Manchester City book League Cup semi-final after Murphy seals derby revenge
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The 18-year-old England youth international Lily Murphy scored once and provided an assist in an impressive, match-winning display for Manchester City that knocked Manchester United out of the Women’s League Cup. The victory gave Gareth Taylor’s visitors immediate revenge, in the second Manchester derby in the space of just four days after the error‑strewn 4-2 league defeat against their rivals at the Etihad Stadium on Sunday. It also set up a one-legged semi-final away against Arsenal, to be played on 5 or 6 February.
![[Manchester City’s Laura Coombs scores their first goal.]](https://i.guim.co.uk/img/media/e421d815de81e0690df891aa330297cc5d8d6a68/0_75_2975_1785/master/2975.jpg?width=445&dpr=1&s=none&crop=none)
The pacey Murphy – with previous loan spells at Stockport County, AFC Fylde and Stoke City before breaking into Manchester City’s senior squad this season – has played in five Women’s Super League games and five times in the Champions League this term but on Wednesday she truly announced herself on a big stage as she produced a mature performance beyond her years on the left wing, helping Manchester City to cope with the continued absence of their influential England winger Lauren Hemp.
Murphy’s goal on the stroke of half-time, which ultimately proved to be the winner, was her first goal in a professional English club competition and only her second senior goal, after her first goal for the club in the WCL in December against the Austrian side St Polten.
The Women's League Cup will see a repeat of the semi-final line-up from two seasons ago after Chelsea, West Ham and holders Arsenal all joined Manchester City in the last four. Chelsea comfortably dispatched with the Championship side Durham 5-0, including a third goal in as many games from the in-form England striker Aggie Beever-Jones, to set up their home semi-final tie against West Ham, who fought back from a goal down to win 2-1 away to Tottenham Hotspur.
