Time for derby day in the WSL

Manchester United v Manchester City preview

Whenever United meet City, the stakes rarely need inflating.

Author | Olivia T

Stadium | Old Trafford

Saturday’s encounter at Old Trafford arrives with both the Women’s Super League title race and European qualification firmly in view. City lead the table and require a maximum of eight points from their final four fixtures to secure a first league crown in a decade.

United sit second, eight points adrift, with Chelsea Women a further point back in third. Arsenal Women, fourth and 11 points off the summit, retain games in hand that could yet reshape the picture.

United will be hoping to recover from midweek Champions League defeat

Marc Skinner’s side have found this fixture unforgiving, winning just two of their 12 WSL meetings with City and suffering a 3-0 defeat in the reverse match at the Etihad Stadium in November.

With the top three earning a place in Europe, the question is whether United can shift the recent pattern and strengthen their claim for a spot in next season’s Women’s Champions League, or whether City, runners-up in six of the past nine campaigns, can edge closer to a long-awaited second title.