Ella Toone hits WSL hat-trick as United punish City in Manchester derby | OneFootball

Ella Toone scored a hat-trick as Manchester United recorded their first win at Manchester City, in a derby that was defined by an error-strewn display from the young City goalkeeper Khiara Keating.

The City head coach, Gareth Taylor, refused to blame the 20-year-old, saying: “We win, lose and draw together as a team. The players in front of her need to do their jobs.” However, it was a night to forget for Keating and all of Taylor’s back four, as they repeatedly came unstuck when attempting to pass the ball out from the back and fell to their second successive league defeat.

This was a derby that was missing several of the two teams’ big-name stars – the hosts were without their usual captain, Alex Greenwood, her fellow England international Lauren Hemp and their top scorer, Khadija Shaw, all through injury. Manchester United’s Geyse was absent following a family bereavement and her teammates celebrated victory by holding up her shirt in front of their fans who sang her name.

None of City’s injuries could excuse the shambolic nature of their first-half defending, though, with Keating in ­particular enduring a torrid ­opening 45 minutes. With United’s high-pressing frontline exerting a huge amount of pressure, the visitors could easily have been out of sight early on, had Elisabeth Terland brought her shooting boots to the Etihad. Even amid his joy at full time, United’s manager, Marc Skinner, complained that his side “should have been at least five or six [up] in the first half”.

As it was, the match was much tighter than it should have been. United went ahead when Toone scored her first Manchester derby goal, having been set up skilfully by a flick from Hinata Miyazawa, and Leah Galton bundled in the second from a corner despite a suspicion of ­offside. Toone then took ­advantage of another loose Keating pass to make it 3-0 and things were getting ­embarrassing for City. However, their fit-again forward Vivianne Miedema headed in Mary Fowler’s cross in the 40th minute and when the defender Rebecca Knaak headed in a debut goal in first-half stoppage time from Fowler’s ­corner, suddenly, a remarkable comeback appeared on the cards.

Yet, if City were hoping the second goal would give them momentum going into the second half, within 10 seconds of the restart they were thinking again, after another calamitous mistake from Keating.

Receiving the ball straight from the kick-off, the goalkeeper’s pass was charged down by Terland and the ball bounced into Toone’s path to enable the childhood United fan to complete a hat-trick in front of the jubilant away supporters. ­Skinner, referencing the death of Toone’s father in September and the calf injury that had sidelined her since November, said: “We all know what she’s been through and what’s more important right now is that Ella Toone for Manchester United and England enjoys football.

“That’s really important. She put a great shift in. I just want her to love football again and she’s in a really good space to do that.”

City, who have now lost three of their past four WSL games, after a run of one defeat in 23, were also without the England winger Chloe Kelly, amid reports linking her with a loan move to United. Both teams’ head coaches declined to comment on that, but Taylor added: “She came out of the training session last night, ankle, I think, so she wasn’t able to be a part of the squad tonight.”

Header image: [Photograph: Richard Sellers/PA]