The Ladies’s Tremendous League received a brand new chief final weekend, with Manchester Metropolis now trying to strengthen their grip on prime spot.
They took benefit of Chelsea’s dropped factors with their 2-1 win over Everton, however Manchester United can be eager to place their neighbours beneath stress this week.
A 1-0 loss to Aston Villa noticed United not solely miss out on the possibility to maneuver second but additionally ended their unbeaten begin to the league season final weekend.
Nevertheless, a confidence-boosting 2-1 victory over Paris Saint-Germain within the Ladies’s Champions League at Previous Trafford rapidly received them again on monitor.
Even at this level within the season, something lower than a win isn’t ultimate for both workforce’s title aspirations, however with bragging rights on the road too, each Metropolis and United can be eager to depart the Etihad Stadium with a win.
Regardless of presently sitting prime, Metropolis are solely second-favourites to win the title with the Opta supercomputer score their possibilities at 25.6%, behind Chelsea’s 70%. United, in the meantime, solely prime the pile in 2.1% of season simulations.
Right here, utilizing Opta insights, we look forward to this weekend’s Manchester derby.
What’s anticipated?
Traditionally, this fixture has typically favoured Metropolis, however United have been making strides in latest seasons and put in robust showings in opposition to their cross-city rivals in 2024-25.
Metropolis gained 4 and misplaced none of their first 5 WSL dwelling conferences with rivals United (D1). Nevertheless, they have been overwhelmed 4-2 on the Etihad on this precise fixture final season.
Nevertheless, in saying that, solely Arsenal and Chelsea (each 1.5) common extra factors per sport in opposition to Metropolis within the WSL than United (0.9, 10 in 11 video games).
And having additionally drawn with Metropolis at Previous Trafford on the finish of final season, United are aiming to go three with out loss in opposition to the Residents for the primary time within the top-flight.
However the supercomputer doesn’t anticipate them to proceed that streak, with the Purple Devils given a 21.3% likelihood of victory, and solely an additional 22.8% chance of claiming a degree.
Metropolis, in the meantime, are heavy favourites at 55.9%, and a win on Saturday would lengthen their lead on the prime of the WSL to 4 factors forward of Chelsea’s sport in opposition to Liverpool on Sunday.
Metropolis firing on all cylinders
After shedding to Chelsea of their opening match, Metropolis followers might have been frightened about what was to come back this season, however beneath Andree Jeglertz, they’ve continued to go from energy to energy.
Metropolis would be the first workforce to start out a matchday because the WSL leaders this far right into a season apart from Chelsea, for the reason that Residents themselves have been prime heading into MD21 of the 2023-24 marketing campaign, earlier than in the end ending as runners-up on aim distinction.
Metropolis have gained every of their final seven matches within the WSL – their longest profitable streak within the competitors since a run of 14 between November 2023 and April 2024.
In reality, they’ve solely gained extra factors than their present 21 at this stage of a marketing campaign in 2017-18 (22), with that additionally the one earlier WSL season during which the Residents gained eight of their opening 9 video games.
Metropolis have been notably robust in entrance of aim, having already hit the again of the web 20 instances this time period, averaging 2.5 objectives per sport, which is greater than some other workforce within the competitors.
In contrast, final marketing campaign, Metropolis scored 49 instances throughout the entire of the season, averaging 2.2 objectives per sport.
They’ve solely failed to attain in one among their final 46 matches within the competitors (a 2-0 loss away at Chelsea in November final 12 months).
And having missed Khadija Shaw for the run-in final season, she is again match and firing, netting 5 objectives already this time period, together with the winner in opposition to Everton final Saturday.
No one has tried extra pictures (44), had extra Opta-defined ‘massive’ possibilities (12) or amassed extra anticipated objectives (7.2 xG) than the Jamaican within the WSL this season, as she is presently averaging a aim each 142.2 minutes.
However Metropolis will come up in opposition to one of many sternest defences within the WSL, a problem Jeglertz can be relishing.
United hoping to regular the ship
United fell to a disappointing loss to Villa final weekend, regardless of having 15 pictures general, as they struggled to take their possibilities in a match they largely dominated.
And the Purple Devils want to keep away from struggling back-to-back defeats within the prime flight for the primary time since Could 2024.
They impressed once more in Europe in midweek, although, edging previous PSG to keep up their 100% file within the Champions League, and a return to the street could also be precisely what United have to get again on monitor within the WSL.
United are the one facet to have a 100% file away from dwelling within the WSL this season, profitable all 4 such matches to this point.
Solely as soon as earlier than have they ever gained 5 in a row on the street in the identical top-flight marketing campaign – profitable their first 5 matches within the 2020-21 season.
Like Metropolis, United have a striker in prime kind, with Melvine Malard sitting prime of the goalscoring charts alongside Shaw on 5 objectives, whereas the France worldwide additionally netted the opener in opposition to PSG.
However on the different finish, United’s normally dependable defence has been barely shaken recently.
After maintaining clear sheets in three of their first 4 matches, United have didn’t register a shutout in any of their final 4 within the WSL, conceding 5 objectives.
Within the final 4 matches, they’ve confronted 56 pictures and 6.1 anticipated objectives in opposition to (xGA), in comparison with 33 makes an attempt price 3.7 xGA earlier than that.
Safia Middleton-Patel was in aim for his or her midweek outing at Previous Trafford, with Phallon Tullis-Joyce lacking out with a knock, however Marc Skinner will hope to get his primary again between the sticks as they give the impression of being to trigger an upset in opposition to the league leaders.
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Manchester Metropolis – Vivianne Miedema
After scoring only one aim in seven WSL matches in opposition to United for Arsenal, Vivianne Miedema netted on her solely earlier league look in opposition to the Purple Devils for Metropolis, on this precise fixture final season.
She is Metropolis’s joint-second highest scorer this season, with three objectives, netting all of these from ‘massive’ possibilities, together with the opener in opposition to Everton final weekend.
She has additionally created extra possibilities than anybody else within the facet (12), although she has solely registered one help within the WSL, from 1.2 anticipated assists (xA).
Manchester United – Ella Toone
Ella Toone has made extra appearances in WSL Manchester derbies than some other participant (11).
And no participant has been straight concerned in additional Manchester derby objectives than Toone (5 – three objectives, two assists, the identical as Shaw).
She scored a hat-trick on this precise fixture final season, scoring with all three of her pictures on the Etihad in January from 1.2 xG.