‘Frightening’ Shaw can be best in world – Greenwood

Manchester City striker Khadija Shaw “can be the best in the world”, according to team-mate Alex Greenwood.

The 26-year-old has scored 15 Women’s Super League goals in 15 games to fire City into title contention.

“Her goal record speaks for itself, but Bunny is so much more than goals,” Greenwood told BBC Sport.

“What she brings to the team in terms of play, her work off the ball, and off the pitch – she is a top person.”

Third-placed City are two points behind leaders Chelsea, who they face at the Academy Stadium on Sunday, having played a game more.

Shaw, who has scored 26 goals in 23 games in all competitions, will be key in the run-in as City hunt a first WSL title – but Greenwood thinks the Jamaica international can get even better.

“I’m not surprised she’s doing what she is doing and she still has so many levels to go to, which is quite frightening to be honest,” the England defender said.

“I think she can be the best in the world if she wants to be. She has all the attributes to be the best in the world, I know how hard she works in training.

“It’s the reason she’s flourishing right now, she’s been really strong for us so we just need to keep feeding her, keep giving her the ball and the rest she’ll take care of.

“She’s a great person to be around and a really good friend of mine as well, she is someone I can demand really high standards of, and likewise she can of me and everyone else.”

Greenwood ‘not worried’ by Man City’s slow start

City may have seemed unlikely title contenders when they lost their first two WSL matches, and they were eliminated from the Champions League at the qualifying stage by Real Madrid.

However, Gareth Taylor’s side have not lost a game inside 90 minutes since defeat by Chelsea on 25 September and are unbeaten in 13 WSL games – including 11 wins.

Greenwood was not concerned by City’s slow start.

“If you define the season on two games, you’re a little bit silly,” she said. “Football is played over a season, teams take points off each other. Was I worried? No.

“We don’t want to start the season with two defeats, but that’s football and it’s how you react to it. Within the dressing room the reaction was brilliant, we know internally how we operate and what we expect from each other. Now you’re seeing the best of ourselves.”

Unlike title rivals Chelsea, Manchester United and Arsenal, City are only involved in one competition after being beaten in extra-time by Aston Villa in the FA Cup quarter-finals.

Defeat on Sunday would leave them at risk of a trophy-less campaign, but Greenwood believes the team will embrace the crucial fixture against Chelsea.

“It’s a welcome pressure,” she said. “We’ve gone about our business quietly and under the radar a little bit.

“We focus on ourselves, we’ve got ourselves into a really positive position and we’ll treat Sunday like any other game.”