Key events
59 min: Fujino is in the thick of it again. She glides past George on Manchester City’s right before standing the ball up to Jill Roord in the middle. Roord’s stooping header is a good one but it trickles past the post.
58 min: Manchester City are fashioning a few chances. Jessica Park is the key to unlock the Manchester United defence and she drives through the middle before finding Miedema. The striker’s shot is blocked but it falls to Fowler who hits it straight at Tullis-Joyce.
55 min: Manchester City are holding on to possession well. But what can they do with it?
48 min: You have to feel for Keating. A couple of mistakes when playing out from the back have cost Manchester City. How will the 2023/24 Golden Glove winner respond?
GOAL! Manchester City 2-4 Manchester United (Toone, 46)
What a bizarre goal. Keating receives the ball from kick off and a poor touch immediately lands her in trouble. Her clearance bounces off a Manchester United player before falling into the path of Ella Toone who puts the ball into an empty net for her second.
45 min: We’re back under way and what???
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How I’m feeling.
Half time: Manchester City 2-3 Manchester United
What a half that was. I’m still catching my breath.
Manchester United got out of the blocks much quicker than Manchester City in the first half an hour or so. City looked sloppy on the ball and gave it away cheaply on more than one occasion.
The third Manchester United goal seemed to wake City up though. Growing in confidence, the home side pulled one back through a Miedema header. Then a few minutes later, new signing, Knaak, headed them back into the game.
All the elements are in place for a tantalizing second half.
GOAL! Manchester City 2-3 Manchester United (Knaak, 45+3)
Game on! Manchester City win a corner which is whipped into the back post. The new signing Rebecca Knaak towers above everyone else and powers a header back across goal past Tullis-Joyce.
45 min: City are growing in confidence. Fujino, who has been a threat all game, plays a fabulous one-two with Jessica Park before whipping the ball into the back post. The header is well saved by Tullis-Joyce.
43 min: Miedema has got her eye in now. She receives the ball on the edge of the area and swivels smoothly before hitting it. It’s straight at Phallon Tullis-Joyce though.
GOAL! Manchester City 1-3 Manchester United (Miedema, 40)
Manchester City are back in this! Mary Fowler does brilliantly on the right, beating the fullback with a stepover before whipping a delightful ball into the path of Miedema. The City forward makes no mistake with her finish and heads the home side back into this one.
GOAL! Manchester City 0-3 Manchester United (Toone, 35)
Oh no! Conceding the second goal has knocked Keating’s confidence. She tries to play out from the back again, putting her defenders under pressure. City lose it and the ball falls to Ella Toone, who has the simple task of tapping the ball into the net. City couldn’t have started this game any worse.
34 min: Keating gives the ball away again. United pick up a loose pass from the young goalkeeper and suddenly Terland is through on goal. The forward lacks composure though and blazes it way over the bar.
32 min: Manchester City are taking pop shots now. Mary Fowler has a go from 25 yards but her effort is just wide of the post.
28 min: That’s great centre forward play from Vivianne Miedema. Playing with her back to goal, she holds off the defender before rolling the ball to Fujino. The right winger tries to curl one into the far corner but it’s just wide.
26 min: Playing the ball out from the back, Keating takes too long on the ball. Bizet closes her down and plays the ball back for Terland. The Norway international fails to make the most of it though and the ball is recycled into the Manchester United midfield.
24 min: Gareth Taylor looks stunned on the sidelines. Manchester City weren’t expecting this.
GOAL! Manchester City 0-2 Manchester United (Galton, 20)
That’s another one. The away side swing the ball in from a corner and after a couple of ricochets the ball falls to Galton. This time she makes no mistake, smashing the ball into the net from two yards out.
17 min: Manchester United are by far the most dangerous side. Celin Bizet receives the ball on the right and measures a cross to Elisabeth Terland at the back post. The striker hits it on the volley but it takes a deflection and lands in Keating’s gloves.
GOAL! Manchester City 0-1 Manchester United (Toone, 13)
That’s nothing more than Manchester United deserve. Ella Toone, playing in her 10th Manchester derby, gets the opener.
City give the ball away cheaply from a goal kick. Manchester United do well to pick the ball up in the middle of the field and within a couple of passes, Hinata Miyazawa plays a lofted through ball into the path of Ella Toone who lifts the it over the onrushing Khiara Keating.
