Keating and Miedema start as City make four changes for Chelsea league clash | OneFootball

Khiara Keating returns with Vivianne Miedema, Laura Coombs and Naomi Layzell also handed starting berths as City make four changes for Sunday’s Barclays Women’s Super League Etihad clash with Chelsea.

From the side that beat the Londoners 2-0 in last Wednesday's UEFA Women’s Champions League quarter-final first leg tie, Keating comes in for Ayaka Yamashita in goal.

Meanwhile Dutch international Miedema, who bagged a brace after coming on from the bench, also starts from the off with Mary Fowler also amongst the substitutes.

The other changes to interim boss Nick Cushing’s starting line-up see Layzell start at centre half with Ouahabi reverting the bench while England international Coombs lines up in midfield with Lily Murphy also named amongst the substitutes this afternoon.

Team news

CITY XI: Keating, Casparij, Prior, Aleixandri (C), Layzell, Hasegawa, Roord, Coombs, Kerolin Nicoli, Park, Miedema.

Subs: Annets, Startup, Ouahabi, Fowler, Wienroither, Oyama, Murphy, Davies.

CHELSEA: To follow

Subs: To follow

WATCH: Training: Getting ready for a return to the Etihad

Tactics

Khiara Keating is back in goal for what is her first start since last month’s league clash at home to Arsenal and will be shielded by a back four of Kerstin Casparij, Gracie Prior, skipper Laia Aleixandri and Layzell.

Yui Hasegawa will be the holding midfielder with Jill Roord and Coombs also lining up in the Blues' engine room.

Miedema is set to be the focal point of City’s attacking trident with Kerolin Nicoli and Jess Park also deployed up front operating on either flank.

Third time out

This afternoon’s clash marks the third successive clash between the respective Blues from Manchester and London.

So far its been a case of honours even with Chelsea edging a narrow 2-1 victory in a fiercely fought League Cup final clash at Pride Park before City produced a superb display last Wednesday to record a memorable 2-0 UEFA Women’s Champions League quarter-final first leg victory at the Joie Stadium.

Now comes an eagerly anticipated Barclays Women’s Super League encounter here at the Etihad Stadium before the quartet of fixtures is then rounded off next Thursday at Stamford Bridge in the shape of the Champions League last eight deciding leg.

WATCH: Cushing: We have to believe we can beat the best

Double delight?

Having inflicted a first defeat of the season on Chelsea in last Thursday’s superb European display, City will kick-off this afternoon targeting a notable double against the visitors.

The Londoners will go into the game boasting the only unbeaten league record in England’s top two divisions.

In the process, Sonia Bompastor’s side have also opened up a five-point lead at the top of the Barclays Women’s Super League table.

However, given how well his side performed last Wednesday – as well in that League Cup final clash eight days ago – Nick Cushing will have every reason to be confident that his players can serve up another performance to savour.

And backed by a passionate home support here at the Etihad, it promises to be another occasion to savour and hopefully celebrate with the battle for a top three place in the league - and with it European football next term - intensifying.

WATCH: Watch: Ask me Anything with Laia Aleixandri

Stats and facts

● Manchester City have lost only one of their 11 WSL home games against Chelsea (W4 D6), comfortably the Blues’ worst win rate away from home in the competition against an opponent (9%).

● Chelsea have won six of their last 11 WSL meetings with Manchester City (D3 L2) with no side handing more defeats to the Citizens since the 2019-20 season (6 – level with Arsenal).

● Chelsea are unbeaten in each of their last 19 WSL games (W17 D2); the last team to go 20+ consecutive matches without defeat in the competition were the Blues themselves between February 2019 and January 2021 when they set the longest ever unbeaten run in the competition’s history (33 games).

● City have won seven points from our last three league games (W2 D1), more than they picked up across their six WSL matches prior (6 – W2 L4).

● Chelsea remain the only unbeaten team in England’s top two tiers this season (P16 W14 D2); the last team to avoid defeat in their opening 17 games of a WSL campaign were City in 2018-19 (first 19).

● Chelsea’s Sonia Bompastor has the best win rate of any manager in Women’s Super League history, winning 14 of her 16 games in the dugout in the competition (D2 – 88%). Meanwhile no manager has more wins in the WSL against the Blues than City’s returning boss Nick Cushing (5 – level with David Parker).

● Vivianne Miedema has been directly involved in nine goals in 10 WSL appearances against Chelsea (5 goals, 4 assists) and could be the fourth player to be involved in 10+ goals against the Blues in the competition after Toni Duggan (13), Beth Mead (12) and Kim Little (11).

● Chelsea’s Guro Reiten has scored three goals in her last six Women’s Super League appearances against Manchester City while the Norwegian has been directly involved in 18 goals in her last 18 away league starts (9 goals, 9 assists).

HOW TO FOLLOW CITY v CHELSEA ON THE APP

During the game, you can tune into live audio commentary from Nick Walsh and Karen Bardsley at the Etihad Stadium, with live text updates also available.

Make sure you have push notifications turned on to receive team news, key moments, goal updates and red cards via our app.

Following the final whistle, a detailed match report, plus reactions from both Interim Head Coach Nick Cushing and the players will also be available to view.

Highlights from the game, as well as a full-match replay will be available on CITY+ at 12:00 (UK) on Monday.