City’s 2023/24 season review: Midfielders
An examination of each players’ individual displays in 2023/24.
Across the campaign, Gareth Taylor’s side relentlessly battled for the Barclays Women’s Super League title and equalled our best-ever points tally in the process.
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 season, our regular series reflects on each players’ influence on that campaign.
Next up, it’s our engine room.
YUI HASEGAWA
During a fantastic maiden season at the Joie Stadium in 2022/23, Yui Hasegawa had already secured her status as an integral cog in Manchester City’s machine heading into her second term.
By 2023/24's end, she had totalled 30 appearances in all competitions – the joint most of any Blues player – thus highlighting her immense importance as our midfield anchor.
Through a combination of expert anticipation, tough tackling, silky dribbling and pinpoint passing, the Japan international not only provided protection to our backline but also possessed the ability to spark attacks of our own.
In total she scored one goal and registered three assists across the season, with her singular strike helping us to a hard fought 1-0 Continental Cup victory over Spurs.
Taylor’s team took a short corner which allowed the ball to be teed to Hasegawa on the edge of the area who unleashed a stinging drive which crashed into the net via the crossbar.
Not only did it seal a vital victory en route to the competition’s semi-final, but it was undoubtedly one of the most spectacular goals we netted during the term.
WATCH: Short highlights: Spurs 0-1 City
JILL ROORD
City’s only summer signing, Jill Roord, arrived in the summer of 2023 fresh from helping previous club Wolfsburg reach the Champions League final – and she wasted little time in showcasing her elite pedigree.
The Netherlands international netted on debut for Taylor’s team when bagging our second in an eventual 2-0 opening day success at West Ham.
That set the tone for a wonderful first half of the season where she added class and bite in our engine room as she continued to influence proceedings.
She bagged a brace in our 5-0 win over Bristol City at the Joie Stadium and was instrumental in our famous 3-1 win over Manchester United at Old Trafford in November – netting City’s equaliser.
However, she sadly ruptured her anterior cruciate ligament in January which ended her season before the title-race run-in.
Across the 16 appearances she made for the Club before her season was curtailed, she scored eight goals and registered three assists in total.
WATCH: City 5-0 Bristol City: WSL Highlights
LAURA COOMBS
Fresh from helping England reach the final of the 2023 World Cup, Laura Coombs continued to show the consistent form which earned a place in the Lionesses squad for the tournament in Australia and New Zealand.
The box-to-box midfielder scored three goals during the first half of the campaign, with two of those coming in an emphatic 7-0 win over Spurs in at the Joie Stadium in November.
However, she further influenced City from midfield after the turn of the year when she formed a fantastic trio with Hasegawa and Jess Park.
From January, she scored a further two goals and registered two assists as we valiantly battled for the WSL title.
In March’s narrow 2-1 win over Everton at home, she provided Lauren Hemp’s crucial winning goal and produced a superb display which she followed up with a key outing in our following league assignment when netting in a 4-1 win at Brighton.
WATCH: Extended Highlights: Brighton 1-4 City
JESS PARK
After a successful loan spell at Everton in 2022/23, Jess Park returned to the Joie Stadium ready to navigate the rigours of the WSL for Manchester City.
Providing glimpses of her outstanding and exciting ability during the first half of the season, Taylor opted to utilise the England international’s ability from midfield when Roord was ruled out for the second half of the term.
It proved to be a masterstroke from the boss as the 22-year-old stepped up and produced a swathe of phenomenal displays.
Park assisted Khadija ‘Bunny’ Shaw’s goal in our precious 1-0 win at Chelsea in February.
She then scored twice and registered an assist in our 3-1 victory over Manchester United in front of over 30,000 fans at the Etihad Stadium.
She lit the blue touch paper when sweeping home the opener before doubling her and our tally when ghosting into the box and firing home from close range.
Park then provided the assist to Shaw’s goal against Marc Skinner’s side as the pair continued to strike up a clinical partnership.
At the season’s end, she totalled six goals and six assists - and many eyes will be on her development across 2024/25.
WATCH: Extended highlights: City 3-1 Manchester United
FILIPPA ANGELDAHL
During Filippa Angeldahl’s time at the Club, she often proved to be a player for the big occasion – scoring against Chelsea and Manchester United towards the end of 2022/23.
A provider of balance and calmness to our midfield, she totalled 20 appearances in all competitions last term – but was often utilised from the substitutes due to the fierce competition for places in our engine room.
She scored her only goal of the season in our exciting 4-3 Continental Cup win over Liverpool.
Ultimately, that would be her last strike in sky blue as it was confirmed she is to leave the Joie Stadium this summer.
RUBY MACE
Promising, versatile midfielder Ruby Mace showed glimpses of her potential across nine appearances in all competitions last season as she did during her loan spell at Leicester during 2022/23.
The England youth international impressed when anchoring our midfield and when playing at the heart of City’s defence.
She too was confirmed to be leaving the Club following the conclusion of our final league game of the term, with her last outing for the Blues coming in our 4-1 win over Brighton – helping us to three points.
