With just eight matches left to play in the Women’s Super League, Manchester City put in an inspiring performance under the lights at Kingsmeadow to move level with Chelsea at the top of the table. Gareth Taylor’s side established their credentials as title contenders with a controlled performance that was emblematic of their progress as a team, with the win ending Chelsea’s 22-game home winning streak in the league.
Perhaps a surprising development in the City midfield in recent weeks, 22-year-old Jess Park was playing a key role in their display. Her technical skills, pace and awareness were evident throughout and her aggressiveness in the press forced the experienced Erin Cuthbert to make a mistake on Khadija Shaw’s 14th-minute goal.
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As the Chelsea captain dodged the ball towards his own goal, Park hovered around waiting for his opportunity to attack. He made his presence felt by moving to win the ball and feed the unstoppable Shaw, slotting home his 14th goal of the season. It was the game-winning move for City, but in addition to his attacking qualities, Park also showed a defensive maturity that showed his development. An impressive contribution that put the icing on the cake of a week that actually saw him earn his first league start of the season and a recall to the England squad.
This came after an impressive defeat against Arsenal in the FA Cup last weekend and he continued to prove that his patience has paid off. His time was limited to a string of substitute appearances as he was given few chances after returning from loan at Everton at the end of last season. Park has had to bide her time, but the absence of City’s star signing, Dutch international Jill Roord, who suffered an anterior cruciate ligament injury in January, has seen a place open up in midfield and she is seizing the opportunity.
Particularly notable was the fact that he had to quickly adapt to a new position. Traditionally seen as a winger, Taylor has moved Park into a more central role, where he can operate more as a number 8 and 10. “He’s very good at driving between the lines,” his manager thought. “Jess has always been a player that intrigued me… She had to be patient, her training levels and attitude were first class. “We adjusted his positioning a little bit, but I always felt he could play between the lines.”
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He was here most of the evening; Her relationships with Laura Coombs alongside her and Yui Hasegawa in the deeper midfield role were clearly improving. These two players provide excellent support and experience to help him continue his development.
In Hasegawa, City have a player who has established himself as one of the best No.6 players in the world; The way Chelsea handle their midfield duo and the electric Lauren James in the number 10 role epitomizes this. Despite her 5ft 2in frame, she is incredibly strong in the tackle and has won the ball back more times than any other player in the WSL this season.
At one point in the first half, she managed to attract the attention of Mayra Ramírez, who is eight inches taller, and easily get away from her. This left Chelsea’s new Colombian striker looking upset in the middle, while James was able to pat his teammate on the back in consolation.
It was this midfield control that won the game for Manchester City; She overwhelmed Cuthbert and Melanie Leupolz, who often dominated for Chelsea. There was a lot of press in the first half; The second is their determination in defense. This, combined with the consistency of their backline and the outstanding performance of their 19-year-old goalkeeper Khiara Keating, has enabled the Manchester-based side to maintain their lead.
Alex Greenwood and Laia Aleixandri resorted to getting carried away in the final stages; This is the hallmark of no-nonsense central defensive partnerships. The proof of this resilience is in the statistics. They remain the most ruthless defense in the division, conceding just eight goals.
It was a performance and result that delighted Taylor on the sidelines; A true example of the improvement his team has made this season. He took his team’s record to 11 wins in all competitions.
There’s a long way to go in this season’s story, but this felt like a pivotal night. Had Chelsea won, they would have virtually had sole possession of the title, but with displays of determination and maturity, Manchester City managed to blow the title race wide open once again, clearly establishing themselves as the key challengers to Chelsea’s supremacy.