United • Old Trafford • 19 November 2023
Sometimes, it doesn't matter how the ball goes in, as long as it finds its way there. Goal 54 of Shaw's remarkable century was a case in point, as she sealed a memorable Manchester derby win.
Chasing down a loose pass from Maya Le Tissier back to her goalkeeper, the forward got a boot to Earps’ attempted clearance, and wheeled away in celebration as the ball bounced into an empty net.
She’ll likely never score a goal like it again, but what a place and occasion to do it, sealing a memorable 3-1 win against our rivals at Old Trafford.
“Sometimes you find yourself in certain situations like that where I’m literally just trying to block the ball from going long and it ends up in the goal.
“We worked a lot on our pressing so to see it pay off, especially in that game, helped my confidence as well.”
City came into the game with a point to prove, having lost our last two league fixtures against Arsenal and Brighton.
But after falling behind to an early penalty, the visitors put on a dominant display to deal United their first-ever Old Trafford defeat, with Shaw’s goal adding to earlier strikes from Jill Roord and Hemp.
It was also particularly sweet moment given Shaw had endured plenty of stick from the home crowd when briefly coming off with a knock moments before her strike.
Rather than shy away from that hostility, the Jamaican relished it.
“I remember we were warming up in the corner and the fans were talking a bunch of stuff and Chloe [Kelly] was like ‘I love this’ and laughing.
“That was my first time actually being there, so to hear Chloe say that she loved it gave me the pump to say ‘if I score, I’m going to celebrate’.
“It was a great game.”
Liverpool • Joie Stadium • 21 January 2024
Not content with a record-breaking haul of three WSL hat-tricks across 2023, Shaw added another match ball to her collection in a 5-1 rout of Liverpool in January 2024.
All of the Jamaican’s goals at the Joie Stadium were different, but all of equal quality.
The first, which put City 2-1 ahead, saw the forward steal possession and confidently slot home, with a powerful header through a crowd of bodies following on the stroke of half-time.
But the pick of the bunch was Shaw’s third.
After seeing her initial effort saved, the Jamaican was first to the rebound but surrounded by Liverpool defenders.
With her back to goal, and in one fluid movement, she sent an audacious backheel into the net for a third hat-trick in her last four WSL matches.
United • Etihad Stadium • 23 March 2024
Shaw couldn’t have chosen a more fitting occasion to once again write her name into City history.
Goals against Everton and Brighton meant she went into City’s Etihad derby with Manchester United level with Georgia Stanway at the top of the all-time scoring charts.
And with the hosts cruising into a two-goal lead, it was shaping up to be an afternoon that few of a City persuasion would forget in a hurry.
And Shaw would get her goal, shrugging off the attentions of Le Tissier before confidently slotting home past Earps.
It was City’s third goal of a 3-1 derby win at the Etihad Stadium, coming less than a minute into the second half.
Pace, power, a sharp touch and an ice-cool finish. It epitomised everything our number nine has become known and loved for by fans and team-mates alike.