Manchester City hold no grudges against Arsenal for last season’s damaging defeat says Taylor | OneFootball

Manchester City head coach Gareth Taylor says that the team hold no grudges against Arsenal for last season’s 2-1 defeat at The Joie Stadium.

The two sides renew their rivalry on the opening day of the 2024/2025 Barclays Women’s Super League season when Manchester City travel to the Emirates Stadium to face The Gunners on their home turf.

When the two sides last met in May, Arsenal came from a goal down to win 2-1 at The Joie Stadium. It was a result that ultimately destroyed Manchester City’s Barclays Women’s Super League title bid. When speaking in the pre-match press conference, Manchester City boss Taylor said that his side hold no grudges for that loss and that the players are raring to go with their latest opportunity.

“I said after the game last season that we beat ourselves,” Taylor said. “That’s no disrespect to Arsenal or any other opponent that’s successful against us. We are in control a lot and we were certainly in control of that game but we sat off a little too deep for my liking.

“What you’ve seen from us a bit more in pre-season and against Paris the other night is our aggressiveness to win the ball back and control many situations; sometimes, with success and sometimes, not. We like to play on the front-foot in both phases of the game.

“We don’t hold any grudges at all because that can turn into frustration that goes over the line and it doesn’t give a true reflection of yourselves.

“For us, it’s keeping that in our minds and in our hearts and understanding the opportunity that we have. I certainly felt that against Paris the other night. I spoke to the players about what we got from last season was that opportunity to get into the Champions League and I could see the light in their eyes in the build-up to that. I see it today and again, I will see it in our final training session.”

While Manchester City chalked up a 5-0 victory over Paris FC in Round 2 of the UEFA Women’s Champions League on Wednesday night, Arsenal lost 1-0 against BK Häcken. Both English clubs face different challenges in the second legs next week but Taylor believes that all of the focus this weekend will be solely on Barclays Women’s Super League football.

He said “We will both be preparing as we were regardless of what happened on Wednesday night.

“The implications are probably more for the following game after next Thursday’s game, I think that’s where it becomes a little bit more significant for both teams for various reasons.

“I don’t see any change in the purpose of what both teams want to do on Sunday.”

Manchester City’s summer signing Viv Miedema netted on her debut against Paris FC in midweek. She goes up against her former club this weekend and Taylor is happy with what he has seen from the player so far.

He said “Of course, it’s great. To do what Viv’s done is going to help her a lot confidence-wise. We are really happy with the player; whether she is scoring or not, she brings a lot to the team. She’s got good players around her which I think really helps. We just need to give her the necessary time to settle into this club having been at another club for a long period.”

Manchester City’s Barclays Women’s Super League fixture against Arsenal kicks-off at 12.30pm on Sunday afternoon.