Everton defender Rikke Sevecke has vowed the Blues will "fight for everything" when they take on Liverpool in the Merseyside derby next week.
Brian Sorensen's side will welcome their local rivals to Goodison Park on Friday, March 24, marking the first time a WSL fixture between the two clubs has been staged at the Grand Old Lady. It will offer Everton the opportunity to write another memorable chapter in an impressive debut season under their Danish coach, with the Blues currently sitting sixth in the table having registered just one defeat in their last six league games.
Sevecke's remarkable consistency at centre back has been integral to the club's WSL revival; the Danish international having featured in all but one of Everton's 14 top-flight fixtures so far this term. And, while the defender concedes she's expecting a challenging encounter when the city rivals face off in L4, she is confident the Blues will do everything in their power to come out on top.
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"It’s never easy in a derby game because there’s so much tension and people want to fight for everything to win," Sevecke told the ECHO. "That’s so exciting for the fans to see because a derby is such a big game and one we want to win no matter what.
"Of course it is also about tactical things but also in these types of games it’s about fighting for absolutely everything and giving 100%, which is what we're going to do.
"I’m so excited to play at Goodison. It’s a game you look forward to play and I can’t wait to see how many fans there will be in the stands.
"I’ve heard we’ve sold a lot of tickets so far so I hope we can get even more. It’s just going to be really cool to play there in front of our supporters."
Everton will go into the Goodison clash buoyed by their emphatic victory in the reverse fixture back in September. More than 27,000 fans watched on inside Anfield as goals from Megan Finnigan, Jess Park and Hanna Bennison secured a huge three points for the Blues, and Sevecke still regards that win as one of the most special moments of her career to date.
"It was amazing," she said. "Winning at Anfield and even playing at Anfield was crazy. My dad was crying watching me walk out onto the pitch because it was so special for him as well. It was a really big game and a big win for us."
In addition to the women's club-record crowd that watched Everton's Anfield triumph from the stands, nearly half a million viewers tuned in to watch the game on Sky Sports. And, with next week's clash also slated for a live TV broadcast, it's likely a similar number of viewers will be watching the events at Goodison unfold from home.
For Sevecke, who started playing football at the age of three and grew up playing alongside her male peers, this unprecedented interest in the women's game is scarcely believable, and something she is careful not to take for granted.
"I didn’t even think I would be a professional footballer when I was younger," she said. "I was just playing for fun, which I still am, but now it’s also my work which is amazing.
"Seeing where the game now, it's amazing to see and amazing to be a part of. After the Euros especially, there’s been so much excitement around women’s football and we’re getting more and more fans watching our games every week so it's incredible.
"It wasn't until I had my first move outside Denmark when I realised I could do it as a career. In Denmark, you don’t play professional football. You have to work or study as well so when I first went to France (to play for FC Fleury 91) and tried living that lifestyle I fell in love with it and I’m still in love with it. I love my job everyday."
Regardless of the outcome of next week's derby, there can be little disputing the fact that Everton look like a side transformed under Brian Sorensen. The Dane took the reins at Walton Hall Park in the summer, after a turbluent season - in which the club dismissed two permanent managers in the space in less than four months - culminated in a 10th place WSL finish for the Blues.
While it was a disappointing campaign for the club as a whole, it was particularly challenging for Sevecke, whose season was plagued by injury. But, after having worked hard to return to full fitness, the 26-year-old is now relishing the opportunity to show what she can do and help Sorensen's side push on up the table.
"It’s been a lot better than last season, different as well," Sevecke admitted. "We’ve had new players come in and new coaching staff so its been a good improvement in the team and the squad.
"After a tough period, its always good to have a fresh start with new people who bring in new energy. I feel like I’m improving and I strive for that every day."
She added: "It was a tough six months I had last year with my injury so bouncing back from that was really important for me to show I’m still there and I can still be at the top level. I think the continuity I’ve had this season so far has really helped me develop so hopefully I can keep building on that.
"The manager speaking Danish also makes it easier for me as well, as it helps me to understand exactly what he means."
And it's not just Sorensen's arrival that has helped Sevecke to bed in on Merseyside. The signings of twins Karen and Sara Holmgaard in the summer, plus the addition of defender Katrine Veje, means there are now five Danish players in the squad (including forward Nicoline Sorensen), and that Scandinavian contingent has been central to helping Liverpool feel like a home away from home for Sevecke.
"I’ve known Nico since we were kids playing together in the youth national team and we were at the same club when we were younger as well so it’s nice to see some familiar faces," she said.
"We have a real Scandinavian connection at the club as well, we have Swedish players and a Norwegian player so it’s nice to have that culture around. The English players obviously are really nice as well, but it helps to make it seem more like home when you have other Scandinavian people around."
Perhaps it is that familial aspect within the team that has been a factor in helping Everton to turn the tide under Brian Sorensen. While the Blues boast the youngest squad in the WSL term, they have shown few signs of being overawed by the big occasion, and Sevecke is confident the club has now laid the foundations for a continued upward trajectory.
"It’s really exciting to be part of this squad," she said. "You can see throughout the season how we have developed.
"We’re still getting to know each other and building connections on the pitch. Now we just have to go from here and build them even more and make the team even better. I don’t see why we can’t compete at the very top."
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