As Manchester City returned home for the first time this season, they enjoyed a huge 4-0 win over Leicester.
Gareth Taylor’s side had experienced a turbulent start to the season with two defeats in their opening matches. Their meeting with the Foxes broke their duck and put them back to winning ways.
Starting lineups
Manchester City
Roebuck; Casparij, Aleixandri (Ouahabi ’80), Greenwood (c) (Houghton (c) ’82), Coombs, Kelly (Raso ’72), Castellanos (Angeldahl ’80), Hemp (Blakstad ’82), Morgan, Shaw, Hasegawa
Leicester
Levell; Tierney, Bott, Whelan (c), Simon, Green (Flint ’70), Howard, Jones (Goodwin ’56), Plumptre, Purfield (Pike ’56), O’Brien
Embed from Getty ImagesBunny Shaw sets the tone
The hosts undoubtedly enjoyed the brighter opening spell. An early chance for Castellanos saw Leicester forced to defend three consecutive corners in just the sixth minute. The game was stopped three minutes later after a clash of heads between Bunny Shaw and Sophie Howard left both players requiring treatment on the pitch.
A short stoppage followed and both players were eventually able to continue.
It wasn’t long before Chloe Kelly rattled the crossbar with a thundering shot past the 20-yard mark. Despite City dominating the opening quarter of the game, it was Leicester who had the first real chance of the match. A header into the side netting was all it seemed to take to re-invigorate the hosts.
A well worked passage of play between Lauren Hemp and Esme Morgan saw Shaw bag her fourth goal in all competitions this season in the 24th minute. Yellow cards for Shannon O’Brien and Alex Greenwood along with a good chance for Castellanos saw the hosts go in a goal to the good at the break.
Embed from Getty ImagesCity secure first three points
The second half saw a renewed Leicester side. The visitors’ push for an equaliser saw them make good progress up the pitch, but their hosts’ high press quickly saw them pinned back into their own half.
City may have dominated much of the second half, however it wasn’t until the 72nd minute that Taylor’s side made something of their chances. Hemp’s conversion of Kelly’s cross doubled the Sky Blues’ lead.
The 78th minute saw the hosts awarded a penalty after Shaw was brought down inside the box. Greenwood’s attempt from the spot was easily saved by Kirstie Levell but Shaw was on hand to net the follow-up.
The match also brought a debut goal for Japanese international Yui Hasegawa. The strike from beyond the 20-yard mark capped off a successful afternoon for Taylor’s side.
With points on the board and a strong performance, could City’s 2022/23 campaign finally be underway? City will next face Tottenham while Leicester prepare to host Manchester United.
