The Lionesses' forward is in superb form right now, helping to make her side a genuine Women's Super League title contender
As the clock ticked into the 82nd minute, Manchester City must’ve worried that their Women’s Super League title challenge was going to suffer another unwanted setback. The Cityzens have been talked up by many this season, but they’ve been doused in cold water a few times along the way, leaving Chelsea in pole position. On Sunday, it looked like Leicester were going to be the next team to put the flames out.
But then Lauren Hemp, somehow, in rather unorthodox fashion, stoked the fire. She fizzed the ball into Bunny Shaw on the right wing, darted into the box, and when the Jamaica international delivered her cross, Hemp adjusted to backheel the ball into the bottom corner on the volley and finally break the deadlock. “I’ve just managed to see it again. I think it’s outstanding. It’s one of the best goals I've seen,” City head coach Gareth Taylor said after the game.
It’s been eight years since City last won the WSL title, but for a brief moment on Sunday, until Chelsea’s win over Everton later that evening, they were top of the pile. With others faltering, Taylor’s side appear to be the biggest obstacle between the reigning champions and a fifth successive league triumph. Central to that is Hemp and her truly wonderful form.
Something special
Hemp was typically modest about her contribution on Sunday, which set City on their way to a 2-0 win. “I just didn’t really want to use my right foot to be honest!” she said afterwards. "I don’t know, I think it hit around [my calf] but whatever it was it trickled in. A goal’s a goal!”
Taylor, meanwhile, was more than happy to play up the 23-year-old’s crucial strike. “When I saw it in the moment, I didn't realise how much she had to do to get the ball in the goal,” he said. “The way she's been able to manoeuvre that is incredible. It’s a magical goal. Honestly, when I saw it after, I was like ‘wow’. That’s a world-class goal. We needed something like that.”
It's not the first time the coach has used superlatives to describe Hemp this season, or the first time the player herself has been keen to downplay her actions after a big result. Her two “tap-ins” rescued City in a clash with Aston Villa just before Christmas, prompting Taylor to note the "new, new levels" the winger has hit this season.
With six goals and three assists in her 12 WSL appearances this season, and the third-most chances created from open play of any player in the league, the role Hemp has been playing in City’s title challenge has been integral and that looks set to continue given the confidence and momentum she oozes.
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Hemp’s threat is only enhanced by the players around her, particularly the other two who help make up the front three. There have been a lot of stand-out performers in City’s team this season: Jill Roord made a real impact before a devastating ACL injury; Laia Aleixandri has been truly marvellous in defence; Alex Greenwood remains one of the best centre-backs around and Yui Hasegawa keeps things ticking over remarkably well in midfield. But if you’re an opponent analysing this City team, it’s the front three of Hemp, Shaw and Chloe Kelly that is going to concern you the most.
Shaw leads the Golden Boot race in the WSL this season with 13 goals in just 12 games, and the attention she draws from defenders means that even if she isn’t able to get on the scoresheet herself, she creates space for those around her to thrive in. Kelly, meanwhile, leads the league in chances created and is a genuine menace out wide with her ability to use both feet. There is seemingly no situation from which she cannot carve out some sort of opportunity for a team-mate.
Now in their second full season as a regular trio, the chemistry between the three is excellent. It makes City a truly potent outfit and helps to maximise the talents and contributions of each player. On Sunday, it was Shaw’s cross to Hemp that broke the deadlock and Kelly’s ‘Olimpico’ that sealed the three points. One of them will eventually hurt you – or, as is often the case, all three of them will.
GettyChelsea’s main threat
Hemp’s crucial deadlock-breaker came on a big weekend, too, one which saw Arsenal drop even further off the pace in a shock defeat to West Ham. The Gunners had never lost to the Hammers before, but let a 1-0 lead slip on Sunday to fall six points off the pace with nine games to go.
It meant that City, kicking off in the early afternoon, went to the top of the table on goal difference for a few hours before Chelsea’s win over Everton later that night. With Manchester United having long fallen behind in the title race, only the team in the blue corner of the city remains capable of putting real pressure on the reigning champions at this moment.
GettyBright future
There’s excitement beyond this season for those at City, too. After all, only five players in the squad have celebrated their 30th birthday, and the club spent the January transfer window focusing on the future, recruiting three extremely-talented youngsters in Tara O’Hanlon, Poppy Pritchard and Laura Blindkilde Brown.
"They're so confident in what they do, coaching-wise on a day-to-day basis within the methodology of the football club, that those players will definitely get up to speed quickly,” Izzy Christiansen, the former Man City and England midfielder, told GOAL last week. “I think it's exciting times ahead for City. I think that they're really starting to turn a corner and they're going to be the closest ones to challenge Chelsea all the way.”
Shaw is still only 27 years old. Kelly is a year younger and Hemp is 23, the same age as Aleixandri. Throw in the likes of Khiara Keating, the 19-year-old starting goalkeeper, and the majestic Mary Fowler, who is 20, and this team is not only producing exciting performances right now, it has the potential to grow together and get better and better.