Score once in a win over Manchester United and you’ll have a place in the hearts of Manchester City fans secured.
Do it twice and you seal hero status.
Three times, well, we’re approaching all-time great levels. Oh, and each of those goals are absolute worldies as well.
By now, as you might have worked out, we’re in a category of one.
Caroline Weir loves derby day and brought the house down at a packed Academy Stadium when she struck nine minutes from time against the Reds on Sunday.
Weir’s precision chip was a virtual copy of the goal against United that netted her a Puskas Award nomination last year and City manager Gareth Taylor thinks it is the best of her impressive derby bunch.
So, without further ado, let’s see if we agree with the boss...
3) Manchester City 1-0 Manchester United (September 2019)
Coming in third, this strike is effectively the runt of the litter. But it’s still an absolute screamer - the sort of goal any player would dream of scoring on the big occasion.
On the opening weekend of the 2019/20 WSL season, a bumper crowd of 31,213 at the Etihad Stadium saw Weir settle matters early in the second half.
United were unable to effectively escape the City press deep inside their own half and Weir brought down a clearance with her right foot before shuffling the ball onto her trusty left boot, taking one touch and arrowing a venomous strike into the top corner from 25 yards.
“Caz does that in training every week against me, so I knew it was going in as soon as it left her left foot,” said City goalkeeper Ellie Roebuck.
2) Manchester City 3-0 Manchester United (February 2021)
Again, United were sloppy in clearing their lines, giving Weir a slither of a chance. It was all she needed.
Ella Toone sold Jackie Groenen short with a lay-off and Weir nimbly executed a drag back to engineer space and launch an audacious sand wedge over the helpless Mary Earps in the United goal.
As the goalscorer wheeled away in celebration, City left-back Alex Greenwood stood covering her mouth in an expression of total disbelief. That said it all.
1) Manchester City 1-0 Manchester United (February 2022)
The close-quarters initial touches and beautiful arc of the ball mean Weir’s goal last year might be slightly better aesthetically.
But the sheer cheek to try the same thing again, against the same opponents (Earps, in net for all three of these efforts, must be thoroughly sick of the sight of Weir) and pull it off elevates her latest stunner.
There was a little more work to do here, too, with Weir collecting possession in midfield and driving towards United territory. An expectant crowd - another element in favour of this goal after the previous effort came behind closed doors - collectively thought “surely not, she can’t do it again?”
But she could. Like Weir’s thunderbolt at the Etihad, this was the only goal rather than gloss on a 3-0 win.
Is there even better to come next season? At this stage, it feels foolish to bet against City’s Scottish superstar.
Which of Caroline Weir's derby day goals is your favourite? Follow City Is Ours editor Dom Farrell on Twitter to get involved in the discussion and give us your thoughts in the comments section below.
