Ahead of the Women’s Super League Manchester derby on 11 December, we had the pleasure of speaking to Manchester City captain, Steph Houghton MBE.
The 34-year-old City defender and England international has been a stalwart for the side since 2014 and with the Blues in touching distance of United in the table, manager Gareth Taylor will be looking for a statement performance.
Leading by example, Houghton knows exactly what derby day means for the club and the fans.
Here’s what she had to say ahead of the big fixture.
What does the Manchester derby mean to you?
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“It means absolutely everything. I think from the moment I stepped into this club, and even prior to joining, I knew the Manchester derby means absolutely everything to the fans.
“For us as players to pull on the shirt, it’s not just about the game itself, it’s the bragging rights after and just that pride of playing for Manchester and this football club.
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MANCHESTER, ENGLAND – OCTOBER 30: Steph Houghton of Manchester City gives a team talk before the FA Women’s Super League match between Manchester City and Liverpool at The Academy Stadium on October 30, 2022 in Manchester, United Kingdom. (Photo by Tom Flathers/Manchester City FC via Getty Images)
“We know it’s going to be an absolutely massive game, the last time we played at the Etihad it was such an amazing occasion. It’s only good when you do win, so for us as players it’s about taking the atmosphere in and knowing that there are going to be a lot more City fans than there is United.
“Hopefully, put on a great performance, get those three points that we need and Manchester will be blue.”
What are your memories of the last derby at the Etihad Stadium in 2019?
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“I think for us we obviously knew there were a lot of tickets sold [a WSL record of 31,213, in fact]. We all went over to the stadium a couple of days before to get some familiarity with where we’d be on matchday.
Credit: Supplied
“You then as a player start thinking about what will happen. But then that moment when you’re warming up and the crowd are cheering you and shouting your name, and then the moment when Caz Weir scored, I don’t think I’ve ever heard a noise like it.
“I think when you play in those games it’s about making the most of it. It’s going to be a great occasion, it’s been a long time coming since we played at the Etihad so it’s just about going and enjoying it and embracing it.”
Khadija ‘Bunny’ Shaw is averaging over a goal a game at the minute, what makes her so special?
“I think for me, in terms of the chances she’s getting at the moment, she just seems to be putting every single one away. When you have strikers in that form you just have to keep on giving her the ball because she will create something.
“You saw against Everton it’s not just her scoring, she’s producing goals for other people as well. In terms of training, to play against her and mark her is so difficult because of that physicality and she’s starting to show that on the pitch now.
“It was her first season last year, so it takes a while for people to get used to how we play but come this second season she’s started so well and let’s hope that continues.”
City also have a 100% home record against United. How much do you think that will play into the result?
“Not just against United, our home record is pretty impressive. When we play at the Academy Stadium but especially against United, we want to win so badly, and I think it’s finding that balance of wanting to win but also sticking to what we do.
“I think over the previous seasons we’ve managed to do that and take the occasion out of it and treat it like a normal game. We have to give United respect, at the moment they’re in great form so, for us, it’s just about concentrating on ourselves and producing a performance we’re all going to be proud of.”
Manchester’s new aesthetics clinic with a budget-friendly tiered pricing model
The Manc
There’s a new medically–led aesthetics clinic in the heart of Manchester, which offers a tiered pricing model that will get you the right treatment at a price that suits your budget.
The Academy Clinic has opened up on Quay Street, specialising in natural, balanced results with a massive range of injectable and cosmetic dermatology treatments
The clinic was founded by Dr Tristan Mehta, Dr Emily Mehta, and Dr Marcus Mehta, who want to raise the standards of injectable and cosmetic dermatology treatments across the UK.
It’s part of Harley Academy, the UK’s leading provider of postgraduate training in aesthetic medicine.
And that’s what sets it apart from a lot of other clinics in the UK, and makes it a stand-out in an industry that is largely unregulated – at The Academy Clinic you won’t ever be treated by non-medics or anyone without formal medical training.
