Manchester City mark WSL title by thrashing West Ham as Shaw doubles up

Khadija Shaw set the agenda again in what could be her penultimate game in sky blue, as Manchester City secured a comfortable win over West Ham before they lifted the WSL trophy for the first time in 10 years.

What will City look like without the Jamaican forward who scored her 20th and 21st goals in 22 WSL games this season to brush West Ham aside? City fans will be hoping they do not have to find out, but with offers from other clubs on the table the striker appears to be leaving unlessCity do a sharp U-turn.

Shaw, arguably the best centre-forward in the world, celebrated both goals in front of the City fans behind the goal at Dagenham and Redbridge’s ground. After the first, she lifted praying hands aloft in thanks towards them and was engulfed by her teammates following her second.

“She has been amazing. It’s been an amazing season for her. I’m so happy that she has had this season for us,” said City’s manager Andrée Jeglertz. “At the same time, we’re also playing a way to get the best out of each player. So, as long as you have Kerstin Casparij on the right side, you have Lauren Hemp with the crosses, and Kerolin, and all those players that are serving her. Then we are getting everything out of her because we are optimising so many other players.”

The celebrations were joyous on the final whistle, with City finally able to celebrate their second league title on the pitch with its destination confirmed after Arsenal’s draw with Brighton 10 days prior.

“It’s difficult to put a word on [the emotion of it all],” said Jeglertz. “It’s more like emptiness, because you’re working so hard for something and then when you suddenly reach it, it’s like, was this it? I’m of course proud, relieved, but at the same time also tired because it’s been a long season. We still have a couple of weeks left but just being in the situation where we are now, just seeing all the happy people, it fills you with so much warmth.”

It was a bit flat, with nothing on the line and an FA Cup final on the horizon for the champions, the game a bit of an irritation. That did not matter though as City were not here for the match, they were here for the afterparty.

It was Jade Rose’s first goal for City that divided the teams in the first half, the centre-back rewarded for having impressed in her debut season. Shaw extended their lead in a more aggressive second half from City before Seraina Piubel pulled one back for the hosts, turning in Ffion Morgan’s low cross. Then City started to put on a show.

Manchester City players celebrate with the trophy after winning the Women’s Super League. Photograph: Paul Childs/Action Images/Reuters

Shaw’s second was low and into the far corner from the left and then Laura Coombs provided the cherry on top, her strike for City’s fourth coming in her final league game, having called time on her 19-year career.

The job Jeglertz has done off the pitch with City this year has been perhaps more impressive than the job on it. He arrived last summer to a squad stacked with world-class talent, but a culture and staleness that set in and stagnated under Gareth Taylor before his departure in March 2025.

Jeglertz brought a personable calmness with him and the commitment of the club in building the right ‘team around the team’ was vital as City started to play with a freedom and belief that matched the potential of the players.

“It’s not easy because they are very strong individuals,” he said. “A lot of superstar and world-class players and sometimes also egos. But it’s not always a negative, they really know they want to become a better player and they are very eager that I support that. That’s always challenging for us coaches but it is in a positive way because that drives the level and the standard higher.”

It feels like City are at the start of their revolution, but in probably losing Shaw, their most reliable general, whether they can make this team become dynastic is the big question.