Taylor’s “Ambition is Limitless” as Liverpool Travel to Manchester United
Two wins, a draw and a narrow loss to last year's winners Manchester City in the WSL is a dream start for Gareth Taylor’s Liverpool. Following a 2025/26 where the side were continuously looking over their shoulder, not picking up a point until November, this season has brought a newfound “confidence and mentality” to the squad.
Aiming to end this first block on a high, the reds travel to faltering Manchester United, who will look to get their second three points of the league season, whilst Liverpool continue pushing to better their current 5th place position.
Injury Woes
Liverpool have been dealt significant injury blows early on in the season.
It was announced today that Swiss forward Aurélie Csillag suffered a rupture to her achilles tendon in their midweek Subway Players Cup clash against Birmingham, where she was stretchered off the pitch. It is “quite a serious injury” which Taylor says “will probably require surgery and a significant period of time without her”. To add, Taylor felt it was a real shame to lose her “she brought different dimensions for us where we needed…we will support her in the right way to get her back stronger than ever”.
Her injury only adds to weakening squad depth in attack, the other natural striker in the squad Sophie Roman Haug has had another setback, in and out with injury since returning from an ACL injury at the end of last season. “She picked up a problem, a metatarsal injury so we're just trying to establish the details of that and how long that will keep her out. Losing Aurélie would have given Roman the opportunity, but we have to now be patient with that, she’s not going to be ready for a few weeks.”
Liverpool academy graduate Lucy Parry and young Lioness Mari Ward are a bit closer to return: “they won't be in the squad this weekend, but I think having them back after the international break is going to be really important because I think we have nine games between the next international break and the one afterwards.” Last year's Liverpool player of the season Ceri Holland and Norwegian international Anna Josendal also won’t be available for this final game before the international break, nursing a hip and thigh injury respectively.
A positive in Liverpool’s current injury situation is the return of Austrian midfielder Marie Höbinger, who suffered an ACL injury against Manchester City last October. Establishing herself as a central player for the Red’s, her injury came when she was at the height of her game. Taylor doesn’t want to rush her return to play despite the side being short on the ground, Höbinger has scored a brace in both their Subway Player’s Cup wins so far, winning player of the match and has had a respectable 20 minutes in WSL games to resettle into competitive football again.
“I think she's doing really well. I believe that type of injury, there's no set template for recovery but I think Marie is probably ahead of schedule and ahead where we thought she would be and that's credit to her. I feel like the contributions that Marie's made have been really good. I think she's an important member of the team and at the moment, we still have not managed to get her out for 90 minutes so it's really difficult because it's a juggling act. Of course, we have the game Saturday, but then she'll go away with Austria. We're in conversation with Austria as well about what it looks like for her while she's away. But I don't think she's too far away from being really fully fit and to be able to execute what we need from the start and literally see her through for 90 minutes.”
Summer signing Mao Itamura is also back in the squad for their clash against United.
Taylor was clear that “The only thing that can disrupt us are these injuries.” The side will need to weather these blows and keep the consistency in order to continue pushing.
Queen’s of Merseyside
Last weekend, Liverpool defeated their local rival Everton at Anfield, the first time they have beaten their local rivals at home in the WSL. Swedish forward Beata Olsson got the game underway within the two minute mark with a thumping header from Ramos’s corner kick. A second came from a fumble in the area, Bergstrom’s cross bouncing around before fellow Swed Cornilia Kapocs slotted home from close range. Taylor was pleased with the fast start and happy to take the local battle in front of 9,642 fans.
“[On the fast start] It’s brilliant. I think we want to start the game in that manner. Of course, you don't always take that one-nil lead, but I think that when we did, it gave us something to build on. We should have, before Cappy [Cornelia Kapocs] scored again, made more of the lead that we had. I thought Natalia [Ramos] had plenty of opportunities. We had some really good moments, hit the bar with Viv [Enderman]. I think on another day we probably win that game a little bit more comfortably in terms of scoreline, but I think a derby to be able to go out and win it 2-0, keep a clean sheet, in front of our supporters, play some really good stuff at times I thought is really impressive from the girls.”
“Any time you get to play in the derby I think it is really important to win. We've tasted that and it's a nice feeling. Of course, as a coach, it doesn't last too long. You enjoy probably 10, 20 minutes of celebration and then it's very much focused on the next game. We had a quick turnaround for Wednesday night against Birmingham where we had to wrap people in cotton wool a little bit with this game in mind, obviously two days later. So three games in six days is really tough just before the international break. I think that, yeah, our ambition and our intent again is to go and be really aggressive and positive in our performance.”
The Growth of the WSL
Liverpool currently sit 4th in the Subway Players Cup standings with wins against Birmingham City and Sunderland. The new competition adds games to the calendar and added competition for sides not in the UWCL.
In and around the WSL since 2020, first at Manchester City then moving to Liverpool last summer, Taylor sees the benefits of having more games, and a more competitive league that gives the likes of Liverpool the opportunity to move up the table: “I think the good thing is we have a more competitive WSL, because more teams and more games and more teams likely to take points off of one another, it doesn't feel as crucial if you drop a point.”
