Knaak’s tears, Jeglertz’s calm, Shaw’s goals: the story of Manchester City’s WSL title triumph

Principally, they have won the league because they have scored by far the most goalswith 58 at an average of 2.8 a game, 15 more than last season’s champions, Chelsea, have tallied this term. The top three players in the league for goal contributions (goals plus assists) this season play for City: Khadija “Bunny” Shaw, Vivianne Miedema and Kerolin.

Nineteen of City’s 58 goals have been scored by Shaw, who has been the star of the show. The focal point of the attack, she has looked unstoppable and will surely be named as the WSL’s player of the season. City have also had great weapons down the flanks, with the England winger Lauren Hemp on one side and the Netherlands right-back Kerstin Casparij surging forward on the other. They are lethal from set pieces, too, aided by the deliveries from Greenwood, whose career total of 19 WSL assists from set pieces is a record.

Khadija Shaw takes a seat after scoring against Aston Villa, a goal which made her the first woman to reach 100 goals for Manchester City. Photograph: James Gill/Danehouse/Getty Images

Peerless home form has also been integral to their success. City won all 11 WSL home games, becoming the third team since the WSL got started in 2011 to end with a 100% home record after Chelsea in 2019-20 and 2022-23. Jeglertz has often referred to the Joie Stadium as their “castle”.

The Swede, who coached Umeå to a European title in 2004, has also spoken about the importance of his City side “finding a way to win”, even if they have not always played their prettiest football. This has borne fruit, as their determination, stamina and drive late in games have helped them clinch points in the closing stages of close contests. They have scored the winning goal in league games in the 74th minute or later six times, with four coming beyond the 85th minute. They have also come from behind to win twice.

Manchester City’s manager, Andrée Jeglertz, has instilled belief in the players. Photograph: Marc Atkins/Getty Images

The campaign’s key moments include October’s 3-2 win at home to Arsenal, when Iman Beney’s late strike won an enthralling game, their comeback victory at Anfield a week later and January’s late winner from Shaw that settled a testing game at London City Lionesses. Then came the victory symbolic of this season’s changing of the guard as they tore Chelsea apart in a 5-1 win at the Etihad Stadium in February. They rarely looked like letting their lead slip after that, although they did wobble when they lost at Brighton in April, making last Sunday’s meeting with Liverpool extra tense until Knaak’s stoppage-time header.

They also enjoyed emphatic, statement victories against Manchester United. City won both league derbies 3-0, first in mid-November at the Etihad, when they were so dominant they stopped United registering an effort on target. March’s win at Old Trafford similarly demonstrated the gap between the sides, as Miedema scored twice inside the first 20 minutes on a day when Jeglertz’s team oozed confidence.

Those derbies were in the middle of pairs of midweek Champions League games for United and exemplify how City benefited, domestically, from not being in Europe. City have been the WSL’s best team but, in a league where fine margins often settle games, that extra rest has been key. They have had more than their fair share of misfortune with injuries but have been able to cope far better in the absence of Champions League football.

Vivianne Miedema’s header is the first of her two goals in the Manchester derby. Photograph: Craig Brough/Action Images/Reuters

The title win brings a place in the league phase of the Champions League, although next season the advantage for sides not playing in Europe could be reduced because, for the first time, the League Cup group-stage games are to be on the same midweek nights as the Champions League to maintain consistency, and those in Europe will not be in the League Cup. It will now be fascinating to see whether City can be competitive into the latter stages in the Champions League, a competition they have never won.

For now, they can savour this moment, which has been a long time coming for a club who have finished second in the WSL six times since 2016, including on goal difference two years ago and during 2017’s shorter Spring Series. In 2019-20, the campaign curtailed by the pandemic, City accumulated more points than the champions, Chelsea, but missed out on points-per-game. Now it is finally their time. Their celebrations will no doubt befit the long wait.