Rebecca Knaak's stoppage-time header keeps Manchester City on brink of first WSL title in a decade

Key facts

• Manchester City beat Liverpool 1-0 at Joie Stadium on Sunday, May 4, 2025.
• Rebecca Knaak scored the winner in the 90+2 minute with a stooped header that Liverpool goalkeeper Jennifer Falk spilled into her own net.
• City are six points clear of Chelsea and 11 of Arsenal, but Arsenal have three games in hand.
• City's lead was nine points before Chelsea beat Leicester later on Sunday, cutting it to six.
• If Arsenal win all three games in hand, the title will be decided on the final day, May 16.
• City's final league game is at West Ham; Arsenal travel to Liverpool on the same day.
• City last won the WSL title in 2016; a new champion will be crowned for the first time since Arsenal in 2018-19.
• Liverpool, placed third-from-bottom, had early chances including a header from Aurelie Csillag and a shot off the post from Grace Fisk.

A late breakthrough after a night of frustration

Rebecca Knaak's stoppage-time header secured a 1-0 victory for Manchester City against Liverpool on Sunday, keeping the Women's Super League title in their own hands. The centre-back's goal, scored in the second minute of added time, came after City had squandered numerous chances and looked set to drop points for the fourth time in recent weeks. Liverpool goalkeeper Jennifer Falk made a series of outstanding saves, particularly in the second half, denying Khadija Shaw, Kerolin, and others. But she could not hold onto Knaak's relatively tame header, spilling the ball into her own net to spark scenes of jubilation among the home players and fans. City manager Andree Jeglertz's side had entered the match needing to bounce back from a defeat to Brighton the previous weekend. The win moves them six points clear at the top of the table, though Chelsea's victory over Leicester later on Sunday cut the lead from nine points.

How the match unfolded: Liverpool's early pressure and City's dominance after the break

Liverpool started brightly, creating several chances in the opening five minutes. Aurelie Csillag headed over, Denise O'Sullivan forced a strong save from City goalkeeper Ayaka Yamashita, and Grace Fisk hit the post from a corner. Jenna Clark also sent a header off target before City could mount any attack of their own. City's first real opening came when Lauren Hemp set up Shaw, but Falk denied the striker. After the interval, City took control, pinning Liverpool back. Kerolin had a major opportunity just past the hour, slipped through by Shaw, but Falk made a huge save. The Sweden international also tipped a Shaw header over the bar in stoppage time, moments before Knaak's winner. Liverpool nearly took the lead themselves when Beata Olsson, the Reds' top scorer, found herself unmarked in the box but headed wide. The visitors, coached by Gareth Taylor—whom City sacked last season—proved a stubborn opponent throughout.

Knaak's redemption and the title race mathematics

Rebecca Knaak, who had some iffy moments defensively, more than made amends with her late winner. The goal sent City nine points clear temporarily, but Chelsea's win reduced the gap to six. However, Chelsea have only one game left, meaning City's lead is effectively unassailable unless Arsenal win all three of their remaining fixtures. Arsenal have three games in hand due to their Champions League commitments. If they win all three, the title will be decided on the final day, May 16, when Arsenal travel to Liverpool and City visit West Ham. If Arsenal drop any points, City will be crowned champions without needing to play their final match. No team has ever blown a seven-point lead in WSL history, but City's recent form—defeats to Arsenal, Aston Villa, and Brighton—had raised doubts. The victory over Liverpool restores their cushion and keeps the destiny of the title in their own hands.

Player reactions: relief and determination

City winger Lauren Hemp told Sky Sports: 'Liverpool were very good, they caused us a lot of problems, especially at the start. We were pushing in the second half, we took the level up massively, we were creating so many chances and in the end, we deserved it.' 'We've worked so hard this season and moments like that make it worth it. Obviously we've still got more to go, we've still got a game next week to get us into a final and the pressure gets piled up but this team is incredible and I'm so pleased to be part of it,' Hemp added. Match-winner Knaak said: 'As you can tell, it's all the emotions. We deserved it so much today. We worked so hard. It wasn't an easy game at all but at this time of the year, to win this game, I'm very proud of the team.' She added: 'It was tough but we knew if we continued with our game plan and continued to play that we're good enough to score. It paid off in the end, very late. We just had to keep going.'

What comes next: final day drama or early coronation

City's only remaining league game is away to West Ham on Saturday, May 16. A victory would guarantee the title regardless of Arsenal's results. If City slip up, Arsenal could snatch the championship by winning all three of their games in hand, including a trip to Liverpool on the same final day. Arsenal's three games in hand include matches against teams they are expected to beat, but the pressure of a title race and the quality of opposition could yet produce surprises. The Gunners have not won the WSL since the 2018-19 season, and a new champion will be crowned for the first time since then. For Liverpool, the defeat leaves them third-from-bottom, but their performance suggested they are better than their league position indicates. They will look to finish the season strongly and avoid being dragged into a relegation battle.

A season of near-collapse and redemption

City's path to the brink of the title has been anything but smooth. In February, they held an 11-point lead—the largest any team has ever held in WSL history. But a series of defeats to Arsenal, Aston Villa, and Brighton saw that advantage whittled down, raising the possibility of a collapse unprecedented in the competition. Sunday's victory, however, demonstrated resilience. Despite missing a host of chances, City kept pushing and eventually found a way through. The win means they now need only to beat West Ham to secure their first league title since 2016, ending a decade-long drought. The title race remains mathematically alive, but City's destiny is in their own hands. For a team that came close to throwing it away, that is all they could ask for.

The bottom line

• Rebecca Knaak's 90+2-minute header gave Manchester City a 1-0 win over Liverpool, keeping them six points clear at the top of the WSL with one game left.
• City's lead was cut from nine points after Chelsea beat Leicester later on Sunday, but Chelsea have no games remaining to catch up.
• Arsenal have three games in hand and could force a final-day decider if they win all three; any dropped points would hand City the title.
• City's victory came after a string of missed chances and a recent run of defeats that had threatened to derail their season.
• The final day of the WSL season is Saturday, May 16, with City visiting West Ham and Arsenal traveling to Liverpool.
• A new WSL champion will be crowned for the first time since Arsenal in 2018-19, ending either City's 10-year wait or Arsenal's six-year drought.