Manchester City have announced their intentions far earlier than most of their competitors, a sentiment voiced by captain Alex Greenwood during the preseason. She remarked, "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 victor and a sustained champion underpins the team’s mindset as they embark on the new campaign.
Starting the season with two consecutive victories – a feat no other side has managed so early in the league – reinforces Greenwood’s belief that there is a clear line separating a winner from a champion. Achieving champion status is not a single event; it is a continuous process that demands the team to repeatedly validate past successes.
After just two rounds, Manchester City sit alone atop the table with a perfect points tally, a scenario not witnessed in the Women’s Super League since 2015. The defending champions have seized the initiative, treating the opening phase of the race as a professional sprint, leaving their Manchester rivals far behind. Greenwood has been a model of consistency under manager Andrée Jeglertz. The true beauty of this City side lies in how each individual component blends into a cohesive whole, guided by a single mantra: "We always find a way." In a pre‑match conversation at the club’s training base, the 32‑year‑old captain explained that her approach to the season would differ from the previous one.
She dismissed any notion that being title‑holders would make the campaign easier, insisting that the pressure remains the same, if not greater. "I needed a mental switch‑off," Greenwood said. "During the summer I had freedom, no schedule, and that’s why I feel so fresh now. I can’t remember the last time I had such a long break, and I really enjoyed it." The hiatus allowed her to reset both physically and mentally.
It also coincided with a personal milestone: she became engaged to her long‑term partner, Jack. She recounted how she initially tried to cancel their celebration plans on the day of the proposal, only for Jack to reveal he had already secured a substantial deposit on a restaurant, turning the evening into a memorable surprise. Beyond the romance, Greenwood described the summer as a "necessary reset". As captain, she constantly has "tabs open" – a mental ledger of personal standards and team expectations that never truly shuts down.
She likened the role to an endless homework assignment, where reflection and responsibility are perpetual. "I’m not the type of person who can turn everything off," she admitted. "I’m on most of the time, reflecting 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 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 squad. City dominated the league, taking the WSL lead as early as November and eventually clinching their first title in a decade.
Under Jeglertz’s philosophy, the football was freer and more inventive, unburdened by rigid structures. The team reinvented itself game after game; opponents never knew what to expect, and even on off‑days City managed to secure the necessary points. When asked about pressure, Greenwood explained that while losing never feels good, the team’s control over matches reduces the weight of high‑stakes moments. "We had setbacks, but we also had a safety net.
That is what we do – always find a way," she said. This mental resilience now manifests as a subtle yet palpable edge, a brand of grit that seemed missing in earlier title runs. Jeglertz’s adjustments have been minor in appearance but massive in impact, reflecting his relentless pursuit of perfection. Greenwood praised his openness to challenge: "He invites us to challenge him and each other.
The league is extremely competitive, and teams have strengthened a lot this summer. We remind each other we are winners, and that fuels our desire to stay that way. We also have huge respect for the level of opposition we face." Manchester City currently ride a wave of momentum. They have developed multiple solutions for the typical problems that arise over a season, and the days when their mental toughness was questioned after a single slip are long gone.
The new challenge is to sustain those high standards across every competition, especially with the added demands of European fixtures. Greenwood confessed her yearning for European nights, noting the frustration of watching last season’s Champions League matches from her living room instead of being on the pitch. "Do you know how hard it is to watch those games and not be involved?" she asked.
These considerations reach far beyond preseason speculation. How will City manage the increased workload? Can they adapt to a rhythm of three games per week?
Does the squad possess enough depth and quality to compete on all fronts? Greenwood believes the lessons from the previous season will serve as an advantage.
"We weren’t there last year, and we have to use that feeling to our advantage. We cannot waste our opportunity," she asserted.
Over the past decade, City have invested heavily to unlock the formula for sustained success: a state‑of‑the‑art £10 million training facility, an inspirational manager with lofty ambitions, a steady influx of WSL‑ready talent, and a captain who leads by example. Adding to that arsenal is Bunny Shaw, the PFA Player of the Year, who has already begun the season strongly. In a league where consistency has already hampered the biggest challengers, Manchester City’s resolve appears stronger than ever. They are not content with being a one‑hit wonder; they have worked too hard to be merely labelled winners.
Their aim is to be recognised as true champions, a status earned through relentless effort, adaptability, and an unyielding belief that they will always find a way to succeed.