wattWith eight games left in the Women’s Super League, Manchester City produced a brilliant performance under the lights at Kingsmeadow to move level with Chelsea at the top of the table. The victory ended Chelsea’s 22-match winning streak at home in the league, with Gareth Taylor’s side proving their credentials as title contenders with a controlled performance that symbolized their progress as a team.
Jess Park, 22, has played an integral role in their performances and has perhaps been surprising with his performances in Manchester City’s midfield in recent weeks. Her technical ability and spatial awareness were evident throughout and it was her aggression in front of the media that forced the experienced Erin Cuthbert to make an error in Khadija Shaw’s 14th-minute goal.
When the Chelsea captain hesitated against his own goal, Parker looked around for an opportunity to pounce. She made her presence felt, winning the ball back and passing to the unstoppable Shaw for her 14th goal of the season. It was a move that ultimately won the game for the visitors, but in addition to her offensive prowess, she also showed a mature defensive ability that particularly highlighted her improvement.
It was her performance against Arsenal in the FA Cup last weekend that continues to prove her patience is paying off. As she has been given few chances this season, her time has been limited to a handful of substitute appearances since returning from a loan spell at Everton at the end of last season. She had to bide her time, but with the absence of Manchester City star Gil Rude (the Netherlands international suffered an anterior cruciate ligament injury in January), there was a vacancy in the midfield.
What’s particularly striking is how quickly she had to adapt to her new position. Taylor, who is traditionally considered a tricky winger, moved Park to a more central position, playing more as a No. 8 and No. 10. Front end of the court,” Taylor said before the game. “Jesse is proving it now. She’s young…but she understands the importance of taking it game by game and bringing what she brings.”
This was the position she spent most of the night in, establishing a clear relationship with Laura Coombs next to her and Yui Hasegawa in midfield. These two players provide Park with the perfect support and experience to help her continue to develop.
In Hasegawa, City have a player who has firmly established herself as one of the best No. 6s in the world, with the way she handles Chelsea’s midfield duo and the dynamic Lauren James in the No. 10 position It reflects this. Despite her height of 5ft 2in, she is very strong in the tackle and has won possession back more times than any other player in the WSL this season.
At one point in the first half, she managed to catch the attention of eight-inch Myra Ramirez and easily turned away from her. This left Chelsea’s new Colombian striker looking frustrated in midfield, and James could only give a gentle pat on the back of his teammate to express comfort.
It was the midfield that won City the game. They pressed hard in the first half. Second, their ability to switch from offense to defense. This, coupled with the stability of the defense and the outstanding performance of 19-year-old goalkeeper Khiara Keating, ensured that this Manchester team could hold on to their lead.
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Alex Greenwood and Laia Alessandri gave everything they had in the closing stages, a sign of the serious centre-back partnership that has developed over the past five months. Statistics prove this resilience. They remain the worst defensive team in the division, allowing just eight goals all season.
It’s a performance and result that will delight Taylor on the sidelines – a true example of the development his side have shown throughout the season. The victory extended Manchester City’s record in all competitions to 11 games and remains unbeaten since a narrow home victory over Brighton in November last year.
The story of the season is still a long way off, but this feels like a pivotal night for Kingsmeadow. If Chelsea had won, they would have almost single-handedly challenged the title, but with the determination and maturity they showed, City once again put the title race away.
