England and Man City's Khiara Keating denies nitrous oxide charge

Manchester City and England goalkeeper Khiara Keating has denied having canisters of nitrous oxide.

The young person from Manchester, who is 20 years old, was accused of having a Class C drug on 18 June following an inquiry by Greater Manchester Police.

She showed up in court in Manchester and Salford with her mother, Nicola Keating, 48, who also pleaded not guilty to the charges.

Both were released from custody without conditions before their next court appearance on September 10th.

Nitrous oxide was classified as a Class C drug according to the Misuse of Drugs Act in November 2023.

Having something with the intention of breathing it in for a harmful, mind-altering effect is now considered a crime. However, it is still acceptable to utilize the gas for valid purposes, like in cooking or to alleviate pain during childbirth.

Jonathan Potter, who was representing the prosecution, mentioned that the women were charged with having canisters for inhaling substances improperly in Manchester in June.

Keating was requested to enter a plea and responded with "innocent", just like her mother.

The two people only talked more to verify their names and where they lived.

They were released on bail before the September court date, when a district judge will schedule a trial date.

Keating, who was initially part of Manchester United before being discovered by a scout from City, became the youngest player to receive the Women's Super League Golden Glove award in May. She achieved this by maintaining a clean sheet in nine out of 22 league games.

She has not played for England yet, but was on the bench as a substitute in the recent Uefa Women's Championship Qualification matches against Sweden and the Republic of Ireland.