Manchester City Women vs Manchester United Women. Women's Super League.
City Football Academy.
Man City have won their last six WSL games, but are likely to be without Sam Mewis and Demi Stokes; Man Utd lost their first home game of the season at the weekend and have injury concerns; follow Man City Women vs Man Utd Women in our dedicated live blog on Sky Sports' digital platforms
Saturday 13 February 2021 09:20, UK
Manchester City Women take on local rivals Manchester United Women in the Women's Super League on Friday with both teams involved in a tight race for the title.
Although Chelsea currently occupy top spot with 35 points, the Manchester pair are hot on their heels. Casey Stoney's United are three points behind in second while Gareth Taylor's City are in third, but only by two points with a game in hand.
Man City are hitting form at the right time, winning their last six WSL games, as well as both legs of their Champions League last-32 tie with Goteborg in December. However, they did lose to Chelsea in the League Cup last month.
For Man Utd, they lost their first home game of the season last time out, beaten 2-0 by Reading, but a victory on Friday will put them level on points with Chelsea at the top of the WSL ahead of the weekend's games.
The reverse fixture earlier this season was a thrilling 2-2 draw at Leigh Sports Village. While a Manchester derby is always special, the added edge of a WSL title race will add an extra edge to this encounter.
You can follow all the action from Man City Women vs Man Utd Women in our dedicated live blog on Sky Sports' digital platforms.
Man City manager Taylor could be without Sam Mewis and Demi Stokes for the Manchester derby. The pair have not featured since December through injury and Friday's game may come too soon for them.
However, Taylor also delivered the good news City have not picked up any new injuries since beating Arsenal on Sunday.
Man Utd are set to be without a number of injured players. Tobin Heath, Alessia Russo, Lauren James - who has recently spoken out about racist abuse she has suffered on social media - Lucy Staniforth and Kirsty Smith are all expected to be sidelined.
Martha Harris returned to training last week and Stoney is hopeful of having her available on Friday.
Man City manager Gareth Taylor told the club's official website: "The feeling is good. We've had a good start to the year and we had a good end to the year as well. We have good confidence and the players are looking sharp.
"The rivalry is always there, isn't it? Whether it is United v City in a game of football or other platforms. Everybody wants to be successful. We want the city to be blue after this occasion. Bragging rights go hand-in-hand with that.
"It is difficult to say how important title focus will be. We understand it is an important game. We spoke before Arsenal and United that these would be two pivotal games. That's not changed.
"We are enjoying being involved in the title race. We are a good team, playing good football, scoring a lot of goals.
"It feels like the final push, even though it is just over halfway. You can see the finish line and everyone is making a charge for it."
Man Utd manager Casey Stoney told the club's official website: "They're always big games. Derby games are important, more for bragging rights than anything, but they're also important at this moment in time because of our league positions and the face we'll both want to take points out of it.
"It's going to be a highly competitive game, we've both got good squads so we're going to go there and have a good go.
"We have a mindset to go there and win. You have to approach every game like that but with an awareness that they've got very good players. We're going to have to be very good defensively, which we know we're capable of, but we also know we've got threats in our team that can hurt them.
"They're definitely the team with the rhythm at the moment… But we shouldn't fear them. We've had very competitive games against them in the past and we know that if we play to our capabilities and really execute our game plan, we can take something."
Man City midfielder Caroline Weir told a pre-match press conference: "There is no game like a derby. I have played in a few, Liverpool and Everton and City and United, and I think this is probably one of the biggest ones I will play in, in terms of what is at stake and the way the season is shaping up. These are the games you want to play in. I am just glad it is here now.
"It is obviously tight at the top and we are coming into an important time of the season. As much as it is a derby, we know we have to win pretty much every game. That's the way we look at it. There is a bit more pressure with it being derby, but we will focus on the game plan and hopefully we come out on top."
Man City midfielder Keira Walsh told the club's official website: "Everyone's really fired up for the game. It's going to be tough but we're all up for it.
"We've been trying to explain to the Americans what Derby Day is and how much of a big game it is. They've played in big games of course but we've been trying to explain the emotional side of the game and our connection to the club.
"There's a lot riding on this one with the importance it has in the league. We both want to take points off each other to claim top spot and secure a Champions League place."
Man Utd forward Ella Toone told Sky Sports News' James Cooper: "Coming back from 2-0 down [in the previous fixture] against such a great team gives us that belief and that desire to go in and go 2-0 up instead. We know we can score and create chances against the big teams. It's now about making sure we perform well on the day and come away with the three points.
"I'm a United fan so I love a derby day. When we were younger at United and there was no women's team, you always dreamt of playing in the Manchester derby so for me, it's a big game.
"But you've just got to take each game as it comes in this league because every game is a massive game. It's a derby but it's also just another game in the league so we'll go in and put on a performance."
England interim manager Hege Riise will join The Women's Football Show on Sky Sports on Friday February 12.
Riise will discuss her first squad announcement and her plans for the role until September - when Sarina Wiegman takes charge permanently - as well as her role on the GB Olympic team.
The show will also feature Claire Rafferty, who swapped playing for her new role in the boardroom of Lewes FC - the first club to pay both men and women equally.
England and Man City forward Ellen White also joins the show as she becomes WSL's all-time top scorer.
Watch The Women's Football Show at 6pm on Friday February 12 on Sky Sports Football.
