City edge closer to title with emphatic Manchester derby triumph

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Manchester City Women

·28 mars 2026

City edge closer to title with emphatic Manchester derby triumph

City completed a Barclays Women’s Super League double over Manchester United this term with an imperious 3-0 win at Old Trafford.

Two Vivianne Miedema headers before half-time put us on the path to the memorable victory as we chased home and away league wins over our rivals.

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Fellow Netherlands international Kerstin Casparij extended our lead shortly after the interval which rubber-stamped the superb showing by the Blues, and meant we once again ran out 3-0 winners in the Manchester derby.

City now have 49 points after 19 games and know collecting five from our final three matches remaining will secure the WSL title.

WHAT HAPPENED

City showcased the class, swagger and killer characteristics at Old Trafford of a side eight points clear at the division’s summit and chasing the title.

And after Alex Greenwood forced a spectacular save from Phallon Tullis-Joyce after 30 seconds and Lauren Hemp hit the crossbar, the visitors raced into a deserved two-goal lead.

Both scored by Miedema, raising her overall WSL tally to 97, the Netherlands’ all-time scorer headed home at the near post from a corner to make it 1-0.

She then repeated the trick in open play moments later and met Casparij’s pinpoint cross from the right to raise Jeglertz’s side’s total headed goals to 15 in the league in 2025/26.

And City thought it was 16 on 25’ when Rebecca Knaak powered into the net from an in-swinging corner - but the referee spotted an infringement before the defender met the ball.

The visitors carried our blistering momentum into the second half, though, and caught United cold on 49 minutes when Miedema chipped to Hemp, who drove into the box and crossed for Casparij to tuck into an empty net at the far stick.

Confidence was evidently flowing through the visitors and the England international continued to cause problems when backheeling through Millie Turner’s legs – allowing Yui Hasegawa to fire just wide from inside the area.

United came into the showdown possessing the division’s second-longest unbeaten streak and searched for a route back into the derby.

But Ayaka Yamashita, fresh from winning the Asian Cup, was often quick off her line to catch the series of crosses into our box to preserve a clean sheet.

And with that, it was derby delight for City who moved to within five points of winning the league with three matches remaining.

DOING THE DOUBLE

By winning at Old Trafford, it’s the second time in WSL history where City have done the league double over Manchester United and the first since 2023/24.

Following a 3-0 win at the Etihad in November’s reverse fixture, Jeglertz’s team’s superb performance away from home sealed a memorable afternoon on enemy territory at the business end of the campaign.

The win also means Skinner’s side can’t finish ahead of the Blues in the top-flight this season with three matches remaining.

SET-PLAY

City’s joy from dead-ball scenarios continued at Old Trafford with our opener the 12th WSL goal we’ve scored from a corner this season.

From a wicked Greenwood corner, Miedema showcased her magnificent poacher’s movement to lose her marker and direct the ball past US international Tullis-Joyce.

Our efficiency from set-plays again further demonstrates the Blues’ flexibility and adaptability under Jeglertz in 2025/26.

CLASS-PARIJ

By registering an assist and scoring in the victory over United, Casparij now has 10 top-flight goal involvements this term so far.

After providing the cross for Miedema’s second, the flying fullback remains at the top of the playmaker’s chart with seven assists.

And her goal shortly after the interval was equally as impressive after she ran the length of the pitch to finish Hemp’s cross with aplomb.

HOW WE LINED UP

City XI: Yamashita, Rose, Knaak, Greenwood (C), Casparij, Coffey, Hasegawa, Hemp (Fowler 86’), Fujino, Miedema (Kerolin 70’), Shaw

Unused substitutes: Keating, Coombs, Ouahabi, Blindkilde Brown, Lohmann, Beney, Prior

Manchester United XI: Tullis-Joyce, Le Tissier (C), Lundkvist, Park, Malard, Awujo, Riviere (Drury 70’), Naalsund (Anderson 77’), Miyazawa, Turner (George 77’), Schuller (Rolfo 53’)

Unused substitutes: Rendell, Middleton-Patel, Robinson

WHAT IT MEANS

The win at Old Trafford keeps City at the top of the WSL table on 49 points and means the Blues need to collect five from our remaining three top-flight matches to win the title.

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