Man City Manchester City

Man United Manchester United

WHEN AND WHERE

The game will take place on Friday 12 February in a 19:00 (UK) kick-off at the Academy Stadium.

Broadcast info

The game will be shown live in the UK on BT Sport 2, while audio commentary will be available on the FA Player.

The match will also be broadcast for television coverage in the following countries:

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You can also follow the action via our dedicated matchday Twitter account: @ManCityWomen

Match programme

View your FREE digital edition of the City v Manchester United matchday programme here...

RULES

For safety reasons in the wake of the pandemic, the fixture will be played behind-closed-doors.

In line with current protocols, additional balls will be placed at intervals around the pitch.

Get involved

You can get involved from home on matchday by:

• Tweet the Academy Stadium big screen with your messages as the team warm up using #CityBigScreen. This Derby Day, let’s get as many of your messages of support up there on the screen as possible to get behind the team!

• Follow the @CitySquareLive Twitter and Instagram accounts to see behind-the-scenes on matchday and catch PA announcer Danny at the Academy Stadium, plus see your messages and shout-outs on the big screen before kick-off!

• We will also have a matchday giveaways you can enter on the City Square Live Twitter so make sure to be in with a chance of winning a City prize!

• Each matchday, we have a Junior Cityzen of the Match who joins the starting 11 on our stadium screens at the Academy as the team is read out! They also feature in the programme and receive a City goodie bag, full kit, and a message from their favourite player!

Enter to be a Junior Cityzen of the Match for a future game on the Cityzens portal and catch the announcement for each game on the City Square Live Twitter in the hour before kick-off!

form guide

City have won eight of our last nine games in all competitions and head into the clash on the back of Sunday’s superb 2-1 win over Arsenal.

United have won three and lost three of their last six games in all competitions, falling to a 2-0 home defeat to Reading last time out.

Team news

Gareth Taylor conceded in his pre-match press conference that the derby may come too soon for both Sam Mewis and Demi Stokes.

Nonetheless, City were boosted by the return of Esme Morgan, Janine Beckie and Jess Park to the squad in our 2-1 win at Arsenal on Sunday afternoon.

Beyond Mewis and Stokes, Taylor also revealed that there are no fresh injury concerns following that crucial victory over the Gunners.

Gareth Taylor preview

“The feeling is good. We’ve had a good start to the year and we had a good end to the year as well.

“We are looking to finish off on a good note. Everyone looks good and is looking forward to game

“We want the city to be blue after this occasion.

“Bragging rights go hand in hand with that. They are good games to be involved in.”

Caroline Weir Preview

“There is no game like a derby.

“I think this is probably one of the biggest ones I will play in in terms of what is at stake and the way the season is shaping up.

“These are the games you want to play in. I am just glad it is here now.”

Hear Gareth Taylor and Caroline Weir‘s press conference, including their thoughts ahead of the derby in full via the video below.

WATCH: City v United: Taylor and Weir on Derby clash

Last meeting

City progressed to the Continental Cup quarter-finals despite losing on penalties to United, following a 0-0 draw in our final group stage game.

Laura Coombs and Alex Greenwood both missed as the home side won 4-3 in the shootout, but the point claimed for the draw after 90 minutes was enough for Gareth Taylor’s side to top Group C.

WATCH: Conti Cup highlights: United 0-0 City

LAST TIME OUT

Lauren Hemp’s far post header ten minutes from time saw Manchester City become the first away side to beat Arsenal in more than a year, and provided a major boost to their Women’s Super League title aspirations.

Ellen White was on the scoresheet for the fourth match in a row with a typically sumptuous finish off the bar from Chloe Kelly’s searching ball before the 25-minute mark.

The hosts hit back just before the hour when Caitlin Foord finished off a swift counter, but Hemp was on hand late on to earn City a sixth win on the spin, and move us to within two points of the WSL summit.

Stats

• This will be the third Manchester Derby in the Barclays FA Women’s Super League, with the Reds yet to win either of the previous two (D1 L1).
• City have netted 25 goals across our last five home league games, winning each match and conceding only three goals.
• United have managed to win only one of the last five meetings with City in all competitions (D2 L2), though they did knock their neighbours out of the FA Women’s Continental Tyres League Cup via penalties back in November.
• United have won seven of their last eight away games in the league (L1), scoring 20 goals across those matches.
• Ellen White, who scored the opening goal in her side’s win at Arsenal last time out, has scored eight WSL goals this season, only netting more in a single campaign in 2017-18 (15). She has scored the outright highest number of goals in the competition’s history (55).

FURTHER READING

• Seven in seven: Celebrating seven years of Man City Women
• Seven in seven: Commemorative digital album
• Seven in seven: Seven deadly wins
• Abby Dahlkemper: Ten things you didn’t know
• My Footballing Icon: Georgia Stanway
• MCWFC: 2020 in review
• Demi Stokes: Defining Moments
• Mewis and Walsh: UWCL winners raising the bar
• Roebuck: My motivation is to be the best
• Walsh leading by example