Manchester City took another huge step towards their first Women’s Super League title in 10 years as Vivianne Miedema’s double and a Kerstin Casparij goal saw them comfortably beat Manchester United 3-0 at Old Trafford.
Andree Jeglertz’s side now need a maximum of five points from their remaining three games to be crowned champions for the first time since 2016 after a dominant display against their rivals, who are now officially out of the race.
Two headers from Netherlands international Miedema in as many first-half minutes (17, 19) set the visitors on their way before Casparij tapped in a Lauren Hemp cross at the back post shortly after the break (49) to put the result beyond doubt.
Arsenal and Chelsea are the only sides who can now catch City, but the WSL leaders will be confident of gaining the points they require in their remaining fixtures against Brighton, Liverpool and West Ham, who make up four of the bottom five teams.
United looked lethargic for much of the contest and perhaps understandably so, with this defeat the second time they have conceded three goals at Old Trafford in a week having lost 3-2 to Bayern Munich in the Champions League on Wednesday.
Marc Skinner’s team now face a challenge to stay in the top three. They are currently second but only three points above Arsenal in fourth, with the Gunners taking on Tottenham live on Sky Sports on Saturday evening.
Jeglertz: Squad depth a fantastic luxury
City were boosted by the return of Ayaka Yamashita, Yui Hasegawa, Aoba Fujino and Mary Fowler from the Asian Cup for the trip across Manchester.
Speaking after the game, Jeglertz said: “It’s a fantastic luxury to have that depth and it’ll be important for us for the rest of this season because we’ve had some injuries.
“But we’ve had players at the Asian Cup also and they’ve stepped up. It was difficult to choose the line-up but that’s good for the players, they challenge in each session.
“If you have a challenge in each session, it means my job will be tougher. It’s crucial to have that.”
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Kerstin Casparij scored Man City’s second shortly after the break
On the match itself, the City boss added: “The first half is one of the best this season.
“Looking at players’ ability of doing this in this kind of game, having that confidence and playing that belief, it’s amazing.
“Definitely I enjoy it and, I’m not saying it was relaxing, but I felt we had control of the game and the players were having enjoyment and finding solutions to things. It was a fantastic game.”
Skinner: Champions League effort hurt us
Manchester United boss Marc Skinner told BBC Sport: “I think it was just physically a slow start, because that is where we’re at.
“We are a team who are giving absolutely everything. It was the same when we played City here last year, we had the energy and they didn’t. It is an energy game.
“The quick turnaround from the Champions League, it hurts us, but we knew that.”