Manchester City end Manchester United 2025/26 title ambitions

Old Trafford, Manchester – Manchester City extinguished any lingering doubt about the destination of the 2025/26 Women’s Super League title with a ruthless 3-0 derby victory over Manchester United on Saturday, opening an unassailable 11-point gap with only three fixtures remaining for Marc Skinner’s side.

A crowd that arrived hoping for a statement win instead watched Andree Jeglertz’s visitors seize the initiative inside the opening exchanges. Vivianne Miedema struck twice in rapid succession to silence the Stretford End, and Kerstin Casparij’s 49th-minute finish completed the scoring that confirmed City’s march toward a first WSL crown.

The defeat leaves United on 38 points from 19 matches, mathematically unable to catch City, who climbed to 49 points and now require only formalities to secure the championship. Skinner, whose squad was depleted after a draining mid-week Champions League quarter-final first-leg loss at Bayern Munich, refused to blame his players.

“I’m not disappointed with any of the players, I’m disappointed with the result,” the 43-year-old told ESPN. “It’s a horrible result, but the players are giving everything. We’re limited [for squad availability] with just the amount of games we’ve had. I think players are giving you all they’ve got. We’re making characteristic mistakes because of fatigue mentally.”

Skinner also highlighted City’s depth, noting the impact of Jeglertz’s bench as a decisive factor in a fixture that underlined the widening gap between the two Manchester clubs. With Tottenham Hotspur, Brighton & Hove Albion and Chelsea still to play, United must now focus on securing a Champions League berth, while City can plan a title celebration.

The result ensures the bragging rights in Manchester reside firmly on the blue side, and it intensifies pressure on United to bridge the off-field infrastructure divide if they are to challenge their neighbours in future campaigns.