Thank you for joining me for this match. Manchester City really dominated play and have continued their charge for the WSL title, they sit just three points behind leaders Chelsea. Keep your eye out for our report, which will be published shortly. Have a good rest of the weekend.
Liverpool need to learn from this defeat but also concentrate on their impressive season so far, they have taken points off of Arsenal and Manchester United. One bad loss won’t dictate the rest of their campaign.
Shaw is the top WSL scorer this season and it is likely she is heading towards another Golden Boot.
With Shaw in the form she is in, can City win the WSL this season? Get in touch and let me know your thoughts.
Full-time: Manchester City 5-1 Liverpool
Liverpool went ahead through Hinds but an own goal, a Shaw hat-trick and a Kelly penalty proved too much for the visitors as City continue to put pressure on table leaders Chelsea.
90 + 5 min: City look to close out this impressive performance with patient build-up play.
90 + 3 min: The clock on the Sky stream has stopped working so I will do my best to predict how much time has passed! Liverpool come forward but Lundgaard is offside.
90 + 1 min: There will be seven added minutes.
89 min: Park crosses and Bonner clears to concede a corner. It comes in but Liverpool deal with it well. Shaw has been named Player of the Match/
87 min: Liverpool could have got into the top four today with a win after United lost to Chelsea but Man City have been too strong for them. It has been an impressive performance from the hosts, who had to come back after Hinds’ effort in the first half.
85 min: Matthews manages to clear as City look to add to their goals, this must be exhausting for Liverpool’s defence at the moment.
83 min: City are really showing their mentality in this game, five goals aren’t enough and they are fighting to score another.
81 min: Kelly wins the ball and sets off in an attack but Liverpool do enough to prevent it. Micah’s clearance kick hits Kelly in the head but she is okay to continue.
79 min: Kelly looks ecstatic with that score, she kisses her engagement ring ring in celebration.
PENALTY! Manchester City 5-1 Liverpool (Kelly, 78)
Her goal drought is over!
Updated
77 min: Van de Sanden made sure Hemp was okay as she gets back to her feet, a nice gesture. The England international will continue. Oh hang on, there will be a penalty from this! I thought it was outside the box, interesting.
76 min: The fans are chanting “off, off”, it was a horrible challenge and Hemp does a front flip. A yellow card shown, no penalty either as it was just outside the box. Hemp receiving some treatment.
75 min: Liverpool make a change with Kearns off for Lundgaard. City are taking their time on the ball and Hemp goes to shoot but Micah takes her out. The keeper receives a yellow card, the crowd wanted more from that as boos ring around the stadium.
73 min: The pace of this game is unpredictable, it has slowed now with City knowing they have done enough to seal this win. Liverpool will have to play a blinder if they are to get anything from this.
71 min: Hinds does well to take the ball away from Kelly in the box. City come again as Angeldahl pops in a good cross but no one is there to head it home.
69 min: Roman Haug has another opportunity but Keating collects, Liverpool’s chances of getting something from this match are slim but they need to score soon if they want to keep hold of that hope.
67 min: The weather is awful in Manchester, it is tipping it down and the wind has not stopped. Shows what a powerhouse City are this season with such a dominant performance. The form runs through the team with Keating coming up with a huge save from a good chance by Roman Haug.
Updated
65 min: Liverpool are being pinned in their own half, being forced to go back to Micah repeatedly. City are really turning the screw. Kelly pops it into the area but it is headed clear.
63 min: Hemp makes a good run into the area but she is muscled off the ball. Aleixandri takes a tumble but she is quickly back to her feet.
61 min: City aren’t content with just seeing this ball out, they are piling on the pressure to find their fifth. City make some changes with Coombs and Shaw are off for Angeldahl and Fowler.
59 min: That is Shaw’s third hat-trick in the last four WSL games, unreal form. City have a free kick and Greenwood is over the ball, it’s a good delivery but Liverpool come up with two crucial saves.
57 min: Hinds is sloppy in the box, Hemp wins it and she passes to Shaw. It’s initially saves but then she backheels it home.
Updated
GOAL! Manchester City 4-1 Liverpool (Shaw, 56')
Wow, another error and Shaw pounces.
