A first-half goal from Janine Beckie and a brace from sub Georgia Stanway kept the Blues on track for yet more silverware, with the Continental Cup already gleaming in the trophy cabinet.
What happened?
City were almost ahead inside the first minute as Nikita Parris broke into the box before laying a pass to Janine Beckie who sliced wide with the goal at her mercy.
It would have been the perfect start for Nick Cushing’s side and warmed up the sizeable CFA crowd who were shivering in the bitterly cold wind.
Though the Blues were largely dominant, Liverpool striker Courtney Sweetman-Kirk could have levelled but for a terrific Jen Beattie tackle on 14 minutes with the Reds striker set to strike from close range.
City’s pressure paid finally paid off on 25 minutes with a smart interchange between Jill Scott and Nikita Parris eventually ending with Caroline Weir’s nudged pass to Janine Beckie who fired into the roof of the net from six yards.
But the visitors again showed they were a danger on the counter-attack when only another well-timed tackle by Beattie prevented Rinsolay Babajide from racing clear just past the half-hour mark.
That would be the last real talking point of an otherwise one-sided opening period.
The teams resumed to more bizarre weather – hail, wind and rain one moment, bright sunshine the next.
Georgia Stanway replaced Beckie on 65 minutes and within four minutes had doubled City’s lead.
Keira Walsh played a ball through to Parris in a two-on-one situation with Stanway and Parris unselfishly set up her team-mate to finish with a low shot past Anke Preuss and all-but put the tie to bed.
And super-sub Stanway would have the last word with a rasping low drive from 20 yards on 88 minutes giving Nick Cushing’s side a more realistic margin of victory.
Player of the match: Jen Beattie
Commanding presence throughout.
What it means…
City go into the FA Women’s Cup semi-final with the dream of a domestic treble still very much a possibility.
The draw takes place tomorrow morning on BBC 1 Breakfast TV at 8.30am.
What’s next?
City resume FA Women’s Super League action in a fortnight with Liverpool once again the opposition at the Academy Stadium.
