Liverpool women’s manager Matt Beard insists there is no pressure on his side following their return to the Women’s Super League.
The Reds were relegated on a points-per-game basis at the end of the 2019/2020 season after the devastating impacts of the Coronavirus meant the domestic season was unable to play out its natural conclusion.
Since then, the Reds have plied their trade in the Women’s Championship, finishing third during the 2020/21 campaign before Beard returned to the club he won consecutive WSL titles with in 2014 and navigated the Birkenhead-based side back to the top flight in May.
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His side won the title at a canter last term as they finished 11 points ahead of second-placed Bristol City and tasted defeat on just two occasions, while also boasting the division’s second top-scorer in Leanne Kiernan.
“I don’t think there’s any pressure on us, our ambition is to consolidate our position," said Beard, speaking to the ECHO. "We’ve got to be realistic because we’ve been out of the division for two years. The league has grown so much in those two years, we feel like we have a squad that can challenge and be successful at this level.
"We feel that we’ve recruited well, we’ve recruited players that know the league. It’s added more depth to the squad, which will keep players honest and give us plenty of options.
"We’re looking forward to the challenge, we want to consolidate and then build from there."
Having secured promotion back to the top flight at the second time of asking earlier this year, the Reds will host city rivals Everton at Anfield on September 25 as Jurgen Klopp’s side are without a Premier League fixture due to the international commitments of his players.
Following the record-breaking attendance Liverpool's women's team received in the same fixture back in November 2019, Beard is looking forward to the prospect of leading his group of players out to the famous turf. However, the fixture against Brian Sorensen's side will come after taking on last season's champions Chelsea at Prenton Park.
"The Everton game is always the first one I look for once the fixtures come out," Beard added. "Look, it’s going to be a tough job for us. Chelsea have won the league three years on the bounce, and they're recruiting for the Champions League this summer so it will be a tough test for us."
Liverpool acted swiftly in the summer transfer window to add proven WSL quality to their ranks with deals for 95-Dutch cap international Shanice van de Sanden, Emma Koivisto, Gilly Flaherty, Eartha Cumings and the temporary loan signing of former Red Charlotte Wardlaw from Sunday's opponents. And Beard hopes the multiple additions to his squad will help give his side the best chance of securing a historic victory at Anfield at the end of this month.
"We have a squad here of good players and we feel we can compete. We do work hard with the players on dealing with different things…to play at Anfield will be different for us. We’ve just got to make sure the players are prepared the best they can."
But desired results aside, the former West Ham and Bristol City manager is hoping his side can profit from an impressive performance at the 54,000-seater stadium and attract new fans to come down and watch his side on a regular basis.
"It’s vitally important," said Beard when asked about the importance of using Anfield to grow the women's game. "Especially because we play on the Wirrall...which is the other side of the water. There are a lot of fans who will have fallen in love with the game because of the Euros, so hopefully if we can perform at Anfield they’ll follow us back at Prenton Park.
"The first games are a really tough start; Tottenham, Arsenal, Everton, Chelsea and Manchester City, so it’s a tough opening few months.
"We’ll be testing ourselves against the best players, teams and coaches, but we’re just looking forward to seeing what it brings."
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