Tessel Middag is looking forward to heading north and taking on friends and former colleagues when West Ham United visit Manchester City on Sunday.
Matt Beard’s Irons play at the Academy Stadium in the Barclays FA Women’s Super League this weekend, giving Middag the first opportunity to take on her former side since joining the Hammers from City last summer.
Injury ruled the Dutch international out of the contests last season, including the historic match between the two sides in the 2019 FA Cup Final at Wembley Stadium in May, but Middag is excited to take to the pitch against City this weekend.
“I saw a tweet from the Manchester City official supporter’s club that they were looking forward to seeing me, which was brilliant and really nice,” Middag told whufc.com. “It will be great to see some old teammates and also some old friends who I met during my time in Manchester. It will be one big reunion and I’m looking forward to the game.
“However, I’m the opponent this weekend so I’m hoping to help West Ham exploit any weaknesses. I’m looking forward to the game.”
Having spent two years on the books at City, Middag can attest to the quality held by Nick Cushing’s team. The No23 helped the Blues to win the league and FA Cup double in 2016 and feels City have only gotten better since then.
West Ham more than matched City in the first half of May’s FA Cup Final and Middag believes her side more than have the quality to take points back to Rush Green Stadium from Manchester this weekend, so long as the side perform at their best for the full 90 minutes.
She added: “We have to not give City too much time on the ball. We know what they can do with the ball. They have good movements and they pass the ball well, particularly without pressure on them.
“The FA Cup Final should give us belief that we can play against the best teams in this league and be level with them. We need to be at our best for the full 90 minutes and show that this Sunday.”
