Nottingham Forest Women will host Manchester City Women in the Vitality FA Cup fourth round this Saturday, January 29.
The match kicks off at 1pm at the City Ground.
Manchester City – who currently sit in 5th position in the WSL – are the favourites, as Nottingham Forest will be hoping for a shock win.
City have won the prestigious trophy in three of the last five seasons, in addition to being FA Women’s Super League runners-up for the last five consecutive seasons.
These are the top three City players to look out for in the game:
- Lucy Bronze
Bronze, 30, is a big part of the England Lioness’ team at right-back. The former City player – from 2014-17 – re-joined the club on September 8, 2020, after the end of her contract at Olympique Lyonnais.
After winning the treble with Olympique Lyonnais in 2020, she was named The Best FIFA Women’s Player Award on December 17, 2020.
She will look to kick on in this game, as her technical ability and composure on the ball gives her license to move into midfield.
- Lauren Hemp
Hemp, 21, has become a breakout star after moving to City in May 2018.
The three-time PFA Women’s Young Player of the Year in 2017-18, 2019-20 and 2020-21, was also named as Women’s Rising Star at the recent North West Football Awards.
The Norwich-born winger made her debut for England’s senior set-up two years ago after impressing in the Lionesses’ youth ranks from U17s-U21s.
At City, she has currently scored 28 goals in 81 appearances in all competitions, including a memorable goal in the Women’s FA Cup Final triumph over West Ham United in May 2019.
- Steph Houghton
Houghton, 33, has been at City for just over eight years, and recently committed her immediate future to them alongside Hemp.
She hugely recognisable defender was awarded an MBE for her services to the sport in 2016 and has made a record 206 appearances for City’s women’s first team in all competitions.
The industrious centre-half has lifted seven trophies throughout her City career, with honours including three Women’s FA Cups, three Continental Tyres Cups and one Barclays FA Women’s Super League title.
The anticipated tie will be the second Forest Women fixture at The City Ground this season, with the Reds breaking the FA Women’s Northern Premier League record with a 4,443 attendance for October’s East Midlands Derby clash against The Rams.
