Taylor provides Hemp and Bunny fitness update | OneFootball

Gareth Taylor has revealed City will continue to assess Lauren Hemp’s fitness ahead of our top-of-the-table clash with Chelsea this weekend.

The England international was absent in our 2-0 Champions League win over Hammarby as goals from Laura Blindkilde Brown and Aoba Fujino extended our 100% start in Europe to three straight matches this term.

Having featured 10 times already this season, the Blues boss revealed Hemp potentially picked up an issue in our 3-0 triumph over Crystal Palace three matches ago.

Although she was able to start against Spurs in our previous Barclays Women’s Super League outing, Taylor explained her condition requires further investigation which ruled her out of the clash with Hammarby.

But he remains hopeful she’ll be available for our potentially seismic meeting with Chelsea in the league on Saturday.

“No [she wasn’t rested against Hammarby],” City’s head coach admitted.

“We just have an issue with Lauren that we need to just analyse a little further. That’s all. It’s something that potentially happened in the Palace game.

"She was able to play against Spurs, but wasn’t able tonight. It will just take a little longer to assess and find out a bit more.

"Going back to the performance [against Hammarby], I think it’s fantastic to be top of the group and taking maximum points, particularly tonight and missing Viv [Miedema], Laia [Aleixandri], Naomi Layzell and we don’t start Jill [Roord] and Lauren missing as well.

“Great credit to the girls to be able to do that.

“Hopefully [Lauren can play against Chelsea]. There's an opportunity there. So we’ll just have to take our moment tomorrow and have a conversation with the medical staff and find out where we’re at.”

Taylor also provided an update on Khadija ‘Bunny’ Shaw following our victory over Hammarby – revealing the forward is fine after receiving treatment in the first half.

Having collided with the Swedish outfit’s goalkeeper, the Jamaican was attended to by medical staff but was okay to continue and played up until the 85th minute before being replaced by Lily Murphy.

And the boss praised the forward’s tireless work rate on and off the ball so far this term.

He added: “Yeah she's okay.

“She’s been great for us and gets up and gets back onto the pitch and the very next action after she came off in the first half is incredible, with the opportunity to close the keeper down she does it really well.

“Everything we do without the ball when Bunny’s in the team, it starts with her and she's gaining a lot of ground for us and getting a lot of goals.

“The goals she got against Spurs the other night. Sometimes it might not necessarily be her who is the first contact, but she certainly sets off with the pace she has.”