It took 81 minutes but Manchester City forward Caroline Weir made sure it was worth the wait when she unleashed another trademark virtuoso strike to settle the Manchester derby on Sunday.
City and United met in the Women’s Super League with the former coming out on top 1-0 thanks to Weir’s delightful long-range lob, moving them up into fifth place, two points behind United and firmly in the chase for Champions League qualification.
The decisive goal came late on when Weir, who had only just come off the bench five minutes beforehand, chipped United goalkeeper Mary Earps with a superb effort from outside the box.
Hands up if you still can’t believe this happened 😅@itscarolineweir just LOVES a #ManchesterDerby chip 🍟pic.twitter.com/aMjagrB2AK
— Barclays FA Women’s Super League (@BarclaysFAWSL) February 13, 2022
😱 We’d expect nothing less!
🔥 🔥 🔥 #ManCity https://t.co/vbFvUyXGpM
— Manchester City US (@ManCityUS) February 13, 2022
The 26-year-old Scotland international has forged a reputation for scoring spectacular goals in important games, becoming a regular fixture on the Puskas Award shortlist in recent years.
Coincidentally, Weir has also made a habit of scoring stylish masterpieces against City’s neighbours, with her latest effort likely to become her third Puskas-nominated strike against United in as many years.
The formidable run began in 2020 when Weir became the first-ever City player — male or female — to find her way into the Puskas reckoning by notching a top corner torpedo from 25 yards on the opening day of the campaign.
Or should @itscarolineweir‘s opening-day wondergoal take home the #PuskasAward? 💥pic.twitter.com/AmK2A5oLM7
— Barclays FA Women’s Super League (@BarclaysFAWSL) November 25, 2020
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She then followed suit the next year by finding the net against United once again by deploying a familiar technique, keeping her composure to dink a delicate chip over the goalkeeper amid a crowded penalty area.
🤩 WOW@itscarolineweir just loves a worldie in the Manchester derby!#BarclaysFAWSL #MCIMUN pic.twitter.com/EPJYlGpsfC
— Barclays FA Women’s Super League (@BarclaysFAWSL) February 12, 2021
Indeed, Weir executing a perfect lob over the head of a United ‘keeper seems to be becoming an annual tradition in the WSL Manchester derby.
Just over a year ago, Caroline Weir chipped the Man United goalkeeper to win the Manchester derby.
She’s done it again today 🤯🤯🤯 pic.twitter.com/uzJfyF36B3
— ESPN UK (@ESPNUK) February 13, 2022
Both of the City star’s previous wondergoals were included in their corresponding year’s Puskas Award shortlist, though ultimately lost out in the vote to Tottenham pair Son Heung-Min (2020) and Erik Lamela (2021) respectively.
Regardless, Weir is now a bona fide superstar for her side and City have won each of their seven home games in which the Scottish maestro has found herself on the scoresheet.
United on the other hand must be utterly sick of the sight of her, having conceded a goal against her for the last three WSL seasons running.
“It’s always nice scoring against United,” Weir joked after scoring the second of her golazos against her rivals in 2021. “I’ll take any goal but hopefully I can keep impacting matches.”
