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Demi Stokes believes Manchester City can rise to the challenge as the competition in the Women\u2019s Super League gets ever tougher.<\/p>\n
City were forced to settle for a disappointing fourth place last season, finishing outside the Champions League berths for the first time since 2014.<\/p>\n
After winning the title in 2016 and then finishing runners-up in four successive seasons, City have been muscled out of the top positions in recent years.<\/p>\n
Chelsea have been the dominant force, having won the past four WSL crowns, but first Arsenal and now Manchester United have got their noses in front of City.<\/p>\n
Yet far from being frustrated, City defender Stokes has welcomed the increased competition as a sign of the growing strength of the women\u2019s game and is convinced her side can match them.<\/p>\n
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\u201cI think if you look at last year, we had some very good performances,\u201d the 31-year-old left-back told the PA news agency.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe were obviously disappointed with how we finished but I think if you look at the team and the depth that we\u2019ve got, we\u2019ve got everything that we need to win and it\u2019s just about being consistent.<\/p>\n
\u201cObviously the league is getting harder and harder but that\u2019s what we want. Other teams are improving, but we\u2019re improving. It is going to be tight.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou know that you have to be consistent every week and every game is hard. It\u2019s not just a handful that are going to be hard \u2013 each game is hard.<\/p>\n
\u201cEveryone can take points off everyone. If you don\u2019t turn up on the day, you\u2019ll get punished for it.<\/p>\n
\u201cBut we know what we need to do. We\u2019ve had our conversations and we\u2019re just looking forward to the season starting.\u201d<\/p>\n
Stokes, a member of England\u2019s successful Euro 2022 squad, was overlooked for this summer\u2019s World Cup campaign.<\/p>\n
She enjoyed watching the Lionesses run to the final as a fan but has not given up hope of forcing her way back into the international picture.<\/p>\n
\u201cI had a good summer and I enjoyed watching it,\u201d said Stokes, who signed a new one-year contract at City in June. \u201cThe girls did really well and they should be proud.<\/p>\n
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\u201cFor me, I got my holidays in and it\u2019s almost been like having a reset button and going again.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019ve just got to concentrate on City now and then see where that goes. Play minutes \u2013 injury free \u2013 and we\u2019ll go from there.\u201d<\/p>\n