Shaw, Kerolin and Layzell are closer to starting - Taylor | OneFootball

Gareth Taylor believes that Khadija ‘Bunny’ Shaw, Naomi Layzell and new signing Kerolin are all moving closer to starting ahead of our Women’s Subway League Cup semi-final with Arsenal.

The City boss hopes to have the same squad available for our rematch with the Gunners following the 4-3 defeat in the Women’s Super League on Sunday.

City have returned to training ahead of the game on Thursday at 19:00 (UK) and says a busy fixture schedule and Taylor says that injuries have tested the depth of the squad.

“We checked with the players today on the training pitch, most have come through unscathed which is good and players are further down the road with starting,” the boss said in his prematch news conference.

“Bunny, Kerolin, Naomi Layzell, getting that training with those players will help us. From the weekend we’re pretty much as we were.

“We’re feeling this season the strain of being in the Champions League group for the first time. That changes the schedule a lot but quality of squad depth is really important to compete on multiple levels.

“While we’ve had numbers we’ve had to turn to young players a bit, some games we’ve been really young in terms of actual able quality.

“We’ve been there with some girls yet to make first team appearances. The teams who've done well, Chelsea, they’ve built a squad over the last five, six, seven years through the success they’ve had.

“Winning the league gives you that time to invest while the other two teams, there’s no direct guarantee of being in the competition. When you qualify, the window’s then closed so it’s hedging your bets a little bit.”

Laura Wienroither, who joined on loan from Arsenal until the end of the 2024/25 season will have to wait a little bit longer to be involved with the first team.

The Austria international is unavailable to face her former team but Taylor says she has settled quickly at the Club.

“She’s had one training session so far, came in with the group today, good to see her and she worked well with the team,” he added.

“She’s not an option for us on Thursday due to the condition of the loan but it’ll be good to get more training under her belt and get her integrated with the group fully.”

After Sunday’s 4-3 thriller, Taylor is expecting another tough game but is encouraged about his ability to find the net, with the task now to keep solid at the other end of the pitch.

“It’s a tough game for us, we know the level they can produce,” Taylor said of the game.

“We scored three at the weekend but the issue is keeping them out. We need to be tight at that end then firing at the other we have a good opportunity.”