Alex Greenwood says Man City players in ‘shock’ at Gareth Taylor departure

Taylor was sacked just days before the League Cup final against Chelsea

Alex Greenwood said there is ‘shock’ around Taylor’s exit (The FA via Getty Images)

Manchester City captain Alex Greenwood says she and her teammates were “shocked” by the club’s decision to sack long-time manager Gareth Taylor.

A statement posted by the club on Monday said Taylor’s side had failed to reach the high standard set for them. He leaves the squad sitting fourth in the Women’s Super League, 12 points adrift of league leaders Chelsea.

City are set to face the Blues in the League Cup final on Saturday and are still in both the FA Cup and Champions League, where they also face Chelsea either side of the League Cup final.

England international Greenwood was signed to Manchester City by Taylor in 2020 and has played her full five-year career there under his leadership, lifting the League Cup in 2022.

She told reporters: “I was shocked by the news, of course... I had to digest it. Ultimately the decision was made and we have to respect the decision and trust the decision.”

City are due to face still-unbeaten Chelsea in each of their next four matches: the League Cup final, a two-legged Champions League quarter-final, and a WSL tie.

As such, their season will be defined by the speed of their adjustment to returning head coach Nick Cushing, who served as City’s head coach between 2013 and 2020 before being succeeded by Taylor.

Greenwood received the news of Taylor’s departure shortly before the rest of the squad and has committed to leading the team through the transition.

(Getty Images)

She continued: “My role as captain is to bring the team together and make sure the focus remains the same - which is on the final on Saturday and the run of games we've got coming up.”

Cushing led City to their only WSL title in 2016, before becoming head coach of New York City FC, another member of the City Football Group. He was sacked from that role in November 2024.