Updated
56 min: Liverpool choose the wrong option as they play to through to Roman Haig but Van de Sanden should have taken a shot much earlier.
54 min: Liverpool are trying their best but they are yet to throw a punch in this second half.
52 min: Kelly takes a long range powerful chance but it is just over the bar, that was so close to ending her goal drought! She is still contributing well to her team and is a key cog but she must be frustrated at the lack of goals.
50 min: Matt Beard looks frustrated in the dug out, he has his hands on his face as his side try and get back into this match. My wifi cut out a moment there, apologies, back up and running now.
47 min: A steady start to the second half, very similar to the start of the match.
Back underway! Manchester City 3-1 Liverpool
We are back underway. Van de Sanden and Matthews are on for Liverpool.
Elsewhere in the league, Chelsea beat Manchester United 3-1 and Brighton are leading Bristol City 2-1.
Here are some of the goals from the first half:
WHAT A STRIKE FROM TAYLOR HINDS 💥
— Sky Sports WSL (@SkySportsWSL) January 21, 2024
Liverpool take an early lead! 🔴 pic.twitter.com/BvNBIJBfFt
A Liverpool own goal gives Man City a quick equaliser 😲⬇ pic.twitter.com/pZ3jwDQXwq
— Sky Sports WSL (@SkySportsWSL) January 21, 2024
"Manchester City take FULL ADVANTAGE" 🔵
— Sky Sports WSL (@SkySportsWSL) January 21, 2024
Bunny Shaw gives the Blues the lead 🔥 pic.twitter.com/G9FxrrBsw7
Half-time: Manchester City 3-1 Liverpool
It was a great start from Liverpool who opened the scoring through Hinds but City responded quickly with three goals of their own. All to play for the next 45 but City are in control.
Updated
45 + 6 min: It’s pinged in and Shaw gets a header to it, Micah looks to have saved it but it hits the post and it is in.
GOAL! Manchester City 3-1 Liverpool (Shaw, 45 + 6')
Who else but Shaw?
Updated
45 + 5 min: Liverpool are forced to do more defending before the break and Coombs has a great chance but it’s wide.
45 + 3 min: Hobinger pings it into the area but it’s well defended. City have a chance now with Shaw but her effort is over the bar, she would have been offside regardless.
45 + 1 min: Shaw is okay to continue. There will be six minutes added.
45 min: Liverpool have a corner as Greenwood sees a cross from Kearns out. It comes in but it was punched away, I think Shaw got some contact there. She is down in the box holding her head.
43 min: This game ebbs and flows, the last few minutes have been slow but suddenly it comes to life – this time from Liverpool but Koivisto’s pass doesn’t find a teammate.
41 min: Hinds has a good cross but Flint’s touch isn’t precise enough and Keating can collect.
39 min: City slowly building from their own half but it doesn’t come to anything as Shaw can’t control.
37 min: Hemp makes another great run, she crosses to Coombs but Micah saves. City are alive and out for a third, the pressure is on. Coombs has a chance but it is just wide.
35 min: Liverpool not learning from their mistakes as Micah passes out of the back again, City win it and Shaw almost scores – she was a whisker away.
33 min: Liverpool play it weakly out of the back again with Micah passing to Nagano, Shaw intercepts and finishes calmly.
GOAL! Manchester City 2-1 Liverpool (Shaw, 33')
That was too easy.
Updated
32 min: Kelly puts in a good cross but no one gets to it, Hemp puts it back in and Bonner prevents Shaw from getting her head to it.
30 min: City win a corner and it’s well defended initially but the hosts get it back in, Shaw tries to find a teammate but Liverpool clear.
28 min: Now it is City’s turn to have a defensive blunder as they give it away at the back, Roman Haig takes a shot but it’s well defended in the end.
26 min: Coombs takes a long range effort after another defensive error from Liverpool. The visitors manage to counter but Kearns is offside.
24 min: Micah comes out of goal and doesn’t get the ball, Kelly doesn’t immediately pounce and Liverpool are able to reset, their defence manage to clear the danger.
22 min: The bite of the match has been taken out a little here, Liverpool slowing play down after conceding.
