Manchester City loan so valuable for goalkeeper Startup | OneFootball

Manchester City goalkeeper Katie Startup says that she is reaping the rewards of her loan move.

The 25-year-old joined The Cityzens on a short-term emergency loan deal from their Barclays Women’s Super League rivals Brighton & Hove Albion last month. Startup has provided cover for first-choice goalkeeper Khiara Keating with both Sandy MacIver and Ellie Roebuck sidelined.

Startup has spent the last three years with parent club Brighton & Hove Albion but she has been offered just two outings for the Sussex outfit in the Barclays Women’s Super League. When speaking to WSL Full-Time, Startup said that her loan move to Manchester City has allowed her to reset, learn and grow her game.

“A change of circumstances and a change of environment in any scenario in life is so important and so valuable at times,” Startup said. “You look at yourself and what’s around you with different eyes and through other people’s eyes.

“It has been a really good change for me, just to reset and learn new things. Similarly, working with a new goalkeeper coach [Chris Williams]; with every new goalkeeper coach that you work with, you pick up new titbits that you can add to your game. Already, I feel like in the three weeks that I’ve been here, I’ve grown a lot, I’ve learnt a lot. It has been fantastic.”

Startup went on to say that there are lots of things that she can take back with her to Brighton & Hove Albion at the end of her loan spell. The biggest plus has been the positive feedback that she has received from her Manchester City teammates.

She said “There’s been a lot of technical tweaks but having the encouragement from my teammates has been a real boost for me. It’s really nice to hear and to get positive feedback is always very welcomed.

“In general, this is an elite environment with the club pushing for the league title. There is a lot of stuff that I think I can take back to Brighton and help the club grow on a whole, not just individually.”

Despite having to be patient for minutes at Brighton & Hove Albion, Startup is rated highly by interim head coach Mikey Harris while the likes of Hope Powell and Melissa Phillips have given her rave reviews in the past. Startup hopes to push for the number one jersey with The Seagulls next season.

“It’s important [to be a number one], it’s high on my goals,” Startup said. “I do hope to break into the team and get more regular game time.

“Pretty much all of the managers that I have played under at Brighton have spoken highly of me, so it’s there in reach. Hopefully, I can use this experience to help propel me forward next season and really stake a claim.”

Startup is set to be named in the Manchester City squad for the final time when they travel to Aston Villa on the last day of the season.