Manchester City have announced their intentions far earlier than most of their rivals, and captain Alex Greenwood made that crystal clear during the pre‑season. She said, "A true champion is someone who goes and wins again.
A winner might be a one‑off, but a champion does it over and over." This simple yet powerful statement sets the tone for a campaign that already looks different from the usual start‑of‑season chatter. The team kicked off the new season with two consecutive victories, a feat no other side has managed so early in the league this year.
That early double‑win underlines Greenwood's belief that there is a meaningful gap between being a "winner" and being a "champion". Winning a single match or even a single trophy can be impressive, but true championship status is earned by repeatedly confirming that success, by turning isolated triumphs into a sustained pattern of excellence. After the first two rounds of fixtures, Manchester City sit alone at the top of the table with a perfect points tally. The last time a side led the league after two games was back in 2015, highlighting how rare this achievement is.
The current WSL holders have taken the baton from the competition and are already treating the early part of the race as a professional sprint rather than a leisurely jog. Their rivals, especially the clubs from the north of Manchester, have been left trailing in their wake.
Greenwood herself has become a model of reliability under the guidance of manager Andrée Jeglertz. The true beauty of this City side is how each individual component blends together to form a cohesive whole, driven by a single, unifying mantra: "We always find a way." That phrase is not just a slogan; it is a lived philosophy that appears in training sessions, locker‑room talks and on the pitch during tight moments. In a candid conversation at the club's training base, Greenwood explained that her mindset for the coming season will be different from the one that carried her through the previous title run. When asked whether she felt any extra pressure as defending champions, she smiled and said, "I needed a mental switch‑off.
This summer I had complete freedom – no training schedule, no travel, no matches – and that reset is why I feel so fresh now. I can't remember the last time I got a break that long, and I definitely enjoyed it." That summer break was more than just a pause from football. Greenwood got engaged to her long‑time partner Jack, a personal milestone that added a layer of happiness to her downtime.
She recounted the night of the proposal with a grin, admitting that she initially tried to cancel the evening’s plans because she wasn’t in the mood to go out. Jack, however, had already paid a hefty deposit on a restaurant and kept the surprise under wraps, turning what could have been a cancelled night into a memorable celebration. Beyond the romance, Greenwood described the entire off‑season as a "necessary reset". As captain, she feels a constant pressure, as if she always has a dozen tabs open in her mind, juggling her own high standards and the expectations of the entire squad.
"I'm not the type of person who can completely switch off," she said. "I spend a lot of time reflecting, and that mental load can be exhausting. The break helped me recharge, and I'm grateful for the close, open environment we have in the dressing room.
It’s not just my voice that matters – we all share the responsibility for big decisions." Looking back at last season, Greenwood said it should evoke proud memories. City dominated the league from early November, ultimately clinching their first title in a decade. Their football was characterized by freedom and creativity, guided by Jeglertz's philosophy rather than being shackled by it.
The team reinvented itself constantly – from individual players adapting their roles to the collective shifting tactics game after game. Opponents often entered matches unsure of what to expect, as City’s style evolved so fluidly that it was difficult to predict their next move.
Even on days when the performance was not spectacular, the squad usually managed to secure the three points. When asked about the pressure that comes with defending a title, Greenwood acknowledged that the results of the previous season had created moments of heightened expectation. "We don’t enjoy losing," she admitted, "but we were in control most of the time, which helped us prepare for every scenario. We faced setbacks, but we also had a safety net – that habit of always finding a way." This season, City appear to have added a new edge, a subtle ferocity that was missing in earlier title chases.
The manager didn’t overhaul the squad; instead, he introduced nuanced adjustments that produced big outcomes. Jeglertz describes his approach as "never being satisfied," a relentless drive to fine‑tune every detail. Greenwood added, "He's very open to challenge. He invites us to question him and each other.
The league is incredibly competitive; teams have strengthened a lot over the summer, and I love that. We remind each other that we are winners, and that fuels our desire to stay on top. At the same time, we have massive respect for the quality of our opposition." Momentum is firmly on City’s side. The squad has already developed multiple solutions for the typical problems that arise during a season.
The days when a single poor result would spark doubts about their mental toughness are largely behind them. The new challenge is to maintain those high standards across all competitions, especially as they re‑enter European football. "I live for European nights," Greenwood confessed, referring to the frustration she felt watching last season’s Champions League matches from her living room instead of being on the pitch. "It’s hard to sit on the sofa and watch those games when you want to be out there fighting." These comments hint at larger questions that go beyond pre‑season optimism: How will City handle the increased workload of three games a week?
Does the squad have enough depth to compete on domestic and continental fronts without compromising quality? Greenwood believes the answer lies in using the disappointment of the previous season as fuel. "We weren’t there last year, and we have to turn that feeling into an advantage.
We cannot waste this opportunity." Over the past decade, the club has invested heavily in the infrastructure needed to sustain success: a £10 million state‑of‑the‑art training complex, a visionary manager with ambitious targets, a steady influx of talent ready for the WSL, and a captain who embodies leadership both on and off the field. Adding to that mix is forward Bunny Shaw, the PFA Player of the Year, whose early season form suggests she will be a decisive factor in many matches. In a league where consistency has already started to separate the contenders from the rest, Manchester City’s resolve appears stronger than ever.
They are not content with being a one‑hit wonder; they have worked tirelessly to cement their status as genuine champions. The ambition now is not merely to win matches but to qualify unequivocally as champions, defending their title with the same hunger that earned it. Fans can catch the upcoming clash between Manchester City and Liverpool on Sky Sports+ this Friday, with kickoff scheduled for 7 p.m. Meanwhile, the club is also running a Super 6 competition offering a chance to win £1 million, an entry that is free for supporters.
Overall, Greenwood’s early‑season message serves as both a warning and a motivation for rivals: the difference between a winner and a champion is not just in the trophies collected, but in the relentless, day‑in‑day‑out commitment to excellence. Manchester City have already signalled that they intend to live up to that higher standard, and the rest of the league will have to respond accordingly.