Manchester City have announced their intentions far earlier than most of their competitors, and captain Alex Greenwood made that crystal clear during pre‑season. She said, "A true champion is someone who goes and wins again. A winner might be one‑off.
But a champion does it over and over." This distinction between a fleeting victory and sustained excellence is at the heart of what Greenwood believes sets the Citizens apart. Starting the new campaign with two consecutive wins – a feat no other side has managed so far – underlines her point.
The early points haul places City at the summit of the league after just two rounds, something that has not occurred since the 2014‑15 season. The WSL holders have seized the momentum, treating the opening phase of the race like consummate professionals and leaving the rest of Manchester in their wake.
Greenwood has been a model of consistency under manager Andree Jeglertz. The beauty of this Manchester City side, she says, is that every individual component blends together to form a cohesive whole, guided by a single mantra: "We always find a way." Before a training session at the club’s state‑of‑the‑art base, the 32‑year‑old captain explained that her mindset for the season will be different because they are already title‑holders – but not in a complacent way. "I needed a mental switch‑off," she admitted. "This summer I had total freedom, no schedule, and that’s why I feel so fresh now.
I can’t remember the last time I got that long a break, so I definitely enjoyed it." The period of rest was more than just leisure. Greenwood got engaged to her long‑term partner Jack, a milestone that added a personal highlight to an otherwise quiet summer. She recalled trying to cancel the evening plans on the day of the proposal because she wasn’t in the mood to go out. Jack, however, had already paid a hefty deposit on a restaurant, kept the surprise low‑key, and the moment turned out to be unforgettable.
Beyond the romance, Greenwood described the hiatus as a "necessary reset". As captain, she constantly has "tabs open" – a mental ledger of her own high standards and the expectations of the squad.
"I’m not the kind of person to turn it all off," she said. "I’m on most of the time, I reflect a lot.
I needed a break because a captain has a huge role off the pitch. But I’m lucky with the dressing‑room we have; we’re very close, it’s an open environment to speak. I’m not the only one with the authority to make big calls." Looking back at last season evokes fond memories for the players.
City dominated the league, taking the top spot in early November and eventually securing their first title in a decade. The football was freer and more inventive, shaped by Jeglertz’s philosophy rather than constrained by it.
The team reinvented itself on a game‑by‑game basis; opponents never knew what to expect, as City’s patterns of play evolved constantly. Even on days when the performance was not spectacular, the squad usually managed to secure the three points. When asked about pressure, Greenwood explained that certain results inevitably create pressure moments, but the team’s control over games mitigated that stress. "We don’t enjoy losing, but we were in control last season.
That helps with preparation and everything else. We had setbacks, but we also had a safety net. That is what we do – we always find a way," she said.
This season, City possess a brand of resilience that felt missing in previous title chases. The manager has not overhauled the squad; instead, he has introduced subtle tweaks that have yielded big results. Jeglertz describes his approach as "never being satisfied", an unrelenting drive to improve every detail.
Greenwood added, "He’s very open to challenge. He invites it. He wants us to challenge him and each other.
It’s such a competitive league. Teams have strengthened so much this summer, I love it. We remind each other we are winners, and that fuels us to want to remain that.
But we have huge respect for the level of opposition we face." Momentum is firmly on City’s side. The team has developed multiple solutions for most problems, and the days when their mental toughness was questioned after a single slip are now behind them.
The new challenge is to maintain those standards across every competition, especially as they juggle domestic fixtures with European commitments. "I live for European nights," Greenwood confessed, noting the frustration of watching last season’s Champions League matches from her living room rather than being on the pitch.
"Do you know how hard it is to watch those games and not be involved?" The question highlights the broader implications for the squad: can they handle the increased demands of three games a week, and does the roster have enough depth and quality to compete on all fronts? The answer, according to Greenwood, lies in turning last season’s disappointment into motivation. "We weren’t there last year and we have to use that feeling to our advantage. We cannot waste our opportunity," she asserted.
City have spent a decade searching for the formula to become a true WSL powerhouse. Today they have the ingredients: a £10 million training facility, an inspirational manager with ambitious targets, a pipeline of WSL‑ready talent, a superb captain, and star forward Bunny Shaw – the PFA Player of the Year who has already started the season brightly. In a league where consistency has already hampered their biggest rivals, Manchester City’s resolve appears stronger than ever. They are not content with being a one‑hit wonder; they have worked too hard to settle for mere winners.
Their ambition is to be recognised as champions – a status earned by repeated triumphs, not isolated successes. Watch Manchester City take on Liverpool live on Sky Sports+ this Friday at 6.30 pm (kick‑off 7 pm).