Man City sack manager five days before cup final

Manchester City have sacked women’s team manager Gareth Taylor only a few days before their Subway Women’s League Cup final against Chelsea.

Taylor, 52, has managed City since 2020, leading them to an FA Cup and league cup title. Today the club announced that they would part ways with the manager to “breathe fresh life” into their Champions League qualification campaign.

Results not up to high standard – City

In a statement, Managing Director Charlotte O’Neill said: “Manchester City prides itself on competing at the top of the WSL and on its outstanding record of qualifying for European competition.

“Unfortunately, results this season have so far not reached this high standard.“

City are fourth in the Barclays Women’s Super League table, one point outside the UEFA Women’s Champions League qualifying places. Recent losses to rivals Manchester United and Arsenal and a draw with ninth-placed West Ham have dented their qualification hopes. His final game in charge was a 2-0 victory over Aston Villa on Sunday in the Adobe Women’s FA Cup.

“With six games of the WSL campaign remaining, we believe that a change of management will breathe fresh life into our bid to ensure qualification for the 2025/26 UEFA Women’s Champions League,” O’Neill’s statement continued.

“We would like to place on record our thanks to Gareth for all of his efforts during his many years at City. Our FA Cup and League Cup triumphs will remain special moments in the history of this football club.”

The news comes only five days before City face WSL leaders Chelsea in the league cup final. It is also the first of four consecutive fixtures that see them play Chelsea in the Champions League quarter-finals and WSL.

Taylor’s predecessor Nick Cushing will take his old job back on an interim basis. Cushing left City in 2020 to take an assistant role at New York City FC, where he later became head coach before being sacked in November 2024.