Manchester United remained on track for European Football next season with a scrappy 2-1 win over London City Lionesses on Sunday.
In the Barclays Women’s Super League, Nikita Parris’ fifth minute header against her former club gave London City the perfect start. However United roared back with Jess Park’s superb solo effort and Millie Turner’s header turned the tide and saw the Red Devils take all three points.
The Lineups
MUN: Tullis-Joyce; George, Turner, Le Tissier, Riviere; Miyazawa, Naalsund; Wangerheim, Park, Awujo, Schüller
LCL: Lete; Pattinson, Kennedy, Sangaré, Fernández; Geyoro, Kumagai, Van de Donk; Franssi, Godfrey, Parris
The Action
Following on from their European exploits mid-week, Marc Skinner chose to rotate his side with five changes in personnel. Gabby George came in for the injured Anna Sandberg, but there were also starts for Lea Schüller, Simi Awujo, Lisa Naalsund and Millie Turner.
The extent of the rotation told, as Manchester United struggled for fluency in the early stages, and London City took full advantage. Freya Godfrey’s cross from the right was on the money, Parris beat Jade Riviere to the ball and crashed her header past Phallon Tullis-Joyce.
It could have been more, as the home side failed to properly deal with a corner. Tulis-Joyce did well to save Godfrey’s deflected effort, with Sanni Franssi only able to hit the side netting on the follow up. Godfrey was causing Man United’s defence all sorts of problems, and after forcing Naalsund back into her own penalty area, her curling effort only just missed the far post.
London City Lionesses were on top, but their lead disappeared on half hour mark thanks to a moment of brilliance from Manchester United summer signing, Jess Park. Picking up the ball from Turner’s pass, the England midfielder burst past her marker, stormed unchallenged to the edge of the box, and hit a fierce drive past the diving reach of Elene Lete and into the bottom corner.
London City were rocked, but on the stroke of half time, they were almost gifted the lead again. Tulis-Joyce’s poor control of a back-pass was pounced upon by Parris, but her effort was tame and straight at the USA shot stopper.
It proved to be a crucial miss, as LCL failed to rediscover the energy and intensity that had given them their early advantage. Instead, the second half drifted as both sides struggled for fluency in the final third. An attempted corner kick routine fell flat when Poppy Pattinson air kicked in the box. With nearly ten minutes remaining and with a draw looking inevitable, Grace Geyoro barged substitute Julia Zigiotti Olme off the pitch. Geyoro was booked, but worse punishment was to follow. Maya Le Tissier’s delivery from deep bounced under Zigiotti, but Turner was on hand to head the ball past Lete for the winner.
London City rallied, and came close to a late equaliser, but Missy Goodwin could only glance wide of the far post from a corner. The points and the win were Manchester United’s, as they continued their strong start to 2026.
United find a way despite absent attack
With Chelsea’s remarkable drop in form since the start of the new year, it is Manchester United who have taken full advantage. Victory today kept them at second place in the table behind runaway leaders Manchester City. And whilst enjoying a successful European campaign so far this season, they will be doing all they can to secure their ticket for next season’s competition. Here though, their ambitions were tested, as they struggled for any sort of fluency in attack.
The rotation of players, in part due to illness as well as recovery from their 3-0 win over Atlético Madrid, appeared to severely hamper their offensive play. Schüller, such a potent threat in the Frauen Bundesliga for Bayern Munich, barely had a sniff here, whilst Ellen Wangerheim was virtually anonymous. Marc Skinner’s side were indebted to Park’s moment of individual brilliance, a rare moment of quality in a game that suffered from its absence.
Ultimately, it is results that matter, especially with Chelsea matching their stride following their 2-0 at home to Liverpool. But Skinner will be hoping for more from his winter acquisitions in order to get over the line once again this season.
Godfrey shines in Lionesses audition
It was once again a case of close but no cigar for London City Lionesses, as a late goal saw them lose all the points against a Manchester club. Having made the perfect start against an off-key Manchester United, the game was there for LCL to push on in. Yet they failed to do so, missing key chances in the first half. Their intense press, so effective at the start, eventually wore off, as the Red Devils slowly ground them down.
For a side who have made such a significant outlay on high profile, talented players, it is former Arsenal youth product, Freya Godfrey, who stands above all the others. Godfrey scored a brilliant equaliser in their home defeat to Manchester City and the winner away at Brighton. Today it was her cross into the box that set up the opener. Upon her shoulders, she carried London City’s primary threat, a mantle of responsibility that should never be placed on a 20-year old. Others need to start picking up the slack, rather than picking up the cheque, if London City Lionesses want to establish themselves as Barclays Women’s Super League regulars.
Yet whilst Godfrey shines, so too her stock rises. With Sarina Wiegman watching on, Godfrey did her England chances no harm, and with the international break on the horizon, is surely in contention for a place in the next Lioness squad.
