City suffer defeat to Everton on Merseyside

In what was our third game in seven days, a threadbare Blues squad lost for only the second time this term following first-half strikes from Lucy Hope and Honoka Hayashi.

Gareth Taylor’s side were without Khadija ‘Bunny’ Shaw and Alex Greenwood for the trip to Walton Hall Park who joined Vivianne Miedema, Lauren Hemp and Naomi Layzell in the list of absentees.

Despite a committed display and Mary Fowler‘s late penalty which halved the deficit, it was the Toffees who collected three points which strengthened their survival bid.

WHAT HAPPENED 

City entered the fixture on Merseyside averaging 69% possession across our previous nine WSL assignments – the highest share by a team in a single campaign in the competition’s history – so perhaps it was no surprise to see us enjoying plenty of the ball in the opening exchanges.

But the first meaningful chance fell to the hosts when Katja Snoeijs’ press paid dividends as she reclaimed the ball and drove into the area before blazing over Khiara Keating’s goal.

In fact, the Toffees’ relentless closing down gave the Blues little time on the ball – however – we tested the Everton backline for the first time on 12 minutes.

Leila Ouahabi’s cross from the left was met on the volley by Jill Roord, whose effort was blocked into the path of Laura Blindkilde Brown inside the area, but the midfielder couldn’t quite make a meaningful connection on the turn, allowing Courtney Brosnan to hold.

As the first half progressed, a similar pattern formed, with Taylor’s side seeing a lot of the ball and Brian Sorensen’s team looking to absorb, force turnovers and hit on the counter.

And the blisteringly quick pace of Everton forward Toni Payne had us backtracking as she skipped past two challenges to enter the final third, but the 29-year-old’s final action let her down as the Nigeria international overhit her final pass which Keating gratefully gathered.

A warning perhaps City didn’t heed as the Toffees broke the deadlock soon after as a recycled corner was swung back into the box where Lucy Hope lost her marker and planted a header into the bottom corner. 

Undeterred from falling behind, though, we immediately pushed forward and Kerstin Casparij’s cross was met by Ouahabi, whose header of her own was saved well by Brosnan.

But the hosts could, and maybe should, have doubled their lead when an accurate ball into Payne’s path was collected by the forward.

She burst into the box but opted to round Keating and took herself wide, allowing our goalkeeper to narrow the angle and save her eventual attempt.

Growing in confidence as the match progressed, Sorensen’s side made their next attack count when Hayashi shifted the ball onto her right foot on the edge of the box  before seeing her effort deflect into the net.

And we had to continue to weather a storm on Merseyside as Snoeijs broke into the box and was denied by the feet of Keating, who was quick off her line in the last action before the interval.

Amid City’s ongoing injury issues, six of our starters at Everton were playing their third match in a week after the successes over Leicester and St Polten.

Our desire to battle and give 100% didn’t waiver though, and this was helped by an injection of pace in the form of Lily Murphy who came on at the break.

The electric winger caused problems almost immediately when darting down the left and seeing her ball across the face of goal almost tapped home by a stretching Roord.

The introduction of the 18-year-old also allowed Jess Park, who was making her 100^th appearance for the Club, to drop into midfield which almost worked to perfection when her viciously curled effort was blocked before it could trouble Brosnan.

Following her return to the matchday squad after suffering a concussion while on England duty, Chloe Kelly was introduced with just over 30 minutes to play and she began causing Everton defenders problems with her direct pace.

And City were handed a lifeline with two minutes of regulation time remaining when Fowler dispatched a penalty after Yui Hasegawa was brought down in the area.

But the hosts held firm for their second straight home league success after beating rivals Liverpool in their previous WSL assignment on their own patch.

HOW WE LINED UP

Taylor made three changes from the team who started our 2-0 Champions League win over St Polten in midweek with Khiara Keating, Laia Aleixandri and Jill Roord coming in for Ayaka Yamashita, Alex Greenwood and Lily Murphy.

With the Netherlands international deployed in the engine room with Yui Hasegawa and Laura Blindkilde Brown – Park started on the wings in a frontline also including Aoba Fujino and Mary Fowler.

And Keating was protected by a back four of Aleixandri, Kerstin Casparij, Alanna Kennedy and Leila Ouahabi.  

City XI: Keating, Casparij, Aleixandri (C), Kennedy (Murphy 46’), Ouahabi, Hasegawa, Roord, Blindkilde Brown (Kelly 63’), Park (Coombs 78’), Fujino, Fowler.

Unused substitutes: Yamashita, Prior, Thomas, O’Carroll, Davies.

Everton XI: Brosnan, Hayashi, Wheeler, Vanhaevermaet, Payne, Lawley, Hope, Payne (Olesen 78’), Finnigan (C), Holmgaard (Bissell 86’), Snoeijs (Sarri 86’).

Unused substitutes: Ramsey, Settle, Jones, Thomas.

WHAT IT MEANS

The defeat at Walton Hall Park means we have 22 points after 10 WSL matches in 2024/25 and sit second in the table.

WHAT’S NEXT

City close 2024 with a Champions League trip Barcelona on Wednesday 18 December – with kick-off scheduled for 17:45 (UK).

Taylor’s team enter the fixture harbouring ambitions of finishing top of Group D and know avoiding a 2-0 defeat will secure our place at the summit in what is our final group match in 2024/25.

City v United | Etihad Derby

The next Manchester derby is just over one month away, with City and United facing off at the Etihad Stadium in the Barclays Women’s Super League.

Gareth Taylor‘s side picked up a hat-trick of derby wins last season and will be looking to continue our push for the WSL title on Sunday 19 January, with kick-off set for 18:45 (UK).

Full ticket information can be found here. Students can also take advantage of a fantastic offer for the derby, which allows you to bring a friend for just £1 on top of your £10 ticket.

As usual, there will also be plenty of pre-match entertainment outside of the action, including a fanzone, Blue Carpet Experience, and an opportunity watch our Premier League match vs Ipswich Town before kick-off.

Show your support for City and help to keep Manchester blue by securing your ticket today!