The entire Manchester City team and staff stood to one side and watched as Chelsea lifted the League Cup trophy, showered by gold streamers. As soon as the celebrations started, City players headed down the tunnel, disappointment etched on their faces.
Yui Hasegawa, who was consoled by former City captain Steph Houghton, was visibly upset. Her sliced clearance from Mayra Ramirez’s cross ended up in her own goal which proved to be the difference on the day as Chelsea won 2-1, their first League Cup victory in four years.
It was harsh on Hasegawa, who has been one of City’s best players this season and cruel on the whole squad who have experienced plenty of change this week. This is the inside story of Gareth Taylor’s departure and Nick Cushing’s arrival.
It was just before 5pm on Monday when Manchester City’s women’s team attended a video call meeting on their day off following their 2-0 FA Cup quarter-final win against Aston Villa.
Only captain Alex Greenwood, who had been informed ahead of the call as a matter of priority, had an inkling of what was coming. The players had their cameras turned off while the women’s team managing director Charlotte O’Neill and women’s director of football Therese Sjogran delivered the news that head coach Gareth Taylor had been…
