Manchester City manager Gareth Taylor has spoken optimistically about the level of depth in his squad as the final third of the 2021/22 season now approaches.

Having recovered from a dreadful start to the campaign by their own high standards, City are still in the hunt for the WSL’s third Champions League place and progressed to the quarter-finals of the Women’s FA Cup on Sunday thanks to an emphatic win over Manchester United.

There is also a chance to lay their hands on the first trophy of 2021/22 next weekend when they meet Chelsea in the Continental Cup final.

What characterised City’s slump earlier in the campaign was a wave of injuries making key players unavailable and forcing others to play out of position – Georgia Stanway, for example, spent a large chunk of the autumn filling in as an emergency full-back.

But with the likes of Lucy Bronze and Ellie Roebuck in particular over their early season injuries, the squad depth has dramatically improved, having previously been threadbare.

Taylor had left Caroline Weir out of his starting lineup on Sunday because of a greater number of midfield options, but was then able to bring her on at half-time to change the game. The Scot walked away with player of the match, while fellow half-time sub Hayley Raso was also instrumental.

The City boss is now in a position where players are competing for starting places and pushing each other on to improve.

“I always think about all of the players, regardless of whether they’ve been playing or not playing. They’re all close [to playing] and working tremendously hard,” Taylor explained after the derby.

“They’re all got to give really good training performances because now we’re a different proposition than we were earlier in the season, where we have got quality players to bring on.”

Even though plenty have returned to fitness and form, others are yet to return but getting closer.

“You still look around and see the likes of Steph [Houghton], Laura Coombs and Esme [Morgan]. Chole Kelly was there, so we’re still missing some key players, but I think everyone is really working hard at the moment to keep pushing us on and progressing,” Taylor added.

Raso more than anyone perhaps illustrates the squad depth that City have tried to build. The Australian, who is another to have earlier struggled with fitness, was poached from Everton in the summer and gives the option to rotate players like Janine Beckie, Jess Park and Lauren Hemp.

“If you look at Hayley, she’s a player that scares you as the opposition,” Taylor said. “I mentioned that was one of the reasons why we brought her to the club, because when we played against her in the FA Cup final [in 2020], she was the one player that really scared us because she’s unpredictable, very quick, very tough…and she made an instant impact [on Sunday].

“The real key for Hayley to move again to the next level is key moments and decision-making. It’s just getting that consistency out of her. But that is something we say to all our front players.”

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