Chelsea Women manager Emma Hayes says she doesn’t expect Liverpool to struggle on their return to the Women’s Super League, ahead of their season opener at Prenton Park on Sunday.
Matt Beard’s team are back in the top division after a two-year absence, having won the Championship by an 11-point margin last season.
They were due to start their league campaign with a trip to Reading last weekend, but the game was postponed, meaning they will now host champions Chelsea in their first WSL match.
This season will bring a completely different challenge, but there is a lot of optimism and for good reason.
The Reds have bolstered their squad with six summer signings, and Hayes, who has won the league on five separate occasions with Chelsea, believes Liverpool will be competitive in the top flight.
“I think they’ll be more than fine,” Hayes told reporters at his pregame news conference.
“They have an experienced coach who knows the league and you can see from the players he has brought in that he knows what it takes at this level.
“Liverpool will have no problems, I think it will be very competitive this year.”
In the WSL, the champions automatically qualify for the Champions League group stage, while second and third place secure a qualifying spot, and there is only one relegation position at the bottom.
The meeting with Chelsea will be quickly followed by a trip to Anfield to host Everton in a Merseyside derby next weekend, in what will be a glittering showcase of women’s football on Merseyside.
After the Lionesses’ success at the Women’s Euro this summer, there is a groundswell of support for women’s football, and Liverpool hope to benefit from this when it returns to the top flight.
Beard’s message is simple.
“To come [watch]Because the product is fantastic on the pitch, players will be running through a brick wall for the badge,” he told This Is Anfield last month.
With the Reds back in the WSL and the Merseyside Women’s Derby on the horizon, there’s no better time to jump on board and follow this talented and energetic group of players.
*Tickets for next weekend’s Merseyside Women’s Derby at Anfield are available on the club’s official site here.
