Manchester City FC

Khadija ‘Bunny’ Shaw hit a historic hat-trick at the Joie Stadium as Andrée Jeglertz’s side maintained our 100% top-flight record at home this season.

The Jamaican opened the scoring when showing her poacher’s instinct to slam home from close range after Spurs failed to clear a corner.

But the visitors hit back shortly after when Olivia Holdt raced clear of the Blues’ defence and coolly slotted home.

Undeterred, City restored our lead with Shaw completing her hat-trick six minutes later with two expertly taken headers from close range.

Kerolin and Vivianne Miedema then added the gloss to a five-star first-half display with the duo extending our lead before the break.

Bethany England grabbed a late consolation for the visitors, but results elsewhere meant City moved eight points clear at the top of the WSL, making it ten wins from ten home matches in the league this season in the process.

Andrée Jeglertz’s team welcomed the Londoners to the Joie Stadium for our first home league game in over month.

Despite a frustrating draw last time out against Aston Villa, we went into the game still at the top of the division’s table and possessing a seven-point gap on second place.

Spurs also came into the match looking to maintain their spot in the table at the very least, although manager Martin Ho would be looking to disrupt the top four before the end of the campaign.

City ran out comfortable 5-1 winners in the reverse fixture, which was certainly one for the then-new summer signing Grace Clinton to remember.

The midfielder scored on her debut for the club, while goals from Aoba Fujino, Vivianne Miedema, Kerstin Casparij and Laura Coombs helped to pick up all three points.

But, how did things play out at the Joie Stadium?

The Jamaican’s treble inside 21 minutes set the Blues on our way to victory and eased any fears that might’ve lingered after Olivia Holdt had briefly drawn Spurs level.

A further first-half strike from Kerolin and an Amanda Nilden own goal put the game beyond doubt, with Bethany England grabbing a late consolation for the visitors.

Results elsewhere mean City have now moved eight points clear at the top of the WSL, making it ten wins from ten home matches in the league this season in the process.

What happened

City started brightly on a beautiful spring day at the Joie Stadium, and got ourselves in front inside the opening ten minutes when Shaw pounced after Spurs had failed to clear an Alex Greenwood corner.

But the visitors had travelled north with an excellent recent away record and drew level when Holdt was played in behind and confidently swept home.

Undeterred, the Blues immediately got back on the offensive and regained our lead with the same formula that created our opener.

Greenwood’s looping corner looked destined for Shaw’s head, and she powered home past Lize Kop to restore our lead, before repeating the trick just three minutes later from a Kerolin cross.

Kerolin then went from provider to scorer before the break, firing home from Hemp’s cutback, with an own goal from Nilden when put under pressure by Vivianne Miedema making it five soon after.

Spurs came out for a largely uneventful second half with a fresh impetus, and Khiara Keating was called into action to deny Signe Gaupset and Bethany England early on.

Gaupset then fired over the bar from a promising position with around 20 to play, before City substitute Sydney Lohmann couldn’t divert a close-range header on target late on.

There was still time for one late chance for the visitors, though, and England duly took it when she pounced in the area for a late consolation.

Shaw’s superb Spurs record continues

Our record goalscorer took her personal tally to 16 in just 12 matches against Spurs at the Joie Stadium and grabbed her fourth hat-trick against them in the process.

Her two powerful headers and opportunistic finish inside 21 minutes is the quickest treble in WSL history, with just 12 minutes and 37 seconds also separating her three strikes (another record).

But Shaw’s overall performance was about far more than goals, with excellent hold-up play and tireless pressing, not to mention a key presence in defensive situations.

Midfield Maestros

Sam Coffey and Laura Blindkilde Brown started as our midfield pairing once again in the absence of Yui Hasegawa, who helped Japan to Asian Cup glory in Australia.

The pair’s relationship is a key one for City in the engine room and they were both excellent against a difficult opponent.

