Why Khiara Keating says “it’s about time” Lionesses played in Manchester | OneFootball

Khiara Keating

Photo: Lynne Cameron for The FA

England goalkeeper Khiara Keating is looking forward to welcoming her Lionesses team-mates to Manchester City this weekend.

England face Brazil at the City of Manchester Stadium on Saturday as part of their Homecoming Series following this summer’s second successive Euros win.

And Keating is keen to get more Lionesses matches played in the north of the country.

“I think it’s about time we had a game up north!” she joked with the City official website.

“I think obviously supporting City and playing for City, it’s always going to be a special one, and hopefully the Manchester crowd will come through.

“I think it’s always a big thing [playing at big stadiums]. Obviously women’s football’s growing, I think selling out Wembley time after time shows you how big the game has grown and hopefully we can do the same for the Etihad.”

Khiara Keating: England are my second family

The 22-year-old came to public attention during her brilliant 2023-24 season, in which she won the WSL Golden Glove, and received her first senior call-up in October 2023.

AndKeating says she loves being with the England set-up, describing it as “my second family”.

“I can be myself, I can play football, I can win trophies. Yeah, there’s not much to complain about.”

She said at the time of her first call-up: “It came as a shock, and I really wasn’t expecting it.

“[Everyone]’s been great, the girls, the fans, the manager, the staff; everyone has been so welcoming and just given me the confidence I’ve needed to go out and perform out there.”

England’s friendly matches in the Homecoming Series

There are two other City players in the England squad for these friendlies – Alex Greenwood and Laura Blindkilde Brown.

The second friendly is against Australia, with a squad including plenty of familiar Women’s Super League faces, including Arsenal’s Steph Catley, Kyra Cooney-Cross and Caitlin Foord, and Chelsea’s Ellie Carpenter and Sam Kerr.

They will play at Derby’s Pride Park on Tuesday, 28th October.