Manchester City preparing for different scenarios against St. Pölten says Taylor | OneFootball

Manchester City head coach Gareth Taylor says that his side are preparing for different scenarios when they take on SKN St. Pölten in the UEFA Women’s Champions League group stage this evening.

The Cityzens have travelled to Austria for their second group stage match. Manchester City recorded a famous 2-0 win against FC Barcelona on Matchday 1.

When speaking in the pre-match press conference, Taylor said that he thinks that St. Pölten may come out and press his side, although Manchester City will be prepared for different styles.

“People probably see it as a game that’s won before it’s played but I don’t see it that way at all,” Taylor said. “They are a team that were in the game for large parts against Hammarby and up until the final few moments, they were still creating a few half-chances. At 1-0, that game could have easily been drawn. Hammarby left it late to score their second goal.

“They’re a team that like to come out and press and engage. If they do that against us, we will need to be really smart with the ball and work it into the spaces that they are going to leave.

“There are more ways that we are preparing for this game in terms of what we are anticipating they might to do but the players are really smart in that.”

St. Pölten cruised through the qualification rounds without conceding a goal while they netted 14 times in four ties. Domestically, they have won six out of seven matches in the ADMIRAL Frauen Bundesliga, scoring 24 goals and conceding just once. The Austrians are strong at both ends of the pitch but Taylor isn’t anticipating a balance between solid defending and high pressing.

He said “I think it’ll either be that [every player behind the ball] or the complete opposite of that and no in-between. I think it’ll either be more defensive, sitting players behind the ball, not necessarily engaging as much, making it really difficult to break down or they’ll come out and press. They certainly did that in moments against Hammarby.

“It’s something that we need to be prepared for. Both scenarios are really interesting for us because they mean different things. In terms of how we build and dominate possession, it’s a good game for us and an opportunity to build on a great moment that we had last Wednesday.”

Manchester City’s UEFA Women’s Champions League group stage fixture at St. Pölten kicks-off at 5.45pm.