City extend winning streak to nine games with victory over Liverpool

The three points saw us climb to the top of Group B and gives us nine points, with one match left to play.

Goals from Filippa Angeldahl and Mary Fowler also leaves us within touching distance of the last eight.

Alongside the strong performance at Prenton Park, Lauren Hemp returned from injury with 15 minutes remaining after missing wins over Everton, Sunderland and Brighton.

WHAT HAPPENED

The first chance fell to the hosts when the ball broke to Missy Bo Kearns, who whipped a dipping, goal bound effort towards Sandy MacIver, but the City keeper was able to spring to her right and claim the ball expertly.

Hayley Raso scored the winner in our last meeting with Liverpool and she was causing the hosts problems when she drove down the wing and drilled a teasing ball into the box that whistled past the post.

Julie Blakstad was looking to score in a fourth consecutive game and she almost did when brilliantly weaving her way through the Reds’ defence before they gathered enough numbers back to block her efforts on goal.

City then created the best chance of the first half on the cusp of half-time when Angeldahl cut in on her right foot and sent a powerful effort just over the crossbar from the edge of the box.

The Swedish midfielder was searching for her first goal of the campaign and she found it shortly after the interval when she impressively took the ball under control after a corner and provided a smart finish into the bottom corner.

After another even half, Hemp made her return from injury with 15 minutes remaining and immediately made an impact by sliding the ball across the box for Fowler to grab her third Conti Cup goal this term with an impressive first-time finish that flew high into the net from close range. 

Liverpool pushed to pull a goal back but our defence stood strong to maintain a third consecutive clean sheet in the Conti Cup this season.

Nine in a row

Leicester, Tottenham, Blackburn, Liverpool, Reading, Everton, Sunderland, Brighton, Liverpool.

While still three short of our Club record winning streak, a ninth successive triumph in all competitions on a cold night at Prenton Park continues a fine run of form for Gareth Taylor’s side.

Stretching back across the entirety of October and November, City have scored 28 times in that sequence, all while conceding just three.

Some of the football that has been played in that sequence has been brilliant to watch, but the latest victory demonstrated a different side to our game.

As was the case in our previous encounter with Liverpool and also when edging out their Merseyside neighbours Everton, City had to dig in to get over the line on this occasion, demonstrating a steel to complement the usual silk.

A difficult start to the campaign, which saw Gareth Taylor’s side fall to defeats against Aston Villa and Chelsea in our opening two matches, feel like a distant memory.

With Manchester United next on the agenda at the Etihad, number ten could be the most vital of the lot.

HOW WE LINED UP

Sandy MacIver started between the sticks and was pretended by a defence of Esme Morgan, Steph Houghton, Demi Stokes and Alanna Kennedy - making her first appearance of the season.

Our midfield consisted of Yui Hasegawa, Deyna Castellanos and Filippa Angeldahl.

And City started with a front three of Julie Blakstad, Hayley Raso and Mary Fowler.

Liverpool XI: Cummings, Roberts (Koivisto 61’), Fahey (46’), Robe, Silcock (Holland 83’), Campbell( 46’), Wardlaw (Stengel 44’), Humphreys, Kearns, Daniels, Furness

Substitutes: Laws, Matthews, Van De Sanden

City XI: MacIver, Morgan, Houghton (C), Kennedy, Stokes, Hasegawa (Mace 64’), Castellanos (Casparij 64’), Angeldahl, Raso (Hemp 70’), Blakstad (Kelly 70’), Fowler

Substitutes: Keating, Aleixandri, Greenwood, Coombs, Ouahabi, 

PLAYER OF THE MATCH: Filippa angeldahl

Angeldahl capped an impressive display with her maiden strike of 2022/23.

Calm on the ball and an eye for goal, the Swedish midfielder applied the press expertly and was often the architect of City’s attacking moves.

WHAT IT MEANS

Victory sees us leapfrog Liverpool to the top of Group B and moves us closer to the knockout stages of the Conti Cup, with a point being enough to advance against Leicester in our final group game.

The success also maintained our 100 percent record in the competition as our aim of retaining the trophy continues.

UP NEXT

City are next in action on Sunday 11 December in the Etihad Stadium Manchester derby.

BUY TICKETS TO WATCH CITY V UNITED IN THE WSL

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