Liverpool succumbed to their third consecutive defeat in the Women's Super League as visitors Arsenal cruised to the top of the table with a 2-0 win on Merseyside.
The Gunners came to Prenton Park in search of four straight wins to start their WSL campaign, with manager Jonas Eidevall naming the same starting 11 that so callously dispatched Lyon in the UWCL midweek. Liverpool could take little heart from their previous clashes with the North London club, having lost each of their last six Barclays WSL matches against Arsenal, netting just three times while conceding 20 goals.
Despite Liverpool having failed to pick up a point since their opening day triumph over Chelsea, manager Matt Beard praised his side’s second half display against Tottenham and, in the matchday programme, said Liverpool welcomed the “test” of “world class” Arsenal.
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And it was a record crowd at Prenton Park, with 3,348 in attendance in Birkenhead.
The Reds made two changes from the side that started last week against Spurs, with Ceri Holland in for Missy Bo Kearns and Megan Campbell replacing Rachel Furness. Ahead of Sunday’s match, Matt Beard said his side needed to address their habit of starting games slowly, and the hosts certainly came out on the front foot, pressing forwards from the first whistle and winning a flurry of set pieces.
However, Arsenal soon grew into the game. A tantalising cross played across the face of goal just evaded a stretching Caitlin Foord before a superb volley from Lia Walti gave the visitors the lead inside 15 minutes. Under a wave of Arsenal pressure, Liverpool seemed to lose their early composure and quickly found themselves 2-0 down after a goal from Frida Maanum.
The Norwegian was given the nod ahead of Vivianne Miedema this afternoon and repaid her manager’s faith in her by slotting the ball past Rachael Laws on 21 minutes.
The visitors could have added to their tally too, with Foord’s curling finish careering off the post and captain Kim Little sending a shot well over the bar. To Liverpool’s credit, they battled on and had a few decent passages of play without troubling Arsenal goalkeeper Manuela Zinsberger. The Reds went in two nil down at half time, making it six first-half goals conceded in four games; the most any team has let in in the Women's Super League this season.
Again, Liverpool made a bright half to the second half, forcing a save from Manuela Zinsberger after their appeals for a penalty for a handball by Caitlin Foord were waved away by Referee Anthony Backhouse.
But ultimately Arsenal’s quality was too much for Matt Beard's side to overcome. The vistors could have made it three when Caitlin Foord latched on to a beautifully weighted through ball from Beth Mead but her strike was well saved by Rachael Laws.
Liverpool's defensive resilience in the second half ensured the encounter didn't become something of a demolition job for Arsenal, but with just three points from four games, the Reds find themselves at the wrong end of the WSL table with a visit to Manchester City in store next weekend.
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