Last season City failed to win a single game against teams that finished above them meaning they just missed out on Champions League football.
In fact for the past few years City instead of being the team to beat in the Women’s Super League have found themselves being overtaken by the likes of Chelsea, Arsenal and Utd.
But this season under new manager Andrée Jeglertz the Cityzens are revitalised as witnessed by this performance which saw the game over by half time as City raced into a three goal lead.
City started the stronger and it was no surprise when Khadija Shaw headed the ball back across goal for Rebecca Knaak to guide her header inside the far post on 26 minutes.
But it was the final few minutes before the interval that proved the visitor’s undoing when, after 43 minutes, this season’s current leading scorer Shaw added to her tally.
Then two minutes into added time Lauren Hemp, who had been a constant threat on the left, was allowed time to crash the third high into the net from 20 yards.
Last season's four meetings between the two teams ended in Utd’s favour but this defeat means they have suffered back to back WSL defeats for the first time since May 2024.
Utd came into the game after a hard fought 2-1 home win over Paris Saint Germain on Wednesday in the Women’s Champions League and it would be easy to blame the exertions of that game for this performance but City were always the better side and the second half was basically a master class in game management.
The visitor’s did have moments of pressure but lacked the quality to create any clear cut chances and it was a disappointing return for Jessica Park who moved from City to Utd in the the summer in a deal that saw Grace Clinton go the other way.
Park was substituted in the second half whilst Clinton came on after the break to continue her injury hit start to City life. This game was also meant to feature the league's leading goalscorers in Shaw and Utd’s Melvine Malard, who had both found the back of the net five times.
But it was Shaw who took the plaudits for her performance and a standing ovation when substituted after the break. Malard only came on for the second period and was the liveliest of the visitor’s forwards but lacked support.
Such was the predictability of the second 45 minutes that when the inevitable Mexican Wave followed the City fans took great delight in booing the 3,000 opposition fans who failed to continue the wave.
The WSL is only a 22 game season and a few dropped points as Utd have now done could drastically affect their ability to mount a title challenge.
At the start of play both teams were the top scoring sides in the league but it is City who are top dogs in Manchester with their eighth consecutive win leaving Utd trailing by seven points.