If this is to be viewed as Jess Park's breakthrough season at
Manchester City , then it was against
Manchester United at the Etihad where she truly came of age. When big-money summer signing, Jill Roord, ruptured her anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) back in January, it was hard not to fear that the Blues' title charge might start to veer drastically off course. But Park, who joined City as a winger in 2017, is relishing her newfound responsibility in the no. 10 role and has inspired Gareth Taylor's side to huge wins over Chelsea,
Arsenal and now United. For the lifelong City fan, who grew up aiming to follow in the footsteps of Sergio Aguero, it simply doesn't get much better than this; netting a brace against your arch-rivals to send your club - at least temporarily - top of the Women's Super League (WSL) table. Boyhood City fan Phil Foden did the same for men's side against United earlier in March , winning at the Etihad by the same scoreline - and now it was Park's turn. ALSO READ: City given a double boost that Guardiola was hoping for ALSO READ: City's Grealish risk can help counter Arsenal plan It is worth noting that it was only a few short months ago that United took to the pitch at Old Trafford two points better off than their city rivals, hoping to maintain their unbeaten start to their league campaign and truly assert themselves in the title race. Perhaps that afternoon, which ended with the visitors celebrating in front of the East Stand, was the turning point; the moment where the gulf in quality between the two sides first became apparent and the significant chasm that now separates them in the table first began to forge. Certainly, the landscape heading into this weekend’s showdown at the Etihad was very different. This time, it was advantage City, with the Blues bidding to end the day three points clear of the indomitable
Chelsea ahead of their clash with West Ham United on Sunday afternoon. United, meanwhile, travelled to east Manchester as the would-be disrupters. A win at the home of their noisy neighbours would not quite abate the simmering frustration sparked by what has been a largely underwhelming season, but stopping City from winning a first WSL title since 2016 would at least go some way to tempering the supporters’ angst. Indeed, even Blues boss Taylor couldn’t find a way to diminish the magnitude of the contest for his side. “Every game is so important because the margin for error is really tight," he said in his pre-match press conference on Friday. "Any kind of dropped point here or there can be quite damaging. We don't underestimate any game. But I probably have to agree (that this is) one of the biggest derbies." And maybe it was the high stakes that contributed to City's subpar start on Saturday afternoon, with United enjoying the best of the early chances in M11. First it was Nikita Parris who came close, drawing a fine save from Khiara Keating, before
Brazil international Geyse drilled an effort just wide of the post. City, though, are always dangerous, even when they are not at their best. And it was Park who fired the first warning shot, taking aim from 25 yards out and forcing Mary Earps to smother the ball to safety. United still had their moments, most notably when Lucia Garcia's deflected effort had to be tipped over the crossbar by Keating. But City grew in stature with every passing second and took the lead in the 37th minute when Leila Ouhabi teased the ball into the path of Park, who volleyed brilliantly past Earps. Jess Park celebrates City's second goal (Image: James Gill - Danehouse/Getty Images) There may have been some justifiable consternation in the United ranks, with replays showing Khadija 'Bunny' Shaw was offside in the build-up. But with no VAR to intervene, the goal stood and, from that moment on, it was hard to imagine the visitors getting back into the game. And so it proved, as - just minutes after Shaw saw her strike correctly ruled out for offside - Park had made it two, prodding the ball home after Alanna Kennedy's lofted pass into the box. The
England international was given a heroes reception as she made her way down the tunnel at half-time, while Taylor turned to give a triumphant fist pump to the crowd. But the
Job was not done yet and it quickly became clear City had no intention of taking their foot off the gas in the second half, with Shaw finding the back of the net mere seconds after the restart. The Jamaican, who finished coolly after a perfectly-weighted through ball from Park, had managed to cement herself as City's top-scorer before the VIPs in the Colin Bell stand had even had the time to finish their half-time pies and return to their padded seats. Hannah Blundell's strike, which deflected off Kerstin Casparij 17 minutes from time, opened the door for the unlikeliest of late United comebacks. However, while Marc Skinner's side enjoyed the lion's share of possession in the final quarter, City's defensive fortitude won out, ensuring the hosts won the day in front of a 40,086-strong crowd.