The two sides of Manchester will go head to head on Sunday in what is set to be a
crucial game for both team's title aspirations, as they look to hunt down league
leaders Chelsea.
The Etihad Stadium will host its second Manchester derby and only third-ever WSL
game. The much-anticipated fixture has already sold over 40,000 tickets, with the
current WSL attendance record being set earlier this year, as 47,367 were in
attendance for the North London derby at the Emirates.
As the league’s most in-form teams go ahead to head it's set to be an enjoyable
game for the fans.
The two teams last met in February this year, in the 5th round of the FA Cup. City
recorded a 4-1 away victory at Leigh Sports Village.
City are unbeaten against Manchester United in the WSL and will hope to continue
this form on Sunday.
Manchester City:
After a transitional summer for Gareth Taylor and losing many key players, City
struggled in their first two games losing to Aston Villa and Chelsea. Since then,
Taylor’s side has been picking up points and have quietly put themselves in a
position to challenge for the Champions League spots.
City have gathered momentum and go into the fixture with nine consecutive wins,
scoring 28 times in the process. The turn-in form has been reflected as Gareth
Taylor was nominated for November Barclays Manager of the Month.
Lauren Hemp has been out with injury since the beginning of November but is likely
to play some part on Sunday after she appeared in City’s 2-0 win over Liverpool in
the Conti Cup during the week.
Manchester United:
Marc Skinner’s side currently sits second in the league just three points behind
Chelsea, who have played a game more.
United have made an excellent start to the season with their only loss coming
against Chelsea. Skinner’s side enjoyed a fantastic 3-2 away victory over rivals
Arsenal a few weeks ago, with a late comeback.
Captain Katie Zelem has been ever present in midfield for United side registering 5
assists this season which earned her a nomination as Barclays Player of the Month
for November. Keeper Mary Earps has taken her fine form from the Euros into the
league as she has the joint most WSL clean sheets (6) tied with Manuela Zinsberger.
United come into the game off the back of three consecutive wins, scoring a
combined total of 9 goals across the games.
Ones to Watch:
Lionesses duo Ella Toone and Alessia Russo will likely provide a tough challenge for
City defenders. They have both been in great form recently with the pair both scoring
in United’s crucial 3-2 over Arsenal.
Ona Batlle is another one for City defenders to look out for. The 23-year-old Spanish
midfielder has been impressive since signing from Levante in 2020. She has played
in five WSL games this season and recorded an impressive 4 assists. She scored
her first goal this season in United’s last WSL game, which was a 5-0 win over Aston
Villa.
Yui Hasegawa was brought in by Gareth Taylor to bolster the midfielder at the start
of the season. The Japanese international is a creative midfielder who is known for
her versatility, she has started six times for City this season and has been crucial in
both attack and defence.
Kadijah Shaw will likely prove to be a handful for United’s defence. The Jamaican
international is the league's joint top scorer with 8 WSL goals. Shaw’s pace and
strength is something that United defenders will have to be wary of should they want
to keep a clean sheet. Shaw was nominated for November Barclays Player of the
Month.
Where to Watch:
The match kicks off at 12:30 pm (GMT) on Sunday 11th December. Those who can’t
make it down to the Etihad will be able to watch live on BBC One. Tickets are still
available via the Manchester City website.
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