Manchester City Women v Bristol City Women: Preview, Team News and Prediction

Manchester City Women will be hoping to continue their good start to the season as they welcome Bristol City Women to the Joie Stadium. The blues won on the opening day of the season at West Ham before conceding late to draw with Chelsea last week, while getting their Conti Cup campaign off to a good start by beating Everton 2-1 on Wednesday.

Manager Gareth Taylor will be pleased that his side finished with 11 players on the pitch in midweek, after Leila Ouahabi was sent off against West Ham, while Alex Greenwood and Lauren Hemp both received their marching orders during the draw with Chelsea.

Bristol City return to the top flight after a two-year absence and will be looking to avoid a year-long struggle against relegation. The Robins dropped out of the WSL at the end of the 2020/21 season, winning just two matches and losing fourteen, conceding a huge 72 goals in the process.

They go into the match in Manchester on the back of two defeats in the WSL and also lost on penalties to Southampton in the Conti Cup in midweek. A trip to City is not what they would have wanted after such a dismal start, considering City thrashed the Robins 6-0 and January in the Conti Cup quarter-final, and 8-1 in the FA Cup 5th round a month later, both on their own soil.

Team News

City welcome back Lauren Hemp and Alex Greenwood after they were both sent off last weekend against Chelsea, both serving their one-match ban at Everton in midweek. Bunny Shaw made a goalscoring return to the starting line-up. The blues will be missing Ouahabi through suspension and Demi Stokes is nearing a comeback from injury.

Robins goalkeeper Fran Bentley will miss the match through injury, as will striker Abi Harrison and defender Jess Simpson.

Prediction

I can’t see anything but a City win. The Robins have lost their first two matches and City are in great form right now. I would imagine that will want to make up for the disappointment of failing to win last week and may take it out on Bristol City.

Prediction: City Women 6-0 Bristol City Women