Manchester City forward Khadija Shaw is facing a race against time to be fit for Wednesday’s UEFA Women’s Champions League quarter-final against Chelsea after suffering a hamstring issue during Saturday’s Women’s League Cup final.

Shaw was forced off with 10 minutes remaining in City's 2-1 defeat to Chelsea, despite the team desperately needing a goal to stay in contention. The Jamaican international, who endured a physical battle with Chelsea’s Millie Bright throughout the match, appeared to be struggling before being withdrawn.

City interim boss Nick Cushing addressed the injury concerns post-match, revealing that Shaw’s issue was related to her hamstring rather than the rough challenges she had endured during the game.

"She did take a clattering various times but I don't think that was the injury," Cushing said, as quoted by Goal.com. "She's feeling her hamstring, so we'll look at her. We'll obviously leave her with the medical team. She's a really important player for us, so hopefully, she'll be ready for Wednesday. But if not, we will find a solution."

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The potential absence of last season’s WSL Golden Boot winner comes at a difficult time for Manchester City, who are set to face Chelsea four times in just 12 days. The two teams meet in the Champions League quarter-final first leg on Wednesday, followed by a Women’s Super League showdown on Sunday, before squaring off again in the second leg of their European tie next week.

Shaw’s availability is of particular concern given her crucial role in City’s attack. As Goal.com notes, when she sustained an injury towards the end of last season, it coincided with City losing pole position in the WSL title race. While the team now has more attacking depth, including Vivianne Miedema, Shaw remains a near-irreplaceable figure in their lineup.

Manchester City will be hoping for positive news from their medical team ahead of Wednesday’s Champions League clash, as they look to gain an advantage over Chelsea in their bid for European glory.