Taylor was also asked about the benefits of these increased fixtures, and whilst Liverpool are currently suffering with injuries, having the ability to rotate and give players the minutes needed ensures he can have all the squad fit and ready if needed, there is less disparity in load.
“I mean for us the cup competitions have been good because we've effectively played like a different team. I don't think we're in a position last season to be able to do that. I remember the cup games we were still building towards something, still trying to establish our fitness. So yeah, look, I think it's good because your biggest concern is when you do really need to call on a player that they're ready. And I think, whilst our squad at the moment is a little bit thin, I think when you do need to call on a player, you're not worried that they haven't played at all. You know, we've had players like Zara Shaw, Lily Woodham, Marie [Höbinger], like Mia Enderby played 90 minutes Wednesday night. So I think it gets them in a better place to be ready for when you do call on them.”
On Manchester United
This weekend's competition had a difficult start to the campaign. Two heavy defeats against Chelsea and London City Lionesses on opening day, a rejuvenated draw to Arsenal and bagging their first three points last week, it hasn’t been the ideal start for new manager Eva Olid. Gareth Taylor isn’t underestimating the threat they may pose however, as a manager who also struggled early on when joining Liverpool last summer, he understands that “they're in a transition period of new coach, new ideas, but they've got good players. It's always a tight game, I feel, the margins are fairly tight.”
Last season, Liverpool lost both outings against the Red Devils, but its always a close contest. They last beat United in March 2025, an Olivia Smith brace and Fuka Nagano goal just before half time made the difference. Taylor wants to “come out on the bright side of it” again on Sunday.
On the Up
A renewed energy has swept across Liverpool this season; Grace Fisk has been nominated for September Goal of the Month for her opening day strike against Charlton, new signing Vivien Enderman has been nominated for Player of the Month and new keeper Khiara Keating for Save of the Month. Starting well is no means something they can be complacent about and with a tough block after the international break, Taylor is clear that he needs everyone on form if they want to keep to the levels they are at.
“I think we need to keep improving on all of the things we've done well. I think everything that we do, we need to keep turning it up a notch. It's quite demanding, it's quite a tough schedule. But I think that's where the WSL has gone, you know, over the last couple of years it's been a very slow start, probably not enough games. Now all of a sudden it's fairly flooded with games. I mean, nine games in that period is a big demand on a squad like ours because we're not there yet in a sense of being able to have quality in two positions all over the pitch and nor should we be, because I think that's when you're really knocking on the door of Champions League. There's been some players over this period that have been really important for us and continue to be really important. Players like Cornelia Kapocs have been really crucial for us. I think she's unfortunately not made the Swedish squad, which I find a little bit surprising. But I work with her every single day and I know the qualities that she brings. And I know how good she is with and without the ball. And I think she's made a really, really positive start to the season. So yeah, I think players like that for us are really important as to how we want to play, similarly to Fuka [Nagano] to Kirsty [Maclean] when she's fully fit and to Jenna Clark and Fisky [Grace].”
Going shoulder to shoulder with the likes of Manchester City, losing 4-2 but putting on a good display, demonstrates this renewed ambition from Liverpool. Taylor sights the rising “confidence levels” at the clubs from players, the board and supporters alike.
“We are changing the mentality a little bit to actually realise that we are good and we're moving in the right direction. We still have a lot of work to do. Our success will be dependent on a number of things, but in terms of the buy-in from the players and the alignments and wanting to put this club back where it deserves is a tough challenge because we're coming from, there's a bit of a distance to make up. We've got to keep working in an appropriate way. I think there's a real skill in improving players that you have in the building. Sam Kerr, you know, the way she's taken on moving to right back and excelling there has been testament to her. So, you've got to have a certain type of player to work with who's open-minded enough to embrace that challenge.”
Her Game Her Way asked Taylor whether the good start, currently 5th in the table, has shifted anything in terms of ambition. Can they now have belief that they can achieve more than they set their mind to at the beginning entering a very different and competitive league than last year?
“I think when I was asked about ambition, because you always get asked at the beginning of the season, you know, our ambition is limitless. I think for us, the sky is the limit. You have to have a high ambition of what you want to do and what you want to achieve. We are Liverpool. The expectation of the club should rightly be to be right up there challenging for everything. It certainly can be challenging because that's a big shift from probably what we've been previously. But the sounds have been good and again, you know, we need many contributing factors that are going to allow us to sustain that. What you can see and what I did mention on a few occasions last season was glimpses from this group of players. We've seen that again this season. Sustaining it is the hardest part because of those challenges that are set in front of you, injuries, resources, the way you can continue to play in a certain way based on the squad that you have available. What we want to see is performances that show us the Liverpool way and the way that we want to be.”
The Progress With Unity Stadium awaits the Reds of Manchester and the Reds of Liverpool who take the field on Saturday at 1:30pm.