Manchester City Women decisively defeated Liverpool Women with a 4-0 scoreline in the Women's Super League (WSL) on Sunday. Khadija 'Bunny' Shaw made a powerful return to City's starting lineup, scoring twice and demonstrating resilience in the face of recent adversity. Her goals came in the 30th and just before the break, setting a solid foundation for City's victory. Despite Liverpool's efforts and some promising moments, they struggled to find their rhythm and adapt swiftly, ultimately remaining in seventh place on the WSL table with 15 points.
Shaw's contribution was pivotal in City's triumph. Her first goal opened the scoring in the 30th minute, while her second doubled the lead before the halftime whistle. Shaw's performance was not just about goals; it was a statement against the racism and misogynistic abuse she had faced following a previous match against Arsenal. Her return to the squad was marked by a symbolic 'Black Power' salute, expressing defiance and strength.
Liverpool managed to find the net through Gracie Prior and Jill Roord in the second half, but their efforts were insufficient to alter the game's outcome. Manchester City maintained control, executing their game plan efficiently under the guidance of head coach Gareth Taylor. Taylor praised his team's performance, acknowledging their ability to deliver as planned despite Liverpool's aggressive play.
"I think the girls delivered the game plan really well. We knew that Liverpool would be aggressive and they had some moments, probably more than we would like. We made changes in the second half, we adapted a few things, but I thought the way we got players forward into the box early on was really good… we potentially could have had a couple more goals." – Gareth Taylor
Taylor highlighted City's strength against top sides, noting that they have accumulated 21 points against leading teams since rejoining the WSL. He emphasized the importance of belief and hard work as key components of their success.
"Unfortunately, that's what social media is. It's an access point for people to do such things, which ultimately makes you stronger in the long term." – Gareth Taylor
Liverpool Women faced challenges in keeping pace with City. Their manager, Matt Beard, admitted tactical errors in the first half, acknowledging that his team needed to adapt more quickly to Manchester City's strategy.
"In the first half, maybe – well not maybe – I did get it wrong. We needed to adapt things quicker, but we had so many chances to score… it could have been 6-4 to be perfectly honest with you. We were too passive in the first half. We didn't break forward quick enough, we were too slow to get into positions to play and we were too transitional and we're worried about maybe turning the ball over and getting countered on." – Matt Beard
Beard expressed frustration at missed opportunities but remained hopeful about his team's potential against top-tier opponents.
"It's the belief that you can do it against these top sides. Because of the season that we've had, we've had a little bit of doubt in these games against top teams, but like I said to the girls before the game, since we've been back in the WSL, I think we've picked up 21 points against the top sides in the division, so we know we can do it, it's just having that little bit of belief. We've just got to get our heads down on the training ground, continue to work hard." – Matt Beard
Shaw's return marked a significant moment not only for Manchester City Women but also for herself personally. Her decision to step away from the game following abuse showcased her self-awareness and mental strength. Izzy Christensen applauded Shaw's decision to prioritize her well-being before returning to action.
"It's a brilliant level of self-awareness from Shaw to take herself out of the equation, because as footballers, we're very competitive people and your brain can do funny things at times. If you're not in the right headspace when you're in your performance arena, you might do something silly and you could end up suffering more because of not being in the correct headspace because of something else externally." – Izzy Christensen
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