Sarina Wiegman has selected seven City players as they look to repeat the feat last year’s maiden success in the inaugural competition on home soil.
In pursuit of glory, there’s certainly a sky blue feel to the Dutch coach’s squad for February fixtures against Korea Republic, Italy and Belgium.
This features a first call-up since November 2020 for Laura Coombs, fresh after penning a new deal at the Club, who is joined by Ellie Roebuck, Sandy MacIver, Alex Greenwood, Chloe Kelly, Lauren Hemp and Jess Park (on loan at Everton) in the 26-player group.
And speaking on our Matchday Live broadcast, alongside Laura Bassett and Izzy Christiansen, before our huge 2-1 Barclays Women’s Super League victory over Arsenal, Bardsley appeared buoyed by the number of City players included in the Lionesses’ ranks.
“The amazing thing is, seven players have been called up. That’s great to see,” she said.
“What’s even more fun to see is that we’ve got loanees out who have been called up as well and there’s great representation from across Manchester.
“If I’m being real selfish, the goalkeeper union is looking amazing! I’m really excited to see the girls get back in there, it’s been about three months since the last camp and I bet everyone’s itching to get back on that pitch.
“Not just for the Arnold Clark Cup but with World Cup coming in July and August. What an exciting time, I miss that type of preparation.
“I’m sure we’ll see a lot of tinkering as well at the Arnold Clark Cup – trying different types of relationships and the composition of the team.
“Maybe the approach to the game might change slightly, but it’ll just be fun and I’m really looking forward to seeing it.
It’s certainly shaping up to be an exciting year for women’s football with a dramatic title race forming in the WSL, before the 2023 World Cup perfectly bookends the term.
City’s players who were a part of the triumphant EURO 2022 Lionesses squad (Ellie Roebuck, Alex Greenwood, Demi Stokes, Lauren Hemp and Chloe Kelly) will be looking to retain their major tournament place.
While other members of our English contingent will look impress Wiegman before the season’s end.
And former Arsenal and England defender Bassett believes there could be places up for grabs for the showpiece event in Australia and New Zealand across the Arnold Clark Cup fixtures in February.
She added on MDL: “It’s certainly exciting times, I think as internationals when you hit 2023, with the World Cup in 2023, you’re in countdown and you’re looking at your calendar.
“If players want to be serious about going to World Cup and getting in the squad, they need to be performing in the She Believes Cup [and Arnold Clark], it’s an opportunity.
“Yes domestic performances do count to get you in there, but when you actually get the nod from Sarina, you need to be performing well because there’s not a lot of time or games before the World Cup.”
Keep across the Arnold Clark Cup and all women’s international matches involving Taylor’s players via mancity.com and the official Man City app.
Detailed match reports from the Lionesses games will be published alongside reaction and a round-up of all our representatives on the international stage.
