Man City analysis with football writer, Alex Brotherton

As we host Manchester City this weekend for Saturday’s Women’s Super League game at Brisbane Road (11:30am UK), football writer Alex Brotherton, who covers the club for Manchester Evening News, gives us his insight into our opponents.

Impact of the summer transfer window

“It wasn’t just the number of players that left, but the fact that they were pretty key players as well like Georgia Stanway and Kiera Walsh in particular. In the first two games, they lost against Aston Villa and then away at Chelsea but they actually played quite well at Chelsea, but it did look a little bit like everyone was still finding their feet a bit after losing players as key as those two and Lucy Bronze and Ellen White as well. It’s going to take a bit of time and that’s the feeling around the team at the minute, but they won 4-0 against Leicester on Sunday and it wasn’t the best performance. 

“They looked a lot more cohesive and there were definitely signs that it’s starting to click a bit more. Yui Hasegawa, who they brought in after Walsh left, made her debut and was pretty good in the midfield. Everyone appreciated, with such a high turnover of players, it was going to be tricky to try to get things gelled and to stay towards the top of the table, which is where they have been for quite a while now. Last weekend was encouraging and hopefully, from a City point of view, it continues to click and the more connections the players build with each other and try to get a run of form together, hopefully it will see them catch up with the likes of Chelsea, United and Arsenal, who are sort of leading the pack at the minute. It was always going to be tricky but there are definitely signs that it’s coming together a bit more now.”

Experience of the existing squad

“What was clear from the weekend is that it’s more about the players who were already there - the big high quality players who didn’t leave - who have really stepped up. Bunny Shaw has had a good start to the season. Chloe Kelly and Lauren Hemp were really dynamic in running the Leicester defence ragged down the wings. A lot of the players who were brought in in the summer are quite young, so it’s going to take them a bit of time to properly establish themselves in the starting line-up and have an impact, but it’s great that Shaw, Hemp and Kelly have started pretty well. They lost the first two games but those three were pretty good against Villa and Chelsea, so for them to be hitting their stride is going to make things easier and help the new younger players bed in and make that transition.”

Interest in women’s football at Man City

“City did report that there’s been a massive surge in ticket sales for the women’s game. They did sell most of the tickets for the game against Leicester and there’s definitely been an increase in interest. The Manchester derby in December is going to be at the Etihad and that’s selling quite well. What was meant to be the opening game of the season against Arsenal, which didn’t happen because of the Queen, was going to be a sellout at the Academy Stadium. City are one of those teams that will benefit the most because they have Kelly, who scored the winning goal in the Euros final, and other English stars like Hemp. Hopefully more people can start getting down because they’ve got some incredible players.”

Saturday’s game at Brisbane Road

“Spurs had that loss to Arsenal the other week, but bounced back well against Liverpool last weekend. Liverpool have just come up but they’re still a decent team, not an easy one to play against. With City, it’s not like everything is perfect and properly clicking. They did beat Leicester but they’ve lost all of their games and didn’t put up much of a fight, so I think it will be a tight game, especially with Spurs getting a bit of confidence back following Liverpool. It definitely won’t be an easy game for City. The squad is still new and fresh and it will take time for the players to link up and build those connections. Spurs will provide a good test.”