It all started so brightly for the Women’s Super League champions at the Joie Stadium on Sunday, but their complacency soon allowed Brighton back into a contest most thought they were firmly out of. 

Manchester City scored three goals inside the opening 17 minutes without breaking a sweat as Khadija ‘Bunny’ Shaw volleyed and headed home from deliveries into the box from Lauren Hemp. 

The winger frequently outpaced Brighton right-back Marit Auée on her first WSL start of the season, while Niamh Charles soon reacted quickest to a loose ball on the edge of the box to add a third. 

“We talked a little bit about starting on the front foot. We’ve had a couple of games this year that were a bit slow at the start,” said Manchester City head coach Andrée Jeglertz, likely recalling his side’s early struggles in their 2-2 draw with Bayern Munich and cagey start against Arsenal before the international break. 

“This time we definitely wanted to press high, work hard, be determined in what we did. You can say we managed that in the first 20 minutes.”

City’s suffocation of the visitors soon waned, and Brighton built into the contest through winger Kiko Seike. The Japan international combined well with Fran Kirby inside the box before the midfielder’s cross was converted at the far post by an unmarked Olivia García. 

The hosts’ costly lapse in concentration was met with a deafening silence from the home supporters and an equally disappointed reaction from City’s stadium announcer.

Jeglertz’s players, however, did not learn from the first blow, with Caitlin Hayes making a late run to the far post to power her header past Ayaka Yamashita from Kirby’s corner-kick.

“After the third, we became a little bit like ‘oh this goal is easy’ and we dropped in intensity and dropped in determination. 

“We took things a little bit for granted and then you will be punished against a good team like Brighton,” said Jeglertz.

“Football players in our team, they don’t do it (become complacent) on purpose. It’s almost like when everything is just going our way, it’s like ‘yeah she will manage that, Lauren will dribble the players’. 

“I trust her but we don’t do everything to 100%. I don’t know if it’s a learning, we knew that beforehand. It’s very easy for all players to end up with ‘oh this goal is easy’ and then you don’t do everything again.

“But we have been good in coming back and keeping going, and we did that in the second half.”

The hosts certainly produced a more controlled display after the interval, with the introductions of left-back Carlotta Wamser and forward Mary Fowler allowing City to both contain Seike and carve openings. 

While City’s Grace Clinton shot over the bar early in the second half, it was Shaw who came closest as she was out denied by goalkeeper Chiamaka Nnadozie and struck inches wide of the far corner. 

Despite scoring a brace and taking her tally to seven league goals in six matches, Jeglertz agreed that the mentality must be for the likes of Shaw to take more of their chances.

“We always look for the next game, we always look for the next opportunity to grow as a team and as individuals. It’s the same after this game, now we look forward to United next weekend,” said the 54-year-old Dutchman. 

History favours Manchester City to claim the bragging rights from the derby, with the Sky Blues winning nine of their total 16 meetings with Manchester United. Jeglertz’s side dismantled their derby rivals 3-0 at Old Trafford in March, however, they will this time face a side who are ever-improving under relatively new head coach Eva Olid.

If the Cityzens do come away victorious from the Progress with Unity Stadium on Sunday, they will extend their winning streak to seven league games, and increase the gap on Chelsea and London City Lionesses at the top of the table.

Continuing such ruthless displays after winning the WSL and FA Cup last season is something Jeglertz says comes down to the desire of his squad.

“Yeah it is about hunger. We don’t talk anything more about last year. We’re just having the feeling that we are a good team and that we have the trophies, but we want more and we want to look at each game that ‘ok now can we win’,” said Jeglertz.

“We have a great squad, we rotate players. We start with different players almost all the time because that’s also keeping players on their toes and for them to know that everybody can contribute.”