City Women currently hold all three major domestic titles and last season saw them reach the semi-final of the Champions League for the first time.
But they have started the new campaign with a bang, winning four from four and scoring 15 goals, and Cushing believes he now has more competition for places than at any stage of his tenure.
“We’ve had the same results in the sense of winning our first four games this year as we did in 2016,” he said. “But back in that period we had five key injuries and had to promote younger players.
“Now we have a full and healthy squad and there’s a lot of competition. But there’s a real desire for each individual to play in the team.
“We are on course to continue winning.”
City face Austrian side SKN St Polten on Thursday in the second leg of their Champions League last-32 tie, with their 3-0 win in the first leg putting them in a strong position to go through
And Cushing, who has won four trophies in three full seasons in charge of the Club, says he has a squad capable of lifting Europe’s most coveted prize.
“I felt we had a squad to winning the Champions League last year. But having the tools is one thing but on the day is another - and last year we fell short.
“Can we win this year? We’ve got the opportunity. We have to get this game done tomorrow.”
Meanwhile, Pauline Bremer is in good spirits, despite suffering a deep fracture in her leg during Saturday’s 3-2 win away at Everton.
The City Women striker had just scored her first goal for the Club when she went down under a heavy challenge from Gabrielle George and had to be stretchered off the field.
Cushing says she has undergone successful surgery and revealed the whole squad visited the German in hospital on Sunday to check on her progress and well-being.
“She went through the first stage of her recovery, had surgery and is back at home,” he said.
“Now she’s in good spirits. The whole team, management staff and her parents were in hospital on Sunday to see her.
“I’m not from the medical team so as far as the process goes I’ve never experienced that level of injury. My head is in the game and I fully support and trust the medical team. I thought staff and players were exceptional on the night.
“We always look fully at the welfare of our players. We are looking at the positives and are trying to keep standards of welfare as high as we can.
“We want the players to continue players at the highest levels.”
