Manchester United Women v Manchester City Women: Preview, Team News and Prediction
Blues Intention To Dent Reds Title Hopes
It’s an enormous weekend on the high of the WSL as the highest 4 play one another within the two most important video games of the season. Whereas Chelsea and Arsenal will battle it out in London, Manchester City might be seeking to dent neighbours and rival Manchester United’s title hopes as they journey throughout the City to face the reds on Sunday night.
The blues noticed their very own title ambitions disappear following a 2-1 defeat at Liverpool two weeks in the past, and now flip their consideration to scuppering United’s possibilities of claiming the WSL title for the primary time.
Following their defeat on Merseyside, City’s possibilities of qualifying for the Champions League hangs by a thread, and now depend on Arsenal slipping up in addition to needing to safe six factors from two matches.
United, in the meantime, must additionally declare six factors and hope Chelsea lose at dwelling to both Arsenal or away to Studying of their closing matches. If the champions win these video games, they’ll retain their title no matter what occurs in Manchester.
Type
Their defeat at Liverpool was the blues second in 4 WSL matches and got here off the again of successive victories over West Ham (6-2) and Studying (4-1). They adopted a 2-1 defeat at Arsenal, which opened the door for the Gunners to take command within the race for the Champions League.
Previous to that defeat, City hadn’t misplaced a WSL match since a 2-0 defeat at Chelsea in September, which gave the trustworthy hope that supervisor Gareth Taylor might ship their closing hope of silverware to the Academy Stadium.
The blues misplaced their League Cup semi-final and FA Cup quarter-final, leaving the WSL title as their solely hope of a trophy this season.
United, in the meantime, might be seeking to bounce again from their FA Cup closing defeat to Chelsea and stay on observe to assert their first-ever WSL title. To try this, they need to beat the blues at dwelling for the primary time of their quick WSL historical past. They’ve gained their 9 of their final 11 matches within the WSL, solely dropping factors at dwelling to Everton (0-0) and away to Chelsea (0-1).
The reds had been narrowly defeated at Wembley by Chelsea and it stays to be seen simply how a lot that loss will have an effect on then for the rest of the season.
Team News
City don’t have any new damage issues forward of the derby, with supervisor Gareth Taylor offering updates on Mary Fowler and Alanna Kennedy, who each missed the defeat at Liverpool, and Jess Park, who returned to the blues following a mortgage spell at Everton. “We have a couple of little niggles which is normal at this time of the season but I don’t see any real changes,” Taylor defined forward of the match. Focussing on Park’s shoulder damage, Taylor says that her scan confirmed the damage wasn’t too extreme and could also be in rivalry for the World Cup.
United additionally don’t have any contemporary damage issues and will proceed with the identical staff that has propelled them up the league and in rivalry for the title. England stars Alessia Russo and Ella Toone are prone to proceed to steer the assault, whereas former blue Nikita Parris could begin in opposition to her former membership.
Prediction
City weren’t on the races final trip and the priority is that some gamers could also be attempting to concentrate on the World Cup…or get to the seaside after a troublesome season. United will wish to show some extent in opposition to their neighbours, however Marc Skinner’s response to their FA Cup Last defeat could have extra of a detrimental impact than an inspirational one. I actually don’t assume City will win this one, however they gained’t lose both.
Prediction: Manchester United Women 2-2 Manchester City Women