Sørensen urges focus on performance ahead of Manchester City

Brian Sørensen has stressed the importance of Everton Women concentrating on their own performance levels as the Toffees prepare to face Barclays Women’s Super League leaders, Manchester City this weekend.

Everton begin their 2026 campaign with a challenging trip to the Joie Stadium, where they will face Andrée Jegerletz’s in-form City side in a 12:00 GMT kick-off on Sunday, January 11th.

Speaking at his pre-match press conference on Friday, Sørensen provided an update on squad availability, discussed the January transfer window, and outlined what his team must do to compete against the league leaders.

Team news

The Everton manager confirmed that there are several fitness concerns ahead of the weekend fixture:

“We have some question marks for the weekend. After the first day of training, Rion Ishikawa became ill and will miss the weekend. After training on the first day, Hikaru Kitagawa developed a slight hamstring strain, which we are evaluating today.

Meg Finnigan and Elise Stenevik are out, and Lucy Hope is still on maternity leave.”  

Everton will also be without Katie Robinson, who is unable to face her parent club after making twelve appearances for the Blues during her previous loan spell from Aston Villa.

January Transfer Window

Sørensen also addressed the January transfer window, making it clear that Everton are not planning major changes as attention remains firmly on the immediate challenge:

“It is not a significant turnover. We are attempting to retain a couple. 

The Dane reiterated that his primary focus is on preparing his squad for what he described as a “very difficult” match against the WSL’s top side.

Facing the League Leaders

Manchester City arrive on Merseyside in outstanding form, having suffered just one defeat in their opening 11 league matches. They are the division’s top scorers and currently hold a six-point advantage at the top of the table as they pursue their first WSL title since 2016.

Despite acknowledging the quality of the opposition, Sørensen believes Everton can be competitive if they execute their game plan effectively:

“They have a very good team, and we have to put in a performance. If we do it correctly, we are confident that we can succeed. However, it will be quite challenging-defensively, we must be correct.

We are aware of their excellence. We must put ourselves first and ensure that everything is done correctly. On that day, we will have an opportunity. We must be in sync.”

Previous Meetings  

Everton have already faced Manchester City twice this season, with Jegerletz’s side winning on both occasions. The Blues were beaten 3-1 in the League Cup at the Joie Stadium in September, with Kitagawa’s late goal proving only a consolation.

Two months later, the teams met again at Goodison Park in a tightly contested league fixture. Vivianne Miedema gave City the lead before Kelly Gago equalised shortly before half-time with an excellent finish. Although Everton pushed the league leaders hard, Khadija Shaw’s header nine minutes after the restart proved decisive in a narrow 2-1 defeat.

City forward Shaw continues to lead the WSL scoring charts, while Miedema and Aoba Fujino have also contributed regularly in attack. Former Everton defender Alex Greenwood remains a key figure at the back, while Laura Coombs provides experience within a squad packed with emerging talent.

Looking Ahead

Sørensen will be hoping his side can once again rise to the occasion and produce a disciplined, unified performance as they aim to begin the new year on a positive note. 

Everton face Manchester City at the Joie Stadium on Sunday, January 11, with kick-off scheduled for 12:00 GMT (07:00 ET/04:00 PT).