How grit and goals define new Man City approach

Since winning their only Women’s Super League title in 2016, Manchester City have very much been the division’s ‘nearly’ team.

A late collapse in 2023-24 condemned them to runners-up spot for the sixth time in eight seasons, before a fourth-place finish last term cost them a place in the Champions League.

But are things changing in east Manchester?

“There’s something special with this group,” said new manager Andree Jeglertz after his side came from behind to earn a late 2-1 win against Liverpool on Sunday.

Not only was victory City’s fifth in a row since a narrow opening-day defeat by Chelsea, but it came from another show of grit and resilience when a game looked to be slipping away.

City leading the WSL scoring charts with 17 goals after six games comes as no surprise, but what does is the timing of their goals.

Aoba Fujino’s 86th minute winner at Anfield on Sunday was their sixth in the 80th minute or later this season – 35% of their WSL goals under Jeglertz.

“It says a lot about our side. There’s something special with this group. No matter if we’re one goal down. You see a team saying: OK we need to do something about this,” Jeglertz told Sky Sports.

City have now won six points from losing positions in the WSL this season, more than any other side.

The top scorers have scored in all six of their outings, something no other side has managed.

City have had nine different scorers this season – more than any other side – easing the burden on Khadija Shaw, and potentially lessening the drop-off that was suffered whenever she was absent last season.

“The style of play we used to play was very much the same way Pep [Guardiola] wants to play with the men’s,” full-back Kerstin Casparij told Sky Sports recently.

“We’ve let go a little bit of that at times and have been a bit more free and direct, especially up top.

“For me that translates into having a lot more freedom, progressing on the pitch and being trusted in my instincts.”

What’s particularly impressive about City’s goalscoring exploits and their ability to stay in matches until the end is that they are doing so without several key players.

Lauren Hemp has missed City’s past three league games with an ankle injury, as has Kerolin, whose speed and directness is key to Jeglertz’s system.

Add long-term absentees Lily Murphy and Mary Fowler to the list, and City are without two starting XIs worth of wingers.

Hold your horses – we’ve been here before.

After throwing away the title in 2023-24, City began last season with six wins and a draw and looked set to go toe-to-toe with serial champions Chelsea.

But a 2-0 defeat by Sonia Bompastor’s side began a run of four losses in six matches. That run included costly home defeats by European qualification rivals Manchester United and Arsenal.

Sacking Taylor with six games remaining did little to change their fortunes. Under interim boss Nick Cushing, City lost the League Cup final to Chelsea and missed out on Europe as they finished fourth.

Things are looking up under Jeglertz, but there is still plenty of work to do.

City have leaked eight goals in six league outings.

The manner of some of those goals will disappoint Jeglertz – as they have tended to come from momentary lapses.

Take Liverpool’s goal on Sunday as an example – Leila Ouahabi made a half-hearted attempt to block Ceri Holland’s cross, and Casparij lost track of midfielder Cornelia Kapocs, who was unmarked as she scored.

City’s defensive unit is adapting to a new system and new personnel – the full-backs bombing forward can leave the centre-back partnership of Alex Greenwood and new arrival Jade Rose exposed on the break.

What is non-negotiable for Jeglertz though is energy, something he felt his side lacked at Anfield.

“We lacked a little bit of energy until they scored. Then there was more desperation,” the Swedish coach told Sky Sports.

“It’s something we need to work on because that’s what shows a good team if you keep doing good games week after week. We lacked in the first half but got it in the second half, so I think we need to show it a little bit earlier.”

Are Jeglertz’s side ready to challenge a so-far unconvincing Chelsea side for the title? Time will tell.