20 min: Morgan puts in a lovely cross and Bonner gets a touch to it and it’s in! Wow, what a match we have on our hands.
GOAL! Manchester City 1-1 Liverpool (Bonner OG, 20)
What a response from City.
19 min: City have reacted to going behind well, right back to applying pressure but Liverpool are feeling the momentum shift and have a good spell on the ball themselves.
17 min: City have completely dominated this game but Liverpool have their first attack, it’s laid back to Hinds who hits a one-touch finish. Sublime goal.
GOAL! Manchester City 0-1 Liverpool (Hinds, 16')
Liverpool lead!
Updated
14 min: City win a corner and it is Kelly who takes it short, It eventually comes into the box but it’s headed away. City get it back and Shaw as a good cross but no one is there to pick it up.
12 min: Koivisto has a great challenge on Coombs and Liverpool work the ball back to their own keeper. Shaw does really well to pick it up and City rifle two shots off from Coombs and Kelly but both are blocked.
10 min: Casparij is coming off after that early challenge, Morgan is on in her place.
9 min: Casparij is down here and so there is a break in play, the injury coming from an earlier challenge with Kearns.
8 min: Hasegawa made a great pass to Kelly, she passes into the box but Liverpool’s defence holds strong for now. City are really cranking up the pressure here.
6 min: Kelly has not scored in the last seven games so she will be looking to make an impact on this game. City are moving the ball well here and Hemp makes a storming run but Clark manages to wrestle her to win possession.
4 min: Kelly tried to find Shaw but she was shut down before the pass could be made. The Liverpool defence is impressing in these early stages.
2 min: It’s a slow start from both teams so far, finding their feet in this one.
Kick-off! Manchester City 0-0 Liverpool
We are underway at the Joie Stadium. City will be favourites but Liverpool are capable of causing an upset.
Updated
The players are out and we are almost underway. Who will get the win today?
Have you been keeping up to date with the transfer window? If you want to see who each club has signed across the top five leagues in Europe have a read of our interactive:
How is your Sunday going? A chilled one watching the football? Or do you have some social plans? Let me know via email or X – @rendellx
Updated
Lauren James has a hat-trick in Chelsea’s match against Manchester United. Less than five minutes to go, it seems United will have to wait a little longer to defeat their rivals – they have never beaten them before.
Liverpool manager Matt Beard has said: “I think Man City have been the best team in the WSL so far this season but our games against them have been competitive, we’re looking forward to the test on Sunday and sure it’ll be an exciting game.”
Man City manager Gareth Taylor has said in the build-up: “They are improving all the time; their squad transfer business has been good, and it is a difficult game for us, there’s no doubt about that.. We’ve played them quite a bit recently, and we need to be in top form in all areas to be successful in this game.”
The WSL returned on Friday and there was also a match yesterday, have a read of the action:
In the earlier kick-off between Chelsea and Manchester United the Blues are leading 2-1 after two controlled finishes from Lauren James and a nice goal from Hayley Ladd. There had been a lot of chat about the absence of Sam Kerr for this fixture – she has scored ten goals in ten games against Mary Earps – but Chelsea are continuing their unbeaten streak again United. You can keep up to date with that one here:
The team news is here! Hosts Manchester City will hope Bunny Shaw’s form continues this afternoon as she is named in the starting team.
Man City: Keating, Aleixandri, Greenwood (C), Coombs, Kelly, Hemp, Ouahabi, Casparij, Roord, Shaw, Hasegawa
Liverpool, meanwhile, name a strong starting XI with Sophie Roman Haig leading the line.
Liverpool: Micah, Koivisto, Clark, Fisk, Bonner, Hinds, Nagano, Hobinger, Kearns, Flint, Roman Haig.
Preamble
Hello and welcome to the live coverage of Manchester City v Liverpool in the Women’s Super League.
City are having a good season in the league, losing only two games so far and have wracked up 22 points so far. A win today will close the gap to Chelsea on the top of the table but they face a Liverpool side in form.
Before the WSL break Liverpool landed a blow as they beat Manchester United 2-1. A win today could see the Reds break into the top four – that is dependant on how Chelsea v United finishes.
The team news will be announced soon so stay tuned for that and I’ll bring you all the updates from the other matches too.
