City’s 2023/24 season review: Forwards | OneFootball

A deep dive into each players’ individual displays in 2023/24.

Gareth Taylor’s side took the enthralling Barclays Women’s Super League title race to the final day and equalled our best-ever points tally in the process.

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However, we were ultimately kept from the division’s summit on goal difference, but City secured some statement wins and set several new records during a memorable nine months.

Now the shutters have fallen on the term, our regular series reflects on each players’ influence on that campaign.

To conclude, it’s the turn of our forwards.

MARY FOWLER

Exciting Australian forward Mary Fowler continued her strong progression at Manchester City last term, fresh from starring for the Matildas at the 2023 World Cup.

During the opening months of the campaign, she was unleashed in all positions across our front three and from midfield on occasion – thus highlighting her ability to punish teams from a variety of areas on the field.

In total, she amassed 30 appearances in all competitions – the joint most within our ranks – and scored six goals and registered nine assists.

As the fierce battle for the title took shape from March, Fowler stepped up the plate and delivered a number of influential displays.

In our final eight matches of the term in all competitions, she recorded 10 goal contributions including five assists and five goals.

Perhaps her standout display across the campaign came in our penultimate away fixture of 2023/24 in our 4-0 win over Bristol City.

With the match goalless heading past the hour mark, the Australian broke the deadlock in spectacular fashion when fizzing an effort into the net from the edge of the area – handing City some much-needed heroics.

She then doubled our advantage when expertly sweeping home a Lauren Hemp cross before further an own goal and Alex Greenwood’s header sealed the success.

WATCH: Extended highlights: Bristol City 0-4 City

CHLOE KELLY

As she has been throughout her City career so far, Chloe Kelly once again proved to be the player for the big occasion for Taylor’s team last term.

Overall, she too made 30 appearances, and netted eight times and registered seven assists – raking up goal involvements against Chelsea, Arsenal, Manchester United and Liverpool in 2023/24.

She also scored at crucial times including the winning goal in a narrow 1-0 win over Leicester early in the term and assisting the equaliser at Old Trafford as we went on to beat Marc Skinner’s side 3-1 in November.

The England international was at her scintillating best in an early Continental Cup clash with Liverpool where the teams played out a seven-goal thriller at Prenton Park.

Not only did she provide an assist for Jess Park in the 4-3 success, but she also scored twice including a wonderful effort from range.

WATCH: Classic Highlights: City 1-1 Chelsea

LAUREN HEMP

Through a combination of skilful displays and a coolness in front of goal, Lauren Hemp once again rubber-stamped her status as one of City’s key instigators in 2023/24.

The England international scored our first goal of the season in our 2-0 win over West Ham on the opening day of the term and never looked back from there, seemingly growing in stature as the campaign grew.

Across 29 appearances in all competitions, she was our second-highest goalscorer with 12 and she also registered nine assists which was our joint most.

Not only did she consistently provide moments of inspiration, but Hemp would also produce the spectacular – including her jaw-dropping scorpion kick against Leicester in a 2-0 win.

With the match goalless at the Joie Stadium with the Foxes entering the last 10 minutes Khadija ‘Bunny’ Shaw’s whipped cross into the box was met by our winger’s acrobatic back-heel which euphorically broke the deadlock.

Perhaps fitting after she scored our maiden goal of the campaign, Hempo also netted our final of the season as her late goal at Aston Villa helped us to a 2-1 win as we matched our highest-ever WSL points total.

What’s more, she penned a new contract at the end of the term which will keep her at City until the summer of 2027.

WATCH: Hemp: I’m staying in blue

KHADIJA ‘BUNNY’ SHAW

History maker. Khadija ‘Bunny’ Shaw continued to find the net and break a swathe of records during the campaign.

With 22 goals in all competitions across 25 appearances, she became the Club’s all-time leading goalscorer – surpassing Georgia Stanway’s tally of 67 and raising her own to 72.

The famous 68th goal couldn’t have arrived on a more perfect stage when the Jamaican bagged our third in a 3-1 success over Manchester United in front of over 30,000 supporters at the Etihad Stadium.

Throughout the term, she also scored three hat-tricks in the space of four league matches between November and January which saw her draw level with the most trebles in the division’s history with five.

During our 4-1 away win over Liverpool in the WSL in March, she scored twice with her first arguably her best goal of the season.

WATCH: Bunny Shaw’s goalscoring masterclass

The Jamaican skipped past an onrushing defender and unleashed a venomous drive into the top corner from all of 25-yards before heading home shortly after the break.

By netting 21 WSL goals, she earned the division’s Golden Boot, was named FWA Footballer of the Year and WSL Player of the Year.

Although her season was cut short due to a foot injury with three matches remaining of the term, she was also voted Joie Player of the Season to cap off yet another remarkable year for Bunny in sky blue.