Lauren Hemp wants to “right the wrongs” of last season’s Women’s Super League title collapse after Manchester City were pitted against Arsenal on the opening day of the new season.
Last season’s runners-up will travel to the Emirates Stadium to take on the Gunners for the opening match of the league season on September 22, live on Sky Sports.
City’s defeat to Arsenal in May was the match that swung the WSL title back into Chelsea’s favour, as the Blues retained a fifth successive league title and a final one for Emma Hayes.
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Man City lost late on to Arsenal to throw the WSL title back into Chelsea’s hands
Hemp said losing the title so late “still hurts” but spoke about the importance of a win to start the new campaign.
Reacting to City’s opening match with Arsenal, Hemp told Sky Sports News: “So excited. Obviously being at the Emirates on the first game of the season, hopefully we can kick off with a great game.
“We have got the whole of preparation in pre-season to get ourselves in good stead for that game. I’m looking forward to it, what a way to start.
“Obviously we were very disappointed [last season]. It still hurts looking back and thinking about it. We’ve got a new season coming up to hopefully right those wrongs.
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Chelsea lifted the Women’s Super League trophy and to hand Emma Hayes the dream farewell
“This season we have so many trophies up for grabs, it gives us a lot more experience and hunger to achieve big things this season. I believe in the squad we’ve got that we can go on and do that.
“It would be good to get a win and it will put us in a good position going into the rest of the games in the window. It’s important to hit the ground running, to get off to a good start.
“With the experience of playing Chelsea last season in the first couple of games, we know what it’s like and we know what Arsenal are going to bring. Hopefully we will be able to counter that.”
Hemp wants to avenge last season’s WSL title race loss
Hemp: I looked up to Miedema, we need her!
Manchester City have made two summer additions to their squad ahead of the new campaign – West Ham’s Risa Shimizu was the second acquisition behind the high-profile free capture of Vivianne Miedema.
The Dutch striker, formerly of Arsenal, is the all-time record goalscorer in WSL history with 78 goals and will join last season’s Golden Boot winner Khadija ‘Bunny’ Shaw in a scintillating City line-up.
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Arsenal legend and WSL all-time top goalscorer Vivianne Miedema has joined runners-up Manchester City on a three-year deal
“We’ve got some fantastic talent. We’ve recently signed Viv which is a great signing for us,” Hemp said.
“She’s done many good things for Arsenal and we’re hoping she’ll do the same for City. We’ve got so much talent in this squad, and we came so close last season, we’re hopefully going to put that right. It all starts with the opening weekend.
“She’s a fantastic player, so many strengths and hardly any weaknesses. She’s a natural goalscorer and we need that.
“We have Bunny Shaw who does that, so having Viv alongside her as well will be fantastic. We’ve know for many years what she’s brought to the WSL and I’ve looked up to her so much growing up. It will be great to share the pitch with her.”
Watch Arsenal vs Man City on the opening weekend of the new Women’s Super League season on Sunday September 22, kick-off 12.30pm
