The Manchester City player making her return as WSL leaders face Chelsea | OneFootball

Bristol City v Manchester City – Barclays Women’s Super League

BRISTOL, ENGLAND – APRIL 28: Mary Fowler of Manchester City celebrates with Laura Coombs of Manchester City after scoring her team’s first goal during the Barclays Women’s Super League match between Bristol City and Manchester City at Ashton Gate Stadium on April 28, 2024 in Bristol, England. (Photo by Ryan Hiscott/Getty Images)

Australia international Mary Fowler is in the Manchester City squad for the first time since April last year.

The Women’s Super League leaders face Chelsea at the Etihad on Sunday afternoon.

And they will be buoyed by the return of Fowler, who ruptured an anterior cruciate ligament last year.

City boss Andree Jeglertz had said earlier in the month that he was hoping to have her back and available for selection soon.

Confirming she had returned to training, he said: “She’s on her way.

“She’s been working hard for a long time and the last step is the difficult one where she wants to push and we want to push but the performance team need to make sure we do it in a good way.”

Aoba Fujino is also back in the squad for the first time since December.

Chelsea team news: Lucy Bronze out

Chelsea are without Lucy Bronze, with Veerle Buurman named in her place.

Lauren James replaces Guro Reiten, and Keira Walsh also returns after injury.

Manchester City v Chelsea

The full teams are as follows:

Manchester City: Ayaka Yamashita, Jade Rose, Rebecca Knaak, Alex Greenwood (C), Kerstin Casparij, Laura Blindkilde Brown, Yui Hasegawa, Lauren Hemp, Kerolin, Vivianne Miedema, Bunny Shaw.

Subs: Khiara Keating, Grace Clinton, Laura Coombs, Mary Fowler, Leila Ouahabi, Sam Coffey, Aoba Fujino, Iman Beney, Gracie Prior.

Chelsea XI: Hannah Hampton, Ellie Carpenter, Millie Bright (C), Veerle Buurman, Erin Cuthbert, Lauren James, Alyssa Thompson, Naomi Girma, Sandy Baltimore, Wieke Kaptein, Keira Walsh.

Subs: Becky Spencer, Livia Peng, Sjoeke Nusken, Guro Reiten, Johanna Rytting Kaneryd, Sam Kerr, Lexi Potter, Aggie Beever-Jones, Chloe Sarwie.