Coffey’s tenacity and game intelligence regularly broke up potential attacks and kept us ticking over, while Blindkilde Brown’s energy and positive play also helped to drive City forward.

Shaw’s goals will deservedly gain the headlines, but that midfield battle was a crucial one to win.

Player of the Match: Bunny Shaw

Clinical in attacking areas, crucial in defensive ones. A complete centre-forward’s performance from our brilliant Jamaican.

What it means

Chelsea’s 1-1 draw with London City Lionesses means City are now eight points clear at the top of the WSL with four matches remaining.

However, that gap would be reduced to five if Arsenal won their two games in hand.

The Blues have also continued our incredible home record in the WSL this season, with our latest triumph making it ten wins from ten in 2025/26.

How we lined up

City XI: Keating, Rose, Knaak, Greenwood (C) (Ouahabi 82’), Casparij (Beney 81’), Blindkilde Brown, Coffey, Hemp, Kerolin (Coombs 62’), Miedema (Lohmann 62’), Shaw.

Substitutes: Cumings, Prior, Oyama, Murphy, Adedini.

Spurs XI: Kop, Bartrip, A. Nilden, Gaupset, England (C), Holdt (Gunning-Williams 69’), Vinberg, Tandberg, Wijk, Spence (Summanen 69’), Blakstad

Substitutes: Heeps, Grant, Rybrink, M. Nilden, Ahtinen, Dennis, Jackson

Up next

The Manchester derby beckons for City, with a trip to Old Trafford set for 13:30 (UK) on Saturday 28 March.

It’s available to watch live in the United Kingdom on BBC One, with tickets available to buy here.

City were out on the training pitches ahead of our Barclays Women’s Super League clash with Tottenham Hotspur.

Andrée Jeglertz’s side face the London Club, who are chasing a Champions League spot at our home on Saturday at 12:00 (UK).

With five matches of the season remaining, City are seven points clear at the top of the WSL.

And there was plenty of hard work being put in at the CFA as we got ready for another big test with every point so important.

The Blues welcome Spurs to the Joie Stadium on Saturday 21 March for a 12:00 (UK) kick-off.

We start the weekend seven points clear at the top of the WSL with five matches remaining, aiming to bounce back after a goalless draw at Aston Villa last time out.

Standing in our way are a Spurs side on course to match their best-ever WSL finish of fifth, though the visitors also still hold outside hopes of European qualification.

The two sides are sure to serve up an exciting showdown at the Joie Stadium, with the fixture also dedicated to City in the Community.

The Club’s official Charity will be celebrated at the game as part of our annual Matchday Takeover, with plenty of exciting activities and extra content to enjoy.

Ahead of the game, the team were hard at work in the Manchester sun to ensure we’re ready for action against Spurs.

City welcome Spurs to the Joie Stadium on Saturday 21 March, with kick-off set for 12:00 (UK).

The Blues sit top of the WSL table with just five matches remaining of the season, while the visitors sit fifth in their pursuit of European football.

It’s a huge fixture for both teams, but also one where we’ll celebrate the amazing work of the Club’s charity, City in the Community.

Among a swathe of activities on the day, our matchday programme has had a special update on the front cover, with plenty more CITC content packed inside.

FIND OUT MORE ABOUT CITC’S MATCHDAY ARTISTS

The drawing of Jade Rose is just one example of the special artwork created by CITC participants from across Greater Manchester who’ve benefited from our charity’s incredible work over the years.

Grace Clinton is the feature interview, chatting about her time at Spurs and the winning mentality she feels is developing in the squad.

Elsewhere, there’ll be a detailed breakdown on our opponents, as well as the pre-match thoughts of Andrée Jeglertz and Alex Greenwood to get stuck into.

We’re preparing for Saturday’s 12:00 (UK) visit of Tottenham Hotspur in the Barclays Women’s Super League.

After last week’s goalless draw at Aston Villa, we’ll be looking to return to winning ways this weekend.

