Manchester City end the Women’s Super League campaign with a tie against Everton on Saturday and a win will see the Citizens be undefeated on home soil all season.
The hosts are fourth in the table standings and welcome sixth-place Toffees to the Academy Stadium which has become a fortress of intimidation for any visiting side. Gareth Taylor said: “We create some really good noise here. Support has been great in that respect and trying to create that atmosphere and I think also it's a relaxed atmosphere that we have for the players.
“They're able to go out and be the very best versions of themselves and but equally when we played the big games against the likes of Chelsea and Arsenal here in this stadium, the atmosphere was fantastic.
“They got right behind the team and they were that 12th player that enabled us to really set about in both those games and win the game.
“I’m really proud of that. It's something to take pride in and we want to finish off the job properly tomorrow.”
While both sides are gunning for the win, the three points for either team won’t impact their finish place in the top tier. As it stands, City are three points behind Arsenal but have scored 11 goals less than the Gunners to steal the final Champions League qualification spot. They trail their local rivals Manchester United by nine points and leaders Chelsea by 11.
While Everton sit comfortably above their local rivals Liverpool in a seven-point cushion, yet remain four points behind Aston Villa. “I just think it's a really good game for us. Everton are a team that come out and engage, they always look to try and play from the back, to build and they press - Chelsea saw that.
“I think they were 4-0 down against Chelsea and still coming out and engaging rather than damage limitations. They come out and try to really press and engage so, hopefully, that makes for a really exciting game tomorrow," added Taylor.
City remain undefeated against Everton in their 11-game history at the top tier, the Sky Blues have put a total of 31 goals past the side who have managed only five goals in reply. They come into the game following a 2-1 win over Brighton and Hove Albion. While City suffered their first-time loss at the hands of their rivals United, 2-1.
Both games ended in extra-time dramatic fashion, so the Citizens will need to stay focused for the entirety of the game this time around.
Last time out Khadija Shaw, Deyna Castellanos and Julie Blakstad hammered the Toffee’s back five totalling 25 shots to Everton’s seven, only to end in a 2-1 win for City. Shaw set up Blakstad to find the back of the net, only to be cancelled out by Rikke Sevecke minutes later meaning it was all square at the break. But Shaw capitalised off Laura Coombs’ long-range effort to put City back into the lead in the 49th minute.
Due to last weekend's red card, Ellie Roebuck is ruled out of selection, Sandy MacIver is ruled out with injury so Khiara Keating will step up, the back up keeper? "We have a solution for tomorrow. Hopefully we don't need it," Taylor remarked.
