Manchester City’s stand-in captain Jennifer Beattie insists they have what it takes to bounce back after defeat to Liverpool made it consecutive losses in FA WSL 1.
City face Chelsea in The FA Women's Cup semi-final next weekend, but will do so after goals from Asisat Oshoala and Line Smorsgard, either side of Nikita Parris’ equaliser, downed them at Widnes.
But Beattie – who said it was an honour to pull on the armband for the match in place of the suspended Jill Scott – is confident City can improve ahead of the Chelsea clash.
Manchester City's Jennifer Beattie
“We never want to lose three points but we go again, and we definitely know we can pull it around for the Cup semi-final,” she said.
“There were spells when we looked like we were playing good football and then there were spells when we just weren’t good enough.
“Liverpool took their chances and that’s something we’ve got to get better at.
“We’ve got seven days ahead of the cup semi-final so hopefully we can turn it around. I don’t think there’s one specific thing missing – we know we can play to that standard but it just didn’t happen and that’s unfortunate.”
Meanwhile Chelsea’s Katie Chapman was delighted to score the decisive goal as WSL 1 leaders Chelsea made it four league victories from four against winless Birmingham City.
“They seem to be going in at the moment,” she said.
“I’m happy with that and any chance you get, you’ve got to try and take it and that’s what I am doing at the moment. If it can continue through the season like that, it would be great for me.
And Arsenal striker Natalia Pablos Sanchon admitted she was proud of her performance in the Gunners’ 4-1 victory over WSL 1 newcomers Sunderland.
“My first goal is the type of finish I’ve been trying to do here in England for a while and something I managed to do a few times when I was in Spain,” she said.
“I’ve not been able to pull it off before over here but it came off today.”
Arsenal's Natalia Pablos Sanchon tucks away from the spot
Elsewhere Notts County secured their first three points of the season with a convincing 5-2 victory away at Bristol Academy Women.
In FA WSL 2 Annie Heatherson hailed Yeovil Town’s emphatic 4-0 win over London Bees as team effort despite scoring a second-half double for the Lady Glovers.
“It was a great performance and a good score-line for us,” she said. “A lot of people asked me last week ‘when am I going to score?’, but I think when you are winning, you don’t need to score, as long as you are contributing and working hard that is the main thing.”
Millwall maintained their unbeaten start to WSL 2 with a goalless stalemate at The Den against Durham and Everton recorded their second league win of the season with an impressive 3-1 victory over Watford Ladies.
In Saturday’s only WSL 2 match Abi Cottam’s late strike couldn’t stop Villa Ladies from falling to a 2-1 defeat at top-of-the-table Doncaster.
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