Women’s 2025/26 Review: Defenders | OneFootball

Looking back at how each of our defensive unit helped Manchester City deliver the Double in 2025/26.

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Andrée Jeglertz’s side claimed the Barclays Women’s Super League title with a game to spare, equalling our best-ever points tally in the process to end a ten-year wait for top spot.

We then followed that up just two weeks later with a fourth FA Cup triumph in our history to complete a truly special season.

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Our defensive unit was key to that success, with City boasting the second-best defensive record in the entire WSL last season, while we also conceded just two goals in our march to FA Cup glory.

In this series, we look back at how each individual who featured in the WSL or FA Cup contributed to a special campaign, with supporting stats from Opta…

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Naomi Layzell

A hip injury sustained on international duty in December 2025 unfortunately limited Layzell to just five appearances across the campaign.

Thankfully, her recovery has been progressing well in the final weeks of the campaign and she’ll be hoping to make an impact in 2026/27.

Layzell featured three times in the WSL, helping City to victories over Brighton & Hove Albion, London City Lionesses and Liverpool, while also being involved in League Cup clashes against Everton and Newcastle United before injury cut her campaign short.

Jade Rose

A hugely impressive debut season for Canada international Rose, who quickly established herself as a key part of our defensive unit.

Lining up as a right centre-half, her composure on the ball was exemplified by her making the second most progressive carries in the entire WSL across 2025/26 (196).

Perhaps the most memorable of those came when she started the move which led to City’s second in a 3-0 win over Manchester United at the Etihad Stadium, stepping out from defence to release Kerstin Casparij down the right flank in November 2025.

Rose also completed the third most passes in the top flight, behind only Maya Le Tissier and Mariona Caldentey, and kept the most clean sheets (8) of any defender.

Alex Greenwood

Our captain led by example across the season to help deliver our first WSL trophy since 2016.

Regularly stepping in at full-back or centre-half, Greenwood’s defensive nous and leadership were crucial in the big moments, helping us grind out results and ultimately pip Arsenal to the post.

City scored more set-piece goals than any other side in the WSL last season, and Greenwood’s five assists from corners were more than double that of any other player.

She also created the most chances from set pieces among defenders (15) and the joint-second most across the entire division when also factoring in open play.

Laura Wienroither

Another player to unfortunately see a large proportion of her season disrupted by injury, Wienroither’s return on the final day of the season is an exciting indication of what she can contribute next season.

The Austria international made three appearances across the campaign, lastly as a late substitute in that 4-1 win over West Ham United in the WSL.

She also featured in League Cup wins over Everton and Nottingham Forest before the turn of the year.

Leila Ouahabi

A fitting farewell for the Spaniard, who announced she’d be leaving City after four years ahead of our FA Cup final triumph.

Ouahabi’s experience and quality on the ball helped provide a real threat from the left flank, with her cross for Khadija ‘Bunny’ Shaw in our home opener against Brighton pulling the Blues level en route to our first win of the season.

Incredibly, the full-back maintained a 100% record in all 11 of her WSL starts last season, the best win rate of any player in the English top flight.

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Rebecca Knaak

Our German centre-half’s winning goal in the final match of the season against Liverpool is one of the defining moments of our march to the WSL title.

Knaak’s aerial ability has been proven time and again over her 18 months at the Club so far, but her diving header in stoppage time against Liverpool was perhaps the most important example to date.

Our number 27 made the most headed clearances of any City player (25) across the campaign, but she was equally adept with her feet.

Her passing accuracy of 92% was again a league high among her City team-mates, and another indication that there’s far more to the German’s game than her heading ability.

Gracie Prior

After breaking through in 2024/25, Prior once again continued to develop and learn off some of the world’s best last season, featuring 11 times in all competitions.

Seven of those came in the WSL, with the young centre-half also playing the second half of our 4-1 win over West Ham on the final day to help us equal our highest-ever points tally.

Still just 21, Prior is already a regular for England’s Under-23s, and will hopefully be an important figure for years to come at City.