It would be wrong to suggest there has been a seismic shift in momentum in Manchester, but United’s 2-0 defeat of a beleaguered City to set up an FA Cup final against Chelsea showed a maturity and composure that has sometimes proved elusive in the fixture.
City bowed out of the tournament with, ultimately, a whimper, their last hope of a trophy over within 22 minutes but written off by many before a ball was kicked at a windswept Academy stadium. Nick Cushing’s squad has been torn apart by injuries, their squad so threadbare that just four outfield players were named on the bench, including 17-year-old Sacha Lewis, who joined Derby on a dual registration in January to get playing minutes in the National League Northern Premier Division.
Kicked out of the Champions League by Chelsea, 13 days after they suffered a League Cup final defeat to Sonia Bompastor’s side, and seven points adrift of third-placed United in the WSL, the FA Cup had offered a chance to salvage something from a disastrous season.
It took six minutes for United’s aggressive press to reap rewards against the depleted City though, Ella Toone’s ball over the top was brought down by Celin Bizet who wrongfooted Gracie Prior before firing past Khiara Keating. Furious, Keating booted the ball in the direction of the centre circle, Kerstin Casparij playing Bizet onside likely out of her eyeline.
City were already without Vivianne Miedema and Jill Roord, who were added to their heaving injury list during the international break, and they would be shorn of another key player in the 17th minute, Australia forward Mary Fowler clutching the knee of her heavily strapped right leg after it looked to collapse inwards as she extended with her left. After some treatment off the pitch, it had looked like Fowler might return. By the time Naomi Layzell came on to replace Fowler, City were two goals down, Gabby George’s corner met by Grace Clinton who turned it in with her head after she escaped some lax marking from Kerolin.
Fowler was able to walk around the edge of the pitch and back to the tunnel, hopefully indicating that her injury isn’t as bad as it first appeared, and with a crowd of injured City players watching from up behind the dugout, that included Khadija Shaw, Lauren Hemp, Alex Greenwood and Aoba Fujino alongside the newly added Dutch duo, any sniff of positivity will be gladly welcomed.
It was almost pedestrian from Marc Skinner’s side, who were well organised, efficient and clinical when it mattered, but they were also reliant on goalkeeper Phallon Tullis-Joyce to maintain their two-goal advantage at times too, the American saving well from Kerolin before the break and the pulling off a stunning double stop just before the hour mark, keeping out Yui Hasegawa’s free-kick and Lily Murphy’s close-range follow up.
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That City didn’t collapse completely after the break, with Skinner turning to his bench and inserting fresh legs to up the pressure, was a testament to the resilience of the players on the pitch, players that have been let down by a club that has underinvested in the playing squad to the extent needed for a club of its stature and expectations.
An overhaul and truckload of cash is needed to turnaround City’s fortunes next season. They need to build a squad capable of competing in four competitions and weathering injury storms, whether they manage to book a place in next year’s Champions League or not. Their struggle should act as a cautionary tale to the United board, who need to back Skinner in the summer as they likely head into the Champions League and have to attempt to maintain this consistency across four competitions.