'It's a ritual of mine!' – Lionesses star Lauren Hemp reveals hilarious pre-match routine but admits to only doing 'half' a job

During a lighthearted appearance on the Long Story Short podcast, Hemp shared her quirky tanning habit before matches. She explained that she often only tans her quads, leaving her calves - usually covered by socks - untouched, which has led to some amusing looks in the past. Both Carney and Scott teased her, but Hemp stood by the routine as something she always does.

Explaining her approach, Hemp revealed: "Oh, I can't be bothered to do, like, my whole body. I just do, like, half and half. If I forgot, then I'll just do quads. I fake tan before every game? I just think, 'I'll do the bit people can see,' and then I leave the rest."

She went on to add with a smile: "That [tanning] is a ritual of mine. I can't really think of many other things I have. It's funny really, because you'd expect me to be talking about football preparation, but this is actually one of my matchday habits."

Hemp's jovial admission comes amid injury concerns at Manchester City. The winger was forced off in the first half against Tottenham with an ankle problem, leaving in a protective boot. Head coach Andree Jeglertz confirmed that she will likely miss the clash with the London City Lionesses, as she did in the Women's League Cup against Everton on Wednesday.

Manchester City will be monitoring Hemp's recovery closely as they continue their Women's Super League campaign against the ambitious London City Lionesses. The club will hope the injury is not as serious as last season's knee issue, which sidelined her for over five months. Supporters will be eager to see her return soon – tan ritual and all.