LAUREN HEMP insists success has made Manchester City hungry for more after they lifted the Women’s Super League and FA Cup double last term.

In the decade since their last league crown, City had finished runners-up five times before getting over the hump last season. They will begin their WSL title defence at home to newly promoted Birmingham on September 6.

“Naturally you’ve got a target on your back,” Hemp said. “We know that teams want to come and compete against us. We’re the reigning champions and we deserve to be that.

“It’s important for us that we don’t settle, we want to keep pushing, we want to win it year on year. We don’t want to just win it once and not again.

“For me that’s why I’m at the club. I want to win trophies and I know the rest of the girls are here for that reason too. It’s a simple one that we push on now.

“We’ve got so much experience and depth of players who are capable of winning titles and it’s important we carry that mentality because naturally there’s going to be more pressure… but as players I feel we thrive under pressure.”

Hemp joined City in 2018 and was part of four of the sides that finished as runners-up — three times in her first three seasons at the club — but she insisted she was always convinced success was coming.

It arrived in Andree Jeglertz’s first season at the club after he replaced Gareth Taylor last season.

The most obvious change to City’s tactics was the freedom afforded to attacking players like Hemp, who was allowed to drift inside from the left wing and responded by creating the most chances of any player in the league.

“We all want freedom, and I think that was one of the things he emphasised coming in,” she said. “There weren’t going to be many changes, but he wanted fluidity and freedom especially in the front line, finding different ways to break teams down.

“I think that fluidity has helped us be more unpredictable.”

City will change again this season, with England stars Beth Mead and Niamh Charles arriving as they gear up for a return to the Champions League.

“Obviously they are new faces, but they’re not new to me,” Hemp said. “They’re great to be around with England so I’m really happy we’ve now got them at City. I know they’ll be a great addition. Niamh is one of my best mates.”

Hemp is going into the last season of the three-year deal she signed in 2024.

“It’s not something I’ve particularly thought massively about recently,” she said. “Every season’s different so I look forward to the start of this season. When the time is right I’ll think about my future.

“I love this club, I think everyone can see that now, and the ambition of the club matches mine. It’s an exciting time ahead. Full focus for me now is this season and making sure we start as we mean to go on.”