How can City find a way to halt Chelsea's charge?

Cushing's contenders face a daunting task but their League Cup final display offers them hope in Europe

- Tom Garry

Chelsea are unbeaten in 28 games under Sonia Bompastor - with 26 wins - and arrive in Manchester for the first leg of their European quarter-final as strong favourites to progress to the semi-finals, and harbour realistic ambitions of winning their first Women's Champions League title in Lisbon in May.

The task of trying to beat this seemingly unstoppable force, over two legs across the next nine days, falls to Manchester City, who are in the unenviable position of facing Chelsea in four consecutive games in three competitions.

Nick Cushing, who has been back at the club for only a week, has said their performance in his first game back in charge, the League Cup final defeat on Saturday, gave him belief that they could better Chelsea in Europe - but what do they need to do to achieve that?

Cope with no Shaw or Fujino

Firstly, Manchester City's team news may make you wince. Cushing's pre-match press conference delivered a double-whammy of bad news as he ruled out the Jamaica striker Khadija "Bunny" Shaw and the Japan winger Aoba Fujino from today's first leg with muscle injuries, along with longer-term absentees including England's Alex Greenwood and Lauren Hemp.