Matt Beard rejects Liverpool 'pressure' claim and…

Matt Beard rejects Liverpool 'pressure' claim and issues challenge to Leicester ahead of WSL clash

Liverpool boss Matt Beard has insisted his side aren't feeling the pressure ahead of Sunday's Women's Super League clash with Leicester.

The Reds gave their top-flight survival hopes a major boost with a 2-0 victory over Reading last time out; the win moving them up to eighth in the table - eight points clear of this weekend's oppenents, who are currently languishing in the league's sole relegation place. The Foxes are enduring a pretty torrid league campaign, having won just one of their 11 games so far this term.

Despite their precarious league position, Willie Kirk's side have looked much improved since their return from the WSL winter break and made some shrewd additions to their squad in the January window. However, Beard believes the impetus is on the Foxes to bring the game to Liverpool when they travel to Merseyside this weekend.

"We’re in a good position, they’re not, so the pressure is going to be on them to try and come and get a result at our place," the Liverpool boss said on Friday. "For us, Prenton Park has been good to us so we’re looking forward to the game.

"I think it will be very similar to how the Reading game panned out, especially early on. I think it will be two teams trying to find their way into the game and fingers crossed we can try and get the game won.

"They’ve definitely improved as a team in terms of the organisation. I watched (their last game) against City and it could have been more than 2-0 but they’ve improved and structurally they’re very organised out of possession. Willie’s got his way of playing and they like to play out from the back so you can definitely see his mark on that team now."

While Beard is set to be without captain Niamh Fahey this weekend as she continues to recover from a calf injury, his ranks will be bolstered by the addition of striker Natasha Dowie - who returned to the club last month on loan from Reading until the end of the season. The 34-year-old wasn't eligible to feature against her parent club last weekend but the Liverpool manager has confirmed she could be in line for her second Reds debut this Sunday.

"(Natasha's) personality is infectious but her standards in training are up there with the best," he said. "She’s first in the gym in the morning, looks after herself and she gives us something a little bit different as a centre forward.

"She’s very intelligent and she’s a finisher and I think for us that’s vitally important because we’ve created lots of chances this season, some we’ve taken and some we haven’t so just to have that other option is great for us.

"It’s like she’s never been away. She’ll definitely be involved in the squad this weekend and I would have thought she’ll get some minutes."

Natasha Dowie returned to Liverpool in January after eight years away from the club (Nick Taylor/Liverpool FC/Liverpool FC via Getty Images)

Last weekend's game officially marked the halfway point in the WSL season, with a further 11 games to come before the end of May. And while Beard is confident his side will do everything they can to triumph over Leicester, the Reds boss doesn't believe Sunday's result will define their season.

"There’s plenty more football to be played. Obviously we want to win the game. We want to finish as high up the league table as we can," he said.

"If you look at the games we’ve got points from this year it’s been teams in and around that middle/lower pack. The gap at the top is massive. Sunday won’t define whether or not we’re in a relegation scrap or pushing on up the table.

"I’ve got every faith and confidence in the group. We’ve really recruited well in this window and that’s to help us progress and kick on and finish the season as strongly as we can."

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