Salute

Season Preview: Liverpool

The Reds host Reading in their Barclays FA Women’s Super League opener at Prenton Park on Sunday 8th September

As the 2019-20 season draws nearer, we’re taking a closer look at what to expect from each club, with Liverpool up next.

Vicky Jepson’s side will enter this season buoyed by a promising summer and eager to improve on their eighth-placed finish last term.

Despite finishing their campaign strongly with a 3-1 victory over Merseyside rivals Everton, the Reds will be looking to be more competitive in what promises to be one of the most fiercely-contested seasons in FA Women’s Super League history.

It has been a busy summer for Liverpool, with Jade Bailey, Rebecca Jane and Melissa Lawley all arriving from Chelsea, Reading and Manchester City respectively.

Bailey and Jane have been brought in to bolster the side’s defence – they conceded 38 goals last term – while Lawley will add greater ammunition to the side going forward.

They will also be relieved to have retained the services of top-scorer Courtney Sweetman-Kirk, whose ten goals last season were pivotal in engineering victories over West Ham, Yeovil as well as their local rivals.

An experienced operator, Sweetman-Kirk has a track record for scoring goals wherever she has played, notching 44 in 58 games at Doncaster and continuing her clinical exploits on Merseyside.

However, the Reds have said goodbye to Yana Daniels, Jasmine Matthews and Laura Coombs, all of whom have departed Prenton Park to pursue pastures new.

Liverpool have had a busy pre-season schedule, visiting the United States for a watershed tour where they enjoyed a dominant 6-0 victory over Metropolitan Conference Allstars.

Sweetman-Kirk scored four in the romping, with the tour also proving beneficial in introducing the newly-recruited Lawley to life in a Liverpool shirt.

Elsewhere, Rinsola Babajide’s attacking performances were a further cause for optimism.

The side also drew 2-2 against Cleveland Ambassadors in Indiana, an entertaining game that Jepson hailed as critical in in improving her team’s physical fitness.

There has also been a change in the leadership group since the tour, with Niamh Fahey being appointed vice-captain – subordinate to current leader Sophie Bradley-Auckland.

With the season kicking off with a winnable looking run of fixtures, Jepson’s players will be raring to go in their pursuit of a higher-placed finish.

2018-19 Stats Watch

Finish: 8th

Top scorer: Courtney Sweetman-Kirk (10)

Biggest victory: 5-2 (home to Bristol City)

Heaviest defeat: 5-0 (away at Arsenal)

Key Ins/Outs:

Ins: Jade Bailey, Rebecca Jane, Melissa Lawley

Outs: Yana Daniels, Jasmine Matthews, Laura Coombs, Leandra Little

Player to watch: Melissa Lawley

While Sweetman-Kirk’s goals will be pivotal in determining Liverpool’s fate this season, she will be heavily reliant on the service and assistance provided by summer signing Lawley.

Lawley, a versatile player who can play both up front and in a deeper role, has 11 England caps and a range of FA WSL experience, playing 22 times for Manchester City and 54 times for Birmingham over the last six seasons.

And her pre-season performances in the United States were striking, making an immediate impression on her manager who paid tribute to her dribbling skills after the side’s 2-2 draw against Cleveland Ambassadors.

If Liverpool are going to fire on all cylinders this season and push for a higher finish, Lawley’s influence will be crucial.

What they said:

Niamh Charles

“It’s only early pre-season, but last year was a bit up and down.

“I think we’ve built a really solid foundation, so we want to finish higher in the league, do as well as we can and play a good style of football and know what we’re about.

“Each game is different so we’re just going to take it one game at a time – no game is a given at all but to be able to try and get a good run and start the season well would be massive for this team.

“Hopefully we can build on good performances week in, week out and that will stand us in good stead.

“The league’s going to be massively competitive this year – I think this year it will be even better with the likes of Manchester United coming up which is going to make it interesting, so that will hopefully increase support across the country.”

Melissa Lawley

“We’re all sticking together and working hard, and we’ll all always going to be looking for the three points.

“We’re all coming together as a team – we’re all one club and even though Liverpool finished well last year, we want to finish even higher this season.

“Since day one all the girls have made me feel welcome.

“My own targets this season are to get more minutes – more assists and goals to keep helping the team to get three points.”

“Spurs and Manchester United coming up is going to massively strengthen the league – obviously they’ve made some good signings and that will strengthen their squads.”