Your Fantasy Football Club by Club Guide: Manchester City

The overview

Last season: 1st (BWSL)

This season expectations: Title Challengers

The reigning champions are the first place you’ll look for guaranteed points as a Fantasy manager, and rightly so because City’s squad is stacked. The first name that springs to mind has to be Bunny Shaw. After signing a new contract at the club, the Jamaican striker will be looking to equal or even better last season’s haul of 20 goals.

Around Shaw, there is a vast amount of world-class quality, wherever you look. Vivianne Miedema contributed ten goals and five assists to the title winning campaign. Lauren Hemp is explosive out wide, she averaged 7.52 crosses and 6.99 dribbles per 90 meaning she is one to look at in terms of those attacking involvement points.

We haven’t even mentioned the new arrivals yet. City haven't stood still either. Beth Mead comes in from Arsenal to add even more firepower and creativity out wide, while Niamh Charles arrives from Chelsea to bolster the defence. Yes, City have lost Kerolin to Barcelona, but with this squad's depth, they remain the team to beat and a happy hunting ground for Fantasy managers.

Set-piece takers

Corners: Alex Greenwood is the one. She is City’s primary set piece taker and it’s easy to see why. She has a wicked delivery with her left foot and given how important corners were to Andrée Jeglertz last season, she is definitely worth consideration.

Penalties: Shaw is the most likely here, but City do have plenty of players capable of scoring from the spot.

Direct free kicks: Perhaps unsurprisingly, Alex Greenwood often likes to shoot from dead ball situations.

Player costs

Bunny Shaw (£12.5m) is the absolute top tier selection, yes, she costs premium money but you're buying 20-goal potential plus penalties. Then we have Lauren Hemp (£8.0m) who offers goals, assists and relentless involvement from the wing, while Vivianne Miedema (£9.0m) is another route into that lethal attack.

However, don’t forget to look at the back. As champions with a mean defence, their clean sheets come thick and fast, so Alex Greenwood (£6.0m) offers corners, clean sheets and defensive involvement points, or goalkeeper Ayaka Yamashita (£5.5m) could be among the shrewdest value picks in the whole game.

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