Manchester City's hopes of winning silverware this season were ended after being outclassed by rivals Manchester United in a 2-0 FA Cup semi-final loss on Sunday.
City came into the contest without the injured Khadija Shaw, Lauren Hemp, Vivianne Miedema, Alex Greenwood, Rebecca Knaak, and Aoba Fujino, and their deplted team struggled to contain the lively visitors.
United took the lead in the sixth minute when Ella Toone's defence-splitting pass found Celin Bizet and she curled a quality effort past goalkeeper Khiara Keating. Things then went from bad to worse for City as Grace Clinton headed in Gabby George's corner in the 22nd minute, before star forward Mary Fowler was forced off with a knee injury soon after.
The hosts showed signs of life when Kerolin's audacious effort with her back to goal forced keeper Phallon Tullis-Joyce to tip the ball over the bar, but it could have been 3-0 when Bizet ran through on goal following a flowing counter-attack, only for Keating to come to the rescue.
City started the second half with more vim and vigour and forced a world-class double save from Tullis-Joyce, as she first pushed Yui Hasegawa's 20-yard free-kick onto the bar and then showed lightning reflexes to keep out Lily Murphy's close-range rebound. At the other end, substitute Naomi Layzell made a vital block to deny United tapping in a third, and then Keating kept out a Bizet piledriver on the rebound.
In the end, holders United eased into their third-straight FA Cup final to set up a clash with Chelsea. Meanwhile, City will have to reflect on how their bitter rivals are now leaving them in their wake.
GOAL rates City's players from Joie Stadium...
