Rebecca Knaak headed City into the lead midway through the opening 45. But United, still very much in the game moving towards the break, conceded two more goals in the space of just six minutes on the stroke of half-time, with Khadija Shaw and Lauren Hemp both netting.
With Phallon Tullis-Joyce still sidelined with the knock she suffered last weekend, Safia Middleton-Patel kept her place in goal after the heroics of Wednesday night. Dominique Janssen was back alongside Maya Le Tissier in defence after serving a European suspension, with Elisabeth Terland and Leah Galton also drafted into the team by Marc Skinner.