Man City women rewarded for ignoring manager noise

Gareth Taylor kept his Man City job despite starting the season desperately. A trophy and top-four challenge has followed.

Manchester City’s start to the season could barely have gone any worse.

By the first week of October 2021, Gareth Taylor’s side had already crashed out of the Champions League, lost three of their opening four WSL fixtures, been thumped 5-0 by Arsenal, had a third-choice goalkeeper between the sticks and had 34-year-old midfielder Jill Scott operating at centre back.

“I came off all social media at that time,” Taylor said. “I just tried to cut out the noise.”

There was plenty of outside noise calling for the City boss to lose his job, but this was never allowed to seep into the team. The club’s hierarchy stuck with their manager and their patience has certainly been rewarded.

Taylor’s quote came after his side lifted the Continental Cup in February, turning in a scintillating second-half display against Chelsea to come from a goal down, win 3-1 and secure the second piece of silverware of Taylor’s tenure.

Having won eight on the bounce in all competitions, City now sit three points behind Manchester United in the WSL’s final Champions League spot. They have a game in hand over their rivals, who have to go to title-chasing Chelsea on the final day of the season.

Manchester United finally put women front and central

The appointment of Taylor in the summer of 2020 mirrored that of his predecessor Nick Cushing: an internal candidate, with this his first post in senior management and his first foray into women’s football.

City always gave Cushing time, aware that he was building a long-term project. His first season in charge saw them lose seven of their 14 league fixtures, while they won just one of