12 min: That was almost 1-0. Leah Galton, who has started the game brightly, powers past Yui Hasegawa as if she’s not there. Through on goal, the Manchester United forward smashes the ball into the side netting.
8 min: Fujino has seen the ball a great deal on the right. An intriguing battle is developing between the Manchester City forward and Manchester United fullback Gabrielle George.
4 min: Manchester City are finally getting a foothold in this game. Aoba Fujino makes progress down the right before passing the ball inside to Jessica Park. But it ultimately comes to nothing.
Kick off
1 min: And we’re off at the Etihad Stadium. Manchester United are immediately on the front foot, letting a shot off within the first few seconds. That’s an early warning sign for the home side.
There’s a moment of silence for former Manchester City player Tony Book and Manchester United and Manchester man Denis Law. Both of whom died in the past week.
Today’s WSL results
Both teams need three points with Chelsea and Arsenal winning 5-0. The pressure is on in the race for the title and Champions League qualification.
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Tottenham 1-0 Leicester City
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Arsenal 5-0 Crystal Palace
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West Ham United 0-5 Chelsea
Speaking to Sky Sports before the game, Gareth Taylor cited an “ankle problem” as the reason why Chloe Kelly is out of the Manchester City squad. No comment about a loan move to Manchester United.
Speaking before this evening’s game, the Manchester United manager Marc Skinner said: “What I want from these games, in basic language, is I want no regrets from the players. No regrets – don’t go in and fear it, then moan afterwards that you didn’t win.”
Suzanne Wrack
There is added spice to the tie too, with the teams meeting again three days later in the League Cup quarter-finals. “The draw in the League Cup is a difficult tie and route but that can happen,” said the City manager Gareth Taylor. “To win any competition you have to do that. For us it’s a good challenge.”
Even outside the transfer treachery, tonight’s derby is an enticing affair. Read Suzanne Wrack’s preview below.
Notably, Chloe Kelly is out of the Manchester City squad. There has been talk of the England international joining Manchester United since last summer. The latest news is that the forward, who is out of contract at the end of the season, could join United on loan for the remainder of the campaign.
Speaking before today’s game, the Manchester City manager Gareth Taylor said: “Chloe is here at this club. What she’s done for me and the team in the past, we have a good history together. Whilst she’s here, she is the same as every other player, she is considered and valued. Whether she plays or doesn’t play she is part of what we are doing.”
The teams
Manchester City: Keating, Aleixandri, Miedema, Fowler, Roord, Ouahabi, Park, Casparij, Fujino, Hasegawa, Knaak
Subs: Annets, Yamashita, Coombs, Blindkilde Brown, Prior, Oyama, Murphy, Davies
In the blue corner! 🩵
XI | Keating, Aleixandri (C), Miedema, Fowler, Roord, Ouahabi, Park, Casparij, Fujino, Hasegawa, Knaak
SUBS | Annets, Yamashita, Coombs, Blindkilde Brown, Prior, Oyama, Murphy, Davies#ManCity | @etihad pic.twitter.com/PB7rd4AXfI
— Manchester City Women (@ManCityWomen) January 19, 2025
Manchester United: Tullis-Joyce, George, Le Tissier, Toone, Galton, Riviere, Bizet, Janssen, Terland, Miyazawa, Turner
Subs: Middleton-Patel, Mannion, Sandberg, Awujo, Clinton, Malard, Williams
Preamble
Hello and welcome to minute-by-minute coverage of the 10th Manchester derby in Women’s Super League history. The stakes are high for both teams, especially after Chelsea’s 5-0 win over West Ham earlier. A loss for either side could put the league title beyond reach.
Manchester City sit in second place but have lost two of their last three WSL matches. Gareth Taylor’s side are also without star players Khadija Shaw, Lauren Hemp and Alex Greenwood. Chloe Kelly, who has largely been frozen out this season, is unlikely to play amid transfer interest from Manchester United.
Manchester United are not far behind their noisy neighbours in fourth place. Marc Skinner’s side have the best defensive record in the league (only conceding three goals) but will need to offer more offensively if they’re to win away at City for the first time in the WSL. They’re without Evie Rabjohn and Lisa Naalsund through injury and Brazilian striker Geyse who has been given some personal leave.
Kick off is at 6:45pm. Keep refreshing this page for updates and email me with your thoughts.
