City leave it late to topple Liverpool

The Jamaican grabbed hers and City’s second goal when finding the roof of the net with a vicious 92nd-minute strike.

The hosts had taken the lead when Olivia Smith fired home from distance just before half-time at Anfield.

But City drew level just before the hour when Shaw headed home Lauren Hemp’s cross before her dramatic winner, moving us back to the top of the WSL table and extending our unbeaten start to seven matches in all competitions.

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What happened

Fresh from perhaps one of the finest nights in our professional history against Barcelona, City faced another tough assignment against an unbeaten Liverpool side at Anfield.

Gareth Taylor had suggested that Matt Beard’s side were capable of a title push this season in his pre-match press conference, and they had the first real chance of the game when Smith forced a smart save from Ayaka Yamashita.

The Blues were dominating possession, but Liverpool continued to hold firm, with former City defender Gemma Bonner heading over from a free-kick.

Gareth Taylor’s side were far from under the cosh though, with Shaw just unable to sort her feet out in time to convert a Leila Ouahabi cut back as we began to dial up the pressure.

Shaw was involved again soon after, playing a delightful give and go with Hemp, who dinked just beyond the far post from a tight angle as the half-hour mark approached.

But it was the hosts who would grab the lead before the break.

Against the run of play, a ball over the City defence found Smith, who cut inside and rifled a vicious low effort into the bottom corner of the Blues’ net.

The goal had sparked Liverpool into life, and they started the stronger after the break with Bonner glancing a header just wide of the far post early on.

At the other end, Jill Roord dragged an effort wide of the post after being sent through by Jess Park but otherwise the visitors had little to show for our possession.

That was until Hemp and Shaw combined to draw us level.

The England international had been one of City’s best players, and was pivotal in the equaliser, racing past Marie Hobinger and floating an inviting ball into the Jamaican.

Shaw duly did the honours, with her header having just enough on it to trickle past Rachael Laws and into the Liverpool net.

The tide was turning, with Hemp curling just the wrong side of the post after cutting inside from the left on the counter attack.

Mary Fowler was next to go close with a left-footed effort on the turn whistling just wide of the upright with 15 to play.

But the biggest chance to grab the winner came in the 83rd minute when Shaw rounded Laws and fired towards goal, but a crucial touch from the Liverpool stopper diverted the ball onto the post.

The onslaught continued with Alex Greenwood hooking an effort wide of the mark after the ball fell invitingly to her from a corner.

But finally that pressure told when Shaw was too strong for Niamh Fahey, latched onto Laia Aleixandri‘s clever ball in behind and smashed a dramatic late winner into the roof of the net.

It was just rewards for City, whose patience had finally paid off. It might not have been as pretty as our Barcelona win, but the Blues got the job done.

Player of the match: Bunny Shaw

The Jamaican led the line in typically impressive fashion, grabbing both of City’s goals to earn a memorable win at Anfield.

A classic centre-forward’s performance from the 2023/24 WSL Golden Boot winner, who’s picked up where she left off from last season.

What it means

City return to the WSL summit with a third win in four league matches.

We currently sit one point clear of Chelsea and Manchester United having played one more fixture than them both.

We’re also now unbeaten in seven in all competitions this season.

How we lined up

Gareth Taylor made two changes from the side who beat Barcelona in midweek, with Naomi Layzell and Vivianne Miedema replaced by Leila Ouahabi and Jill Roord.

Ayaka Yamashita started in goal, with Kerstin Casparij, Laia Aleixandri, Alex Greenwood and Ouahabi across the back four.

Roord was joined in the midfield three by Yui Hasegawa and Jess Park, with Mary Fowler and Lauren Hemp starting on the flanks.

Khadija ‘Bunny’ Shaw, meanwhile, led the line for the Blues.

City XI: Yamashita, Casparij, Aleixandri, Greenwood (C), Ouahabi, Hasegawa, Park, Roord, Fowler (Fujino 78’), Shaw, Hemp.

Subs: Keating, Coombs, Kelly, Kennedy, Blindkilde Brown, Prior, Thomas, Murphy.

Liverpool XI: Laws, Parry, Matthews, Kapocs (Kiernan 80’), Nagano, Roman Haug, Smith (Enderby 46’) Hinds, Hobinger, Clark, Bonner (Fahey 80’).

Subs: Evans, Daniels, Silcock, Duffy.

Up next

City are back in UEFA Women’s Champions League action in our next outing, taking on St Polten on Wednesday 16 October.

Kick-off in Austria is set for 17:45 (UK), with comprehensive coverage available on the official Man City app as always.