Toone’s dream derby but nightmare for Keating

Ella Toone celebrated a hat-trick in the Manchester derby with standing ovation and couldn’t have imagined a better evening at Etihad Stadium.

The England international has been dealing with her father’s passing in September, missing for two months with a calf injury, and having struggled for a while.

However, Toone and Manchester United stunned Manchester City 4-2 on their rivals’ turf by returning to women’s Super League action with a bang.

Fans were chanting her name while enjoying post-match celebrations and the 25-year-old described it as a “special” evening.

“I’ve been through a lot”, Toone told Sky Sports. It was a disguised blessing for me when I injured. Looking back, I was in need of it both physically and mentally.

” I’ve used my time wisely to get back fitter and stronger, and more importantly, to look after myself.

Toone, a lifelong United fan, was unaware that she had ever scored in a Manchester derby before Sunday’s hat-trick when she gave her team a lead in less than 14 minutes.

Toone dinked a finish over goalkeeper Khiara Keating after latching onto a Hinata Miyazawa flick and Elisabeth Terland’s scuffed effort.

As her team-mates sat up in the air, gesturing love hearts with their hands, presumably in honor of her father, during the celebration.

Toone raced over to the United fans with her treble sealed, sliding on her knees with her arms outstretched, and flashing a beaming smile on her face after two errors from Keating either side of half-time.

“We all know what she’s been through. What’s more important right now is that Ella Toone – for Manchester United and England – enjoys football”, said manager Marc Skinner.

“Tooney is still going to bring about a lot more growth. Although she may win the spotlight, the entire team performed excellent.

She receives a lot of praise for her personal experiences. You sometimes need a break, and she got it from an accident.

As the final whistle came, City goalkeeper Keating was consoled by City striker Vivianne Miedema as United fans swooned Toone at one end of the pitch.

Keating, 20, had a nightmare evening after losing in a derby, adding another defeat to City’s faltering WSL title challenge, and making several costly individual errors.

The England goalkeeper roared in frustration throughout. It was crucial just seconds after the restart when City looked to press on after finishing the first half in the ascendancy before her short pass to Leila Ouahabi led to Toone’s second goal, which made it 3-0.

Keating’s evening appeared to be getting worse as she threw her arms in the air and yelled to the sky in response, but United fans taunted her behind her goal for the entire second half.

“Time is a healer. She will be fine, and she will experience soreness, as we all do, according to City manager Gareth Taylor.

“We win, lose and draw together as a team. There is no individual blame. She will be feeling worse I imagine”.

Keating has made mistakes before, winning both her first and second goals and making England selection.

She left Meadow Park in tears after a late error by her late-game error caused Arsenal to win 2-1 in the November 2023 FA Cup quarter-final defeat at Tottenham last year.

Taylor predicts Keating will return despite the pressure mounting to fill Ayaka Yamashita’s place due to the pressure from the summer signing.

“She’s proven before]she can bounce back] and she will do it again. She will be okay in a few days, according to the City manager because we never directly blab blame.

“As much as United were aggressive, we played into their hands and we need to be better.