It means that you are always in the hands of a registered medical professional – whether it be practitioner or trainee, and doctor, nurse, dentist or clinical pharmacist – who would be able to manage complications, so you can feel confident you’re in the best hands.
The Academy Clinic in Manchester. Credit: Supplied
And the tiered treatment model really does suit every patient’s budget and preferences – you can take a more affordable treatment option, where qualified medical professionals are learning and being upskilled with expert supervision during your treatment; or you can opt for a fully private experience with a senior practitioner and no training elements involved.
There’s a wide range of treatments available, including popular injectable skin treatments such as Profhilo® and Profhilo Structura®, polynucleotides, dermal fillers, microneedling, HydraFacial and more, all designed to deliver natural-looking, confidence-boosting results.
Beyond patient care, The Academy Clinic’s clinical team also trains and mentors medical professionals through its GMC-registered aesthetics training academy, Harley Academy.
Dr Tristan Mehta, Founder & CEO of The Academy Clinic and Harley Academy, said: “Our mission has always been to raise standards in aesthetics. By combining education with patient care, we can ensure treatments are delivered safely, ethically, and with natural results.
Treatments include HydraFacials
“Bringing The Academy Clinic to Manchester means more people can access medically-led aesthetics with confidence.”
The Academy Clinic is now open at St John’s Court on Quay Street in Manchester, having acquired SkinViva last October.
To keep up to date with the latest news and promotions, you can follow The Academy Clinic on Instagram @theacademyclinic. For bookings or enquiries, call 0161 865 1141, visit theacademyclinic.co.uk or email [email protected].
Exclusive offer for The Manc readers: Use code MANC25 at the time of booking or when in clinic for 25% off any treatments excluding wrinkle reduction treatments.
Wigan favourites Stanleys release first single ahead of debut album next year
Danny Jones
Fast-rising Wigan band Stanleys have dropped the lead single from their debut album, which is finally on its way and will be coming sometime next year.
Entitled ‘Pass The Time’, the Stanleys’ latest outing arrived on Friday, 20 February, and while there’s still no specific release date for the first-ever full-length LP, we do know it’s coming at some point in 2027.
To simply label it as more catchy indie would be a disservice to the craft and graft these lads have put in: this is definitely a step forward and in a slightly different direction, with an even more guitar-driven feel and an extra bit of gruff about it compared to previous Stanleys material.
Our only minor complaint is that we wish it lasted a little longer – we want MORE.
An energetic two-and-a-half-minute track that we can already see becoming a fan favourite, it’s one we’re looking forward to hearing in the flesh.
We’ve caught the Stanleys boys live a few times now, both here in Manchester city centre and at their sold-out show in Wigan as part of The Monaco relaunch, as well as at the likes of Kendal Calling festival in recent years.
Safe to say, they never disappoint, and neither do their growing crowd of die-hards.
With lyrics touching on not just the passing of time but also that sense of youthful ambition and how it fluctuates with age, it feels like one of those defiant indie rallying cries we grew up listening to in our own adolescence, and it definitely has plenty of energy to it.
Both The Manc and our wider Audio North team had the pleasure of chatting with them back in November 2024, and you can tell they have big plans to take on not just the local music scene but the UK and beyond.
The release of ‘Pass The Time’ comes almost a year on from their last song, ‘Out the Door’: a similarly fast-run song, albeit with a different vibe.
Positioned as part of Wigan’s next generation of new bands and artists, Stanleys are clearly looking to keep developing as musicians, and if tunes like these are anything to go by, then we can’t wait for their first full record.
They’re also going to be playing a night here in Manchester city centre and beloved grassroots venue, Night and Day, this April; you can grab tickets HERE.
So get adding it to your Spotify playlists, watching the music video, and maybe we’ll see you at the gig.
Danny Jones -
29th November 2022 
