Lauren Hanf: You City Wing players were with a knee injury from the WSL -Finish | Football messages

Shortly after 4 p.m. on Sunday afternoon, Lauren Hanf started a soccer field for the first time in 170 days. At 4.10 p.m. she had made the assist for Jess Park available to achieve Manchester City's determination in a crucial 1-0 victory against Leicester as if it had never left.

The violation of the hemp was a long street. The 24-year-old has not had competitive ones since November 8th and is one of several important English players who fought to regain full fitness in good time for the euro defense this summer.

Her absence was very noticeable on the club level. You City was knee injury five and a half months ago at the head of the Super League for women at the top of the knee injury. The picture has changed dramatically since then.

A list of injuries on the crisis that led to a bad form that was responsible after four years. City has dropped to fourth place in the table, 15 points behind the recently crowned WSL master Chelsea and four information from Rivals Man UTD with two remaining games. They are 13 points worse than in the same level in the last term.

Prime Time for a rescue mission then? “It is the perfect time for a return, the sun is shining,” says Hanf, smiling and sitting on the sofas in one of the plush player lounges from MAN City and sun rays through the open windows. “I missed the cold winter months.”

Cold is a fairly suitable way to describe a campaign that started with so much promise for city. The heights at the beginning of the season, as it was in the Champions League group the Imperious Barcelona, ​​now to beat finalists, were reduced to a mere footnote.

At that time, ambitions are not as big as it was then, but no less important. This Sunday, City will contest a direct shootout with the red half of Manchester to see who will get the privilege of European football next year, in which a winner-takes competition will probably continue live Sky Sport.

“They go through every emotion with the team, whether they play or not. We saw this season, sometimes things were not pretty,” said Hemf. “We were expelled from games where we might not have been. It is difficult, but the beauty of this team is his belonging together.”

“Injuries were a large part of our season, but the strength of this team is that it is full of people who want to get up in high pressure moments.”

This, the fourth Manchester derby of the season, could not be higher missions. You have won two of the previous three meetings and a third on Sunday would mean that Marc Skinner's team for the first time in their history in successive games that better received from City.

“We believe that there are still things to play for this season,” added Hemf defiantly, and her tone changes to reflect the seriousness. “Technically, it is still possible and although we will fight. The beauty is that we can influence other teams around us. Many are to be won.”

While hemp stood on a treatment table – alongside Alex Greenwood, Bunny Shaw, Vivianne Miedema and others – the city was expelled from the league cup, the FA Cup and the Champions League. Although the striker is limited to only eleven appearances in all competitions, he has still achieved 10 target contributions (two goals, eight templates).

City is unbeaten when hemp plays while her minute-pro-assisting record (the best in WSL history) remains unaffected, even though you missed two thirds of the season. Sunday would mark your 100th league start for City.

“I feel in a really good place,” says Hanf, the scar on her knee from the operation is a visible memory of the last five -month slog. “The injury was very challenging, mentally and physically. It is the longest I've ever been out of game. It is difficult if you love something so much and take it away.”

According to Opta, City has a chance of 21.2 percent to skip United. However, the prospects will probably increase exponentially, whereby hemp is available. It brings the kind of relentless sportiness that could not be seen throughout the season. Combine this with a real invention and the ability to score or create from anywhere, and the chances of having a late life improve no end.

City has sucked out a large part of the fun from this season. They suffered stylistic without so many key players, but the results were also more difficult. Cue Hanf, City's Chief Entertainer to bring back an urgently needed joy. “I'm fit and collect for Sunday,” she beams. “I never appreciated that I was so much on the field.”

Watch a man United against Man City Live on Sky Sports+ on Sunday from 11.30 a.m. and present yourself on Sunday. Kick -off at 12 noon