Gareth Taylor had said his Manchester City players would attack this game, but they would never have been able to predict quite how hard their title-rivals would attack Manchester United.
There was a sense of expectation around Villa Park before kick-off. The WSL title was being decided on the final day and with both City and Chelsea level on points, Chelsea’s two-goal superior goal difference seemed to be the only thing in the standing in Manchester City’s first league title in eight years. That and a defiant Aston Villa looking to give their departing manager Carla Ward a proper send off.