Overview
- City struck three times before halftime through Rebecca Knaak, Khadija Shaw and Lauren Hemp, capped by Hemp’s long-range finish on her injury-return start.
- The victory at the Etihad moved City four points clear at the WSL summit, with Chelsea able to reduce the gap in their next match on Sunday.
- United failed to register a shot on target, with Jess Park hitting the outside of the post in their best moment.
- Hemp’s first start since her layoff and Shaw’s continued scoring form underlined City’s depth and freshness without European fixtures.
- Post-match, Marc Skinner called for greater rotation and winter-window additions and criticized the WSL’s in-game interview setup after a headset issue during the opening goal.