Lloyd lifting City’s level for Wembley
LUCY BRONZE says Manchester City are a different beast with Carli Lloyd in the middle.
The American superstar, 34, joined Women’s Super League champions City on loan in February and has already made her mark, scoring twice in their run to the Champions League semi-finals.
Big things will be expected of her on Saturday when City take on Birmingham in the FA Cup final at Wembley Stadium aiming to lift the trophy for the first time and add it to the WSL and Continental Cup double they won last term.
City were unbeaten on their way to the league title but England defender Bronze has been blown away by the drive of double Olympic gold medallist and 2015 World Cup winner Lloyd.
“She lifts the level,” said Bronze. “She holds herself to a very high standard. She always says she is not competing with other players but with the Carli Lloyd of the previous game and just wants to prove people wrong.
“Her mentality towards herself makes us look at
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ourselves and think, ‘Right, well I’ve got to get that kind of mentality’.
“She doesn’t necessarily go around screaming her head off at people. She gets frustrated at herself because she wants to improve and that’s a good mentality to have. It’s helping the players grow, especially the younger ones.”
Lloyd tasted success at Wembley during the 2012 London Olympics and will not be fazed by the record crowd expected this weekend.
City meet 2012 winners Birmingham as the dominant force in women’s football in this country. They can become the first side to hold all three domestic titles at the same time since Arsenal in 2011 but Birmingham, who held them to a draw in the Spring Series last week, will be stubborn opponents.
LUCY BRONZE was speaking ahead of the SSE Women’s FA Cup final on Saturday. Kids go free and tickets are still available at: thefa. com/
tickets