Manchester City manager Gareth Taylor hailed Reggae Girl Khadija “Bunny” Shaw as the team’s “focal point” while three former England internationals praised her performance after the Jamaican forward notched her eighth goal of the English FA Women’s Super League (WSL) campaign in a 2-1 win at Everton on Saturday.
The 25-year-old Shaw set up fourth-placed City’s opener for Julie Blakstad and although Everton equalized through Rikke Sevecke before the break, the Jamaican star was on hand again to tap in the rebound and restore City’s lead just after half-time when Laura Coombs fired a shot from distance which cannoned back off a post.
Under pressure to live up to expectations as City’s starting number nine after replacing England’s top goal scorer Ellen White, who retired after the summer Euros, the Spanish Town-born Shaw has taken on the role with ease.
“She does so much more than score goals. The way she takes the hits as well as giving the hits out,” said Taylor. “She’s also very strong and she’s looking a lot fitter. She’s found a rhythm now in knowing she’s the focal point of the team.”
Shaw, just back from Jamaica where she scored once in a shared two-match series against Paraguay, also had a goal ruled out for offside when she made a run deep into the Everton half and her shot from near the by-line found the back of the net.
“A lot of her play was very high standard today,” said Taylor. “She was always there. She probably could’ve had a hat-trick today. It’s great she scored but we’re always thinking about how do we support and help her to play more consistently.”
Taylor’s praise of Shaw, who joined City from French club Bordeaux in June 2021 on a three-year deal, was echoed by three former England internationals.
Karen Carney told Sky Sports: “Shaw was the difference, definitely. She was the only one who was clinical in the final third for them. She was a threat with her hold-up play.”
Rachel Yankey said: “She looked confident; she was holding the ball with clever one touches off to the side to bring people into play. I thought she looked like the bright spark today.”
Laura Bassett added: “Shaw is the go-to woman. A goal and an assist this game. She is so dangerous. You supply the ball to her, and she will cause so many problems. She’s carried on the form she had before the international break.”
-CMC
