Man City 4-2 Liverpool: Lauren Hemp double bookends victory as WSL champions maintain 100 per cent record | Football News

Lauren Hemp bookended a 4-2 victory for Manchester City against Liverpool as the WSL champions maintained a winning start to their title defence.

But up until the 90th minute, that record and their 13-match winning run at the Joie Stadium were in serious jeopardy. Man City had to fight back to equalise in the first half before some late errors from Liverpool were taken advantage of.

An own goal from Reds captain Grace Fisk put the hosts 3-2 ahead as five minutes of added time were shown. Sensing a draw in the offing, Liverpool committed too many bodies forward, allowing the electric Hemp to speed down the field and slot home past former team-mate Khiara Keating.

The England international had made it a perfect start for the hosts too when she finished off a fine team move for her first goal since November.

But Liverpool responded brilliantly and took a deserved lead. A defensive mix-up allowed Alice Bergstrom to fire home, before Vivien Endemann – who set up the first goal – volleyed in a wonderful effort that fizzed through Ayaka Yamashita’s outstretched hand.

Khadija ‘Bunny’ Shaw’s early play for a third successive Golden Boot continued too as she scored her fourth WSL goal of the season to level. Keating spilled a save from Hemp’s initial shot with Shaw there to poke home from close range.

It demonstrated once again why keeping Shaw at the club was Man City’s best business of the summer.

In a game where errors decided the outcome, it was Man City who came off the better and extended their lead at the top of the table to five points ahead of the remaining games this weekend. Liverpool, meanwhile, remain third with four points.

Liverpool show how far they have come in a year

Analysis from Sky Sports’ Charlotte Marsh:

“It may have been defeat for Liverpool, but they pushed the WSL champions all the way on their own turf. Very few have been able to do that, demonstrated by Man City’s record-equalling winning run at the Joie Stadium.

“This is a very different Liverpool from a year ago. The club overall were dealing with unimaginable loss, with the women’s team losing two icons in a short space of time in former boss Matt Beard and kitman Jon Humble.

“Then there were a string of injuries that continued to hamper the Reds progress under new boss Gareth Taylor. But the club, rightly, stuck with their man and their good start to this season is just a continued progression of a turnaround that began in the new year.

“The three performances so far is also a testament to the work over the summer. Endermann did not look like a player with only a handful of WSL games under her belt – she looked like a veteran – and caused real issues for the Man City defence, alongside Beta Olsson and Bergstrom. A super arrival from Wolfsburg.

“For large parts of the 90 minutes, Liverpool pressed better, made better decisions and had more confidence and determination to win.

“While some late slips – perhaps disproving the point of making better decisions – were their downfall, Taylor will be pleased with how his team performed with an annus horribilis firmly put to bed.

“It took Liverpool 12 games to reach four points last year. They have already hit that mark and if they keep going as they are, can even start thinking of a top-half finish – or more.”

The key moments from the Joie Stadium…

13: GOAL! A wonderful team move is finished by Hemp for her first goal of the season.

19: GOAL! A mix-up at the back from Man City allows Bergstrom to slot home.

28: GOAL! After a period of sustained pressure, Liverpool go ahead. Endermann’s effort from close range goes through the hands of Yamashita.

39: POST! Shaw hits the woodwork as Man City search for a late first-half equaliser.

45+2: GOAL! A spill from Keating is turned home by Shaw from close range.

60: SAVE! Keating is needed to turn a Shaw effort over the bar.

90: GOAL! A horrible own-goal from Fisk puts Man City back in front.

90+5: GOAL! A breakaway from Hemp sees her slot easily past Keating to wrap up Man City’s win.

Hemp: I don’t usually score goals!

Man City goalscorer Lauren Hemp to Sky Sports:

“I don’t usually score goals so it’s nice to get on the scoresheet for once, especially on that last one when I had so much time. I thought ‘Oh no, where am I going to put this?’ but I’m pleased to get on the scoresheet and win the game.

“It [the game] shows we’ve got a lot of depth… we really needed that, especially when we were struggling at times. A bit of energy came on, people changed the game for us an it got the job done.”

On the half-time messages from the manager: “At times, we played the ball really well. It’s just about challenging them as much as we can, getting it forward as quick as we can with the right tempo. We did that in the end. Sometimes it’s not easy but as long as we get the job done and keep pushing in the right direction, that’s important.”

Jeglertz: It took us time to adapt to Liverpool changes

Man City boss Andree Jeglertz to Sky Sports:

“It’s difficult to compare victories. All of them are nice in their special way.

“This game was a tough game, we knew it was going to be challenging. It’s very difficult to predict how Liverpool are doing, all the teams we play against will not play how they did in the last game.

“They had also changed some things that took us time to adapt to. The first half was a little bit back and forward, we gave them two goals almost. But on the other hands, we created a lot of chances to score four goals and I’m very pleased with the mentality of the group.

“They never stop believing, they keep on going and in the end, we are winners.”

On Hemp: “She’s an amazing player. I don’t know what she’s made of because she just loves to be on the field and she has so much energy. I’m so happy for her.

“She had a chance early on where she shot over, but she kept on going. It didn’t affect her and she’s a game changer.”

Taylor: We just came up a bit shy

Liverpool boss Gareth Taylor to Sky Sports:

“It’s disappointing, we’ve just come up a bit shy. But the way we attacked the game, we were us, which is what I wanted – that’s the most important thing I said to the players afterwards.

“Playing that way, we believe we’ll win a lot of games this season. We’re in a decent position, a lot of the second balls and skirmishes were falling to Man City and when they get their moments at the top end of the pitch, they tend to make them count because of their quality.

“That’s where we’ve got to improve – our final action, because there were moments when we could’ve edged ahead a little bit more than what we were.

“We were going up against the champions. We’re a team who finished 11th last season so when you add those things up, it’s not going to happen overnight.

“But what you saw was a more improved version of what we were last season. The application and attitude from the players was first class, they gave a lot tonight.

“They’re disappointed because we looked like we were maintaining our unbeaten start to the season, but when they’re able to make the changes they made compared to us having two 16-year-olds on the bench, there’s a difference and you can feel that and sometimes you can overcome that, but it takes time.”

What the result means…