Cushing expects positive reaction to a season of near misses | OneFootball

Nick Cushing admits City have fallen short of our usual standards across 2024/25 but is confident there will be a response to that disappointment.

The Blues were held to a 2-2 draw against Manchester United at Old Trafford, meaning we’re forced to settle for a fourth-placed WSL finish in 2024/25.

City had raced into a two-goal lead thanks to strikes from Laia Aleixandri and Rebecca Knaak, but the hosts responded to get the point they needed to secure the third and final Champions League spot.

It was a bitter pill to swallow for Cushing and his team, who’d also been edged out in the FA Cup semi-finals by United and lost to Chelsea in the League Cup final earlier this season.

But our Interim Head Coach insists those margins are incredibly tight, and that the Blues aren’t far away from competing for top honours again in the near future.

WATCH: We’ll keep giving everything for the fans, says Aleixandri

He said: “For me, the staff, players, everyone involved, it’s about however the game looks, we can find a solution to win, we can do it tactically or with quality but also mentality and character.

“We’ve not been able to deliver that over the last six to eight games, we haven’t won enough games, so we have to take that, but the reality is the margin is really small.

“I was disappointed we fell the wrong side of the result in League Cup final, I was disappointed we lost the Etihad game against Chelsea.

“I could sit here and say we’re not good enough or it’s this or that, but we aren't that far away. It's about mentality now and taking this.

“You have to react to these moments and build a belief that no matter how the season looks, we’ll win. And we will do that.”

The boss also confirmed that Leila Ouahabi’s injury which forced her off inside ten minutes of the contest was an ankle issue.

Ouahabi was involved in a heavy collision with United’s Celine Bizet early on at Old Trafford and, after trying to shake off the injury, was replaced by Knaak.

Cushing admitted he’d have to wait for a more detailed assessment from the Club’s medical team before understanding the extent of the injury.

“It’s her ankle. She couldn't carry on and will be with the medical team,” he added.

“I don’t know how serious [it is]. The game was very much the story of our season, lose a player, go two up then 2-2, then ten players is the rollercoaster we’ve had.

“She’s hobbling, I don’t know if it’s serious or not.”