Manchester City begin their WSL title defense after winning their first major trophy under manager Andree Jeglertz last season, finishing with a six-point gap over Chelsea. Captain Alex Greenwood says the squad learned "how to become champions" after years of near misses.

City face new challenges with Champions League football returning and a busier schedule. They retained top-scorer Khadija Shaw on a new contract and added England duo Mead and Charles, but lost Brazilian forward Kerolin to Barcelona. Rivals have strengthened significantly: Arsenal signed Ona Batlle and Georgia Stanway, London City Lionesses acquired two-time Ballon d'Or winner Alexia Putellas, and Tottenham bolstered their attack.

Greenwood remains unfazed, emphasizing continuity, culture, and acting like champions. She acknowledges the league's growing depth with investment at clubs outside the traditional top four, but focuses on her team's improvement rather than rivals. "We will have to change things slightly and be better but continue to do the things that we did really well last season."

For Greenwood personally, captaining City to the title taught her to handle pressure and responsibility. She now targets success with England at next summer's Women's World Cup in Brazil, embracing the challenge while acknowledging she doesn't have all the answers.