Lauren Hemp scored twice, including a decisive 90th-minute goal, as Manchester City Women beat Liverpool 4-2 in the Women's Super League on Friday. The victory extends their flawless start to the season to three wins from three, keeping them five points clear at the top of the table with nine points.
Hemp broke the deadlock in the 13th minute, finishing off a sharp inside pass from Carlotta Wamser. Liverpool responded quickly, with Alice Bergström levelling six minutes later and Vivien Endemann putting the visitors ahead in the 28th minute. Khadija Shaw equalised for City just before half-time, capitalising after Khiara Keating could only parry an initial Hemp effort.
The second half saw chances at both ends, with City goalkeeper Ayaka Yamashita making a fine reaction save to deny Shaw. The breakthrough finally came in the final minute of normal time when Grace Clinton's dangerous cross was turned into her own net by Liverpool defender Grace Fisk. Hemp then sealed the points in the fifth minute of added time, scoring her second of the night.
Jeglertz's winning mentality
Manager Andrée Jeglertz, who took charge in the summer of 2025, praised his team's resilience. "I’m very pleased with the mentality of the group," Jeglertz said. "They never stop believing, they keep on going and, in the end, we are winners." The result means City have not dropped a single point in a home league fixture since Jeglertz's arrival, a run that now underpins their title challenge.
For Hemp, the goals ended a lengthy wait for a club strike. Her first WSL goal since last November's Manchester derby was also her first for City since an FA Cup effort in February. Her most recent goal before Friday came for England against Spain in April.
The table and what's next
The win solidifies City's position at the summit of the WSL. Their recent form shows they have scored 11 goals and conceded just four in their three matches, building a formidable goal difference of plus seven. Their next fixture is an away trip to face Charlton Athletic on 26 September. Charlton currently sit 13th in the table, and City will be looking to extend their winning run to four games. The team's upcoming schedule, including this fixture, is available on our fixtures page.
Liverpool manager Gareth Taylor found positives in his side's performance despite the defeat. "Playing that way, we believe we’ll win a lot of games this season," Taylor told reporters. "What you saw was a more improved version of what we were towards the end of last season."
The weekend's WSL fixtures included a minute's applause across the league to mark a year since the death of former Liverpool manager Matt Beard, who led the club to back-to-back titles in 2013 and 2014.
The original report is at The Guardian Football
