Bronze is back: World-class England star revived after early Man City struggles

Lucy Bronze bombing up and down the right wing is a sight that has not only thrilled supporters over the years, but it has also won the full-back numerous accolades, including three Champions League titles and FIFA’s The Best Women’s Player award.

Her performance in England's win against Northern Ireland on Tuesday – the Lionesses' first game in nearly a year – was typical of the player she has become since emerging as a teenager at Sunderland.

In between laying the ball on a plate for both Ellen White and Rachel Daly, Bronze herself was also on the scoresheet in the 6-0 win at St George's Park, popping up in the box for a tap-in.

It is not something that many defenders often find themselves doing.

Asked about Bronze's performance after the game, England’s interim head coach Hege Riise summed up just how ubiquitous Bronze was.

“She had a good performance today,” Riise said. “Assists, a goal, worked hard in defence, starting build up in attack, creating opportunities, running in behind - her presence today was good.

"She's a leader, by example, on the field. She was excellent.”

Such displays are typical of Bronze, but there have not been many as good as that so far this season.

After leaving European champions Lyon and re-signing for Manchester City in the summer, the 29-year-old has struggled to show that world-class form as regularly as has been seen in recent years.

That is, however, understandable. While most players were going through the final paces of one of the most important pre-season campaigns of their careers following the suspension of all football due to the Covid-19 pandemic, Bronze was in Spain, lifting Lyon’s fifth successive continental title as the Champions League came to a delayed end.

Two weeks later, she was thrown in for her second City debut in a disappointing goalless draw against Brighton.

“Since coming back from Lyon and joining City she’s not really had that rhythm of playing games,” Phil Neville, the former England head coach, said back in October.

His comments came after a behind closed doors in-house friendly that was decided by an own goal from Bronze.

After the game, the defender was slumped in the middle of the pitch at St George’s Park, looking up at the sky in disappointment, long after everyone else had left.

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“She’s been doing a lot of extras this week to get that rhythm and I’m really glad to be able to see her back in an England shirt and to have her back in the squad,” Neville added.

“I think for where we want to get to you need your best players, and Lucy is definitely one of those.”

Just as City have been finding their groove in recent weeks, Bronze has been back to her brilliant best. For a player who had no pre-season, it is likely no coincidence that her most productive performances since returning to the Etihad Campus have come since the Christmas break.

After her misplaced pass gave Manchester United their first goal in a 2-2 comeback draw in November, she was the star of the show when City exacted their revenge in the Manchester derby just before this international break.

United stood tall for the first 20 minutes of the game, restricting City to very little, until Bronze was in the right place at the right time from a corner, smashing home on the volley to break the deadlock.

From there, Gareth Taylor’s side asserted their dominance in a 3-0 win that put them in a fantastic position in the title race.

England’s win on Tuesday, coming 11 days after that game, offered particularly encouraging signs for City fans.

White scored her first international hat-trick, the second of the striker's trio laid on by Bronze. The third goal was another City combination, with winger Lauren Hemp squaring the ball for Bronze to finish.

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With a title race heating up and the Champions League returning next month - the latter competition one Bronze and City are particularly eager to win - it is an exciting time for the defender to be thriving.

“She's no doubt one of the best full-backs in the world,” White said after the game. “She's definitely coming into incredible form at the moment.

"We're really lucky that she's English and I'm really lucky that she's a Man City player as well [because] I get to build a relationship with her on the pitch. She's a phenomenal player.”

The old saying ‘form is temporary, but class is permanent’ is certainly cliched, but it could not be more fitting of Bronze right now.

She is too good a player not to have sparked into life at some point this season.