes later, they had a additional score after a quick shift in possession saw Hemp afforded the room to drive a effort home from distance.

After the Break

The clearest change came from the United manager at the break as Melvine Malard entered for Elisabeth Terland but by this time it was futile to change the course of the match. Former Manchester City player Park came closest, hitting the woodwork, but the visitors were offensively poor and were unable to record a solitary shot on target.

The hosts, in contrast, could have extended their advantage when a superb Vivianne Miedema through ball sent Shaw away only for her to miss the chance but it did not affect the result to the hosts. After failing to defeat any opponent who finished above them the previous campaign, the manager's side now have successes against the Gunners and United to position them in a strong situation after the opening fixtures.