Liverpool had a disastrous first half of the 2019/20 Women’s Super League season, which saw the 2013 and 2014 back-to-back champions fail to win a single game. But as the WSL prepares to return after the winter break, the Reds can be optimistic that dreadful run is about to end.
Liverpool managed consecutive draws in their final two games before Christmas after losing seven of their opening eight. They even rose off the bottom, above Bristol City and out of the relegation zone last time out.
There have been plenty of issues this season, but Vicky Jepson’s team is not as bad as their lowly league position, paltry points tally and winless streak would actually suggest.
The visit to Brighton on Sunday, combined with the mini-momentum boost before Christmas, will provide as good a chance as any to finally get a first WSL win of the campaign.
Despite losing more games (7) than any other WSL side this season, Liverpool haven’t been embarrassed at all – unlike Bristol City for example, who were battered 11-1 by Arsenal.
Liverpool have only conceded 12 times in 10 games, which actually puts their defensive record in the top half of the league – Reading, Tottenham, West Ham, Birmingham, Brighton and Bristol have all picked the ball out of the net more often.
As many as five of Liverpool’s seven defeats have been by a narrow 1-0 scoreline, even when facing reigning champions Arsenal and double domestic cup holders Manchester City.
Rather than conceding goals, their problem has been not scoring them. As recently as the start of December, Liverpool had only managed a solitary WSL goal in eight games. After back-to-back 1-1 draws, the latter of which came against title contenders Chelsea, that has now changed.
Niamh Charles scored both of those goals. Were she to score again on Sunday at Brighton, she would become the first Liverpool player to net in three successive game since Katie Zelem in May 2016.
Despite losing at home to Brighton last season when the Seagulls were newly promoted, Liverpool will take hope from the fact that they were actually victorious in this particular fixture on the south coast – winger Rinsola Babajide scored the only goal that day.
"We're really looking forward to kicking on in the new year."
— Liverpool FC Women (@LiverpoolFCW) January 3, 2020
The boss on being focused on the process pic.twitter.com/TRXquaJCVt
On current form, Liverpool are a better side as Brighton have lost three of their last four games. And if Liverpool are to score an away league goal for the first time this season, doing it against a team that has conceded 12 goals in their last four games is the best chance they may get.
Source : 90min