Defeat to Chelsea on Sunday meant Nick Cushing’s defending SSE FA Cup champions bowed out of the competition at the semi-final stage.

Wednesday evening they hosted Sunderland, and are three points behind with a game in hand of FA Women’s Super League leaders Chelsea, followed by Sunday’s Champions League semi-final first leg against Olympique Lyonnais, the vibes are all positive at City.

Striker Jane Ross retweeted Pep Guardiola’s ‘winning mentality’ video clip not long after City won the league for the third time in seven seasons at the weekend and it is that spirit she believes will see them over the line in 2018.

“We’ve got the games coming thick and fast so we don’t have time to be dwelling on things – we just have to learn from the performances and focus on the next match,” she said while being recognised as the SSE Women’s FA Cup player of the sixth round (quarter-finals) for her timely late double against Sunderland.

“Credit to my teammates for those goals, the passes and the play beforehand for both goals was brilliant and just by putting myself in the right place at the right time I just managed to get the finishes.

“As a group we have a great togetherness, we all want to see each other doing well so I think that’s something that can help us in the latter part of the season.

“We want to be winning every trophy we’re competing in, so come the end of the season I’d like to have won both of them (FAWSL and Champions League).

“It’s always nice as a forward to be on the scoresheet and to be helping the team in whatever way I can – especially with such important goals in the Champions League and FA Cup,” she added in reference to her strikes in both legs of City’s Champions League quarter-final against Linkoping.

City will punch well above their weight if they are to reach a first Champions League final – in their way stands European colossus Lyon, winners of the past two trophies now eyeing up a record third straight.

But Ross sees a lot of City in the four-times European champions as the teams prepare to clash in Manchester on Sunday, followed by the return leg in France on April 29.

“Lyon are obviously a top side with a lot of top quality players but I have belief we have a top side also with a lot of quality players.

“I’m sure Nick (Cushing) will set us up with the right tactics to go into both those matches and win the games.

“Tactically he’s really switched on and knows how he wants the team to be playing. It’s enjoyable to play under.”

Despite exiting the FA Cup Ross said the motivation was there for next season to get back to Wembley and lift the trophy like they did last year.

“It’s always been amazing growing up and watching the FA Cup on the TV, our experience last year getting to Wembley was an amazing feeling and it was an amazing stadium to play in.

“I think the FA Cup is a special cup within the English game and we hope to find ourselves at Wembley next year winning it.”

Tickets are now on sale for the SSE Women’s FA Cup Final on Saturday 5th May at Wembley Stadium connected by EE. For more information about tickets and SSE’s involvement in women’s football visit www.sponsorship.sse.com.

Courtesy of the FA via Pitch

Quarter Finals 1st leg 22/23 March 2017

1. Fortuna Hjørring v Manchester City Women’s FC
2. FC Rosengård v FC Barcelona
3. VfL Wolfsburg Olympique v Lyonnais FC
4. FC Bayern München v Paris Saint-Germain

Quarter Finals 2nd leg 29/30 March 2017

1. Manchester City Women’s FC  v Fortuna Hjørring
2. FC Barcelona v FC Rosengård
3. Olympique Lyonnais v VfL Wolfsburg
4. Paris Saint-Germain v FC Bayern München

Semi-finals 1st leg 22/23 April 2017

FC Rosengård or FC Barcelona v FC Bayern München or Paris Saint-Germain

Fortuna Hjørring or Manchester City Women’s FC  v VfL Wolfsburg or Olympique Lyonnais

 2nd leg 29/30 April 2017

FC Bayern München or Paris Saint-Germain v FC Rosengård or FC Barcelona

VfL Wolfsburg or Olympique Lyonnais v Fortuna Hjørring or Manchester City Women’s FC

Final at Cardiff City Stadium Thursday 1 June 2017

Winner of semi-final 2 v Winner of semi-final 1

Info courtesy of UEFA