However, we remain seven points clear at the top of the table with five matches to go.

Last chance for City v Spurs tickets!

And Jeglertz confirmed in his press conference today that confidence has been flowing and happiness at a high on the training pitch this week.

That was evident this afternoon, as the players made the most of the beautiful weather in east Manchester.

The Club’s charity are scheduled to take over Saturday’s game against Spurs at the Joie Stadium, with CITC participants being offered various opportunities to support City’s matchday operations.

One special addition involves an update to our social media matchday graphics.

CITC participants from a local school have produced drawings of the players, which are to be shown prior to the game on the big screen and match programme, as well as across the 90 minutes at the Joie Stadium.

They have also already made a feature on the CITC social channels as a part of a daily countdown towards the game.

In the press conference ahead of the Spurs clash, our Head Coach Jeglertz described his involvement with the charity over the past few weeks.

He said of the CITC Matchday Takeover: “The Club is doing a fantastic job at supporting so many different activities.

“We’re [the team] really looking forward to having them involved.

One such activity included him and Director of Football Therese Sjogran surprising seven CITC 16+ programme participants at Coop Live’s Canalside Cafe to offer some advice to the aspiring coaches.

Around that experience, he added: “The work that City in the Community do is fantastic.

“The young people here want to go on to be coaches, and the fact that they give them the support opportunities to grow in that is amazing.”

The midfielder was ruled out of our goalless draw with Aston Villa on Sunday and our Head Coach confirmed she was experiencing a ‘lower body’ issue’

Clinton joined the Blues from Manchester United in the summer and marked her debut with a goal in the reverse fixture against Spurs, who she’d enjoyed a hugely successful loan spell with in 2023/24.

Jeglertz confirmed that she hasn’t been able to train with the team this week, and didn’t put an exact timeframe on her return.

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Asked about Grace’s availability, he said: “No, she won’t be involved. She’s still not training with team. We’re taking it week by week but she’s not ready.

“[It’s a] lower body injury. We are assessing from week to week.

“It’s difficult to say how far [away she is], it depends on how she is doing. Hopefully we see her soon back on field but can’t say more than that.”

However, our Head Coach did add that the rest of the squad, outside of our longer term absentees, were fit and available if needed against Spurs.

“It’s a little bit of a shorter turnaround, but it’s fantastic weather and [they’re] all smiling, so that was great.”

Our visitors this weekend currently sit fifth in the WSL table and still hold realistic hopes of challenging for a spot in Europe.

They’re on course to match their best-ever WSL finish and travel north looking to build on impressive recent away wins at Aston Villa and West Ham United in the league.

Jeglertz is braced for a difficult assignment this weekend.

“They are having a great season,” he continued.

“I’ve seen many of their games, they play a little different to how they have before, but they are a very tactical and dynamic team and they are very good individual players.

“We’re definitely expecting a tough game.”

There are just five matches left of the campaign, with City seven points clear ahead of a Joie Stadium clash with Tottenham Hotspur on Saturday 21 March.

The 12:00 (UK) clash will also be our dedicated annual City in the Community Matchday Takeover, as we celebrate the Club’s official Charity.

Spurs currently sit fifth in the WSL, on course to at least equal their best-ever WSL finish as they continue their push for European qualification.

A difficult assignment is on the cards, but Jeglertz insists the outside buzz around City’s push for the WSL title isn’t affecting his players.

“So far, no distraction I would say,” he began.

“I don’t know how much our players are reading and of course I’m fully aware they are reading stuff.

“They have friends talking to them and saying all different things about what great possibilities we have.

“But inside of our tight group we don’t speak much about it and I have not seen anyone stressed about it.

“So far it’s pretty calm. But we also have to know that this is what we want.

“We can’t be nervous or stressed by this because this is everyone fighting to be able to win the league and now we are in a great position in the league and then handling that pressure in a good way.

“It has to be something that we need to deal with.”