Manchester City ended their Women’s Super League campaign with a 3-2 win over Everton.
Khadija Shaw opened the scoring by firing the ball in the bottom left corner after Lauren Hemp's layoff. She followed up with another front close range 20 minutes later.
Hemp also got on the score sheet, her long-range shot lobbed Courtney Brosnan, kissed the inside of the crossbar and bounced into the back of the net on the hour mark. Lucy Hope replied from close range, followed by Leonie Maier in stoppage time.
City may have graced the Academy Stadium with a new kit but left their sense of urgency at home. Win aside, it was a lacklustre display from the home side that led to Alex Greenwood actually standing still and walking with the ball on several occasions.
The home side were outnumbered in the middle against a five-player midfield, sat in front of a back three and struggled, particularly in the first half. Albeit, Deyna Castellanos injected some energy once she got on the ball but had to be urged by Gareth Taylor’s animation on the sidelines.
The result leaves the Sky Blues in fourth position in the table, equal with Arsenal on 47 points, bested by goal difference and consequently miss out on the Champions League qualification spot for next year. It's their lowest league finishing position since 2014 where they placed fifth.
Player ratings:
Khiara Keating - Got involved higher up the pitch as the fifth defender to switch play. Not afraid to play with her feet and really helped City get out of tight spaces. Made some great saves parrying the ball over the bar. Unlucky conceding from close range, twice deep into the second half, because she made some great saves. 8
Esme Morgan - Stuck to her runner early on to deny the cross. She was on the wrong side of the attacker several times and it seemed like play passed her by today. Didn’t see much of the ball. 7
Steph Houghton - Completely missed a header that turned into an effort on goal, didn’t deal with her 1-v-1s very well including carrying the ball herself, but timed her tackles well and kept up with Nicoline Sorensen’s pace 1-v-1. 7
Alex Greenwood - Literally stood still with the ball at one point to beat Christiansen, and walked with the ball too perhaps to control the tempo but there just wasn’t any urgency or options for her. 7
Leila Ouahabi - Got passed around too easily higher up the field, lacked some urgency , and tended to opt for the easy backward ball to Greenwood over pushing forward. When she did the inside ball was too predictable and got intercepted. Got outrun by Katrine Veje. 6
Yui Hasegawa - Regained possession well, slipping right in front of the player with the ball and stealing it right from their toes. Immediately she turned it around into an attack. Great on her feet twisting and turning around players. Great one-touch link-ups continued in the second half. 8
Filippa Angeldal - Worked hard in the middle of the park, and did well to keep possession but probably needed to stand more than chase every ball. 7
Chloe Kelly - Hungry for the ball, and had fantastic link-ups with Hasegawa down the right flank. Put in several crosses but not to the precision we’re used to. Lost the ball too easily considering Everton used a back three. 7
Deyna Castellanos - Got into good positions to trouble Everton's back line. Really ramped up the energy and lead the attacks and enjoyed a lot of time on the ball. Dropped deep and had great fast feet to bypass three yellow shirts in her own half. Had a shot on goal but it went wide. 8
Lauren Hemp - Back post header landed on the roof of the net in the opening minutes, had some luck down the left but quiet first half, her crosses were not met by a sky blue shirt. She came alive in the second-half. Got an assist offloading the ball into the path of Shaw. Scored the second goal off the crossbar. 8
Khadija Shaw - Brought the ball down well and drove into the area, pressured the goalkeeper well and almost nicked the ball off her feet. Penalised for a challenge made on her early doors followed by a foul on her, totally ignored and seemed to affect her drive and strength. Didn’t challenge for the aerial ball, get in front of defenders on the cross or want to get on the ball, actively running away from it. Found the back of the net twice in the second half. 8
