Gracie Prior has expressed her appreciation for the support and guidance from her Manchester City teammate, Vivianne Miedema. At just 20, Prior made her way into City’s starting lineup at the end of last season.
She played in their Women’s Super League opener against Chelsea, partnering with Jade Rose at centre-back. Despite a strong performance, City lost 2-1.
Vivianne Miedema, aged 29, is a significant figure in the Women’s Super League (WSL). She holds the record as the league’s all-time top scorer with 87 goals and ranks fourth in assists with 36. Prior frequently faces Miedema in training and values the Dutch international’s influence on and off the field. “I think she’s just so good on the ball, off the ball, she scores goals,” Prior told Stats Perform.
Prior also praised Khadija Shaw for her impressive contributions to Manchester City. Shaw has been involved in 76 goals over 72 WSL matches, scoring 62 times and assisting 14. Among players with at least 50 goals in the league, Shaw boasts an unmatched minutes-per-goal ratio of 81.8. Despite not scoring against Chelsea, Shaw remains a formidable player.
Miedema’s ability to guide younger players like Prior is invaluable. “I just think she’s such a good player and it’s tough getting to her in training,” said Prior. “But she’s one of the best.” Her encouragement and advice have been particularly beneficial to Prior’s development.
Manchester City aims to bounce back as they prepare to host Brighton on Friday. The team looks forward to improving their WSL campaign before facing Tottenham a week later. The influence of experienced players like Miedema and Shaw will be crucial as they seek success this season.
Prior described Shaw as unpredictable and strong, making her one of the toughest opponents globally. “She’s so good,” Prior added about Shaw, who has won the WSL Golden Boot twice consecutively: “She’s probably one of the toughest players to play against.”