Liverpool in “a better physical and tactical position” as they prepare to host Spurs
Liverpool FC Women host Tottenham Hotspur in the Barclays Women’s Super League on Sunday 25 January.
Head coach, Gareth Taylor spoke to the media ahead of a must-win fixture at St Helens Stadium for the Reds.
On the back of a dominant win in the Adobe Women’s FA Cup, alongside the addition of six new players to the squad, Liverpool are fighting for points as they aim to regain form and take positive steps forward in the second half of the 2025/26 season.
On recent performances and the FA Cup win
Q: Gareth, six new players in and six goals in an FA Cup win. What has that done for you and the mood around the training ground?
“It was a really good level of performance last week and it gave us the opportunity to rotate the squad slightly while keeping one eye on this fixture. Those games are never easy, particularly when teams defend in a low block, and it can be difficult to break them down. Denise scoring early really helped set the tone for us.
Overall, the players were impressive, and it’s given us a positive week on the training pitch ahead of this game. We’ve brought players in, which has helped significantly. Unfortunately, Martha Thomas is unavailable for this match due to the terms of her loan, and Anna Jøsendal will still be out a little while longer. That’s disappointing, particularly as out attacking options in the first half of the season were very limited.
Now, things feel much healthier. There’s real competition for places in training, which we haven’t had in certain positions. That competitiveness is huge for us moving forward and will really push the players.”
On reinforcements and the second half of the season
Q: Does it feel like this could be a season of two halves now you’ve brought players in? Do you feel well equipped for the second half?
“We do feel better equipped, but it’s important to be realistic. Some of these players have only had one or two training sessions with the team. They haven’t had the benefit of a full pre-season to build cohesion and fully understand how we want to play, so we’ve had to move quickly.
While the additions improve our levels on and off the pitch, it doesn’t mean we’ll suddenly climb the table easily. This league is extremely competitive, and every team is strengthening. What it does gives us is a genuine opportunity to take a step forward.
We were disappointed with the away game at Spurs earlier in the season. We went ahead but couldn’t hold on, and while Spurs didn’t play particularly well, we weren’t at our best either. With two home games coming up, we see this as a real opportunity to get our first league win.”
On Denise O’Sullivan’s impact and leadership
Q: Denise O’Sullivan has spoken about wanting to take on a leadership role. Was that a key reason for signing her and has she already shown that?
“Absolutely. Denise has shown her leadership qualities in abundance already. She’s been great to work with and I’ve admired her for a long time at both club and international level.
She brings leadership both on and off the pitch, is very positive, encouraging, and leads by example. With over 150 international caps, her experience is invaluable. We’re a relatively young team, so having someone like Denise, along with Jennifer Falk, adds real experience and balance to the squad.”
On Tottenham Hotspur’s progress
Q: Spurs are currently fourth and aiming to establish themselves among the top teams. Do you think they’ve shown that this season?
“I think they’ve taken a clear step forward. Sitting fourth and competing with teams like Manchester United is a positive sign. When Martin joined the club, there was decisive recruitment, and they’ve continued to strengthen in this window.
The real test is consistency across seasons, but Spurs are a good example for us in terms of where we want to be. We want to be talking about ourselves in those Champions League positions, but we understand that will take a couple of transfer windows to achieve.”
On squad morale and young players
Q: What is the mood in camp following the FA Cup win?
“The mood is very positive. Even when we’ve lost games by fine margins, the group has been good at resetting quickly. We review performances honestly and move forward.
The FA Cup gave us a chance to adapt and make changes, and it was great to see young players like Maisie make her debut. Introducing 16-year-olds into WSL games can be challenging due to the physical demands, so we’ve had to manage that carefully. But we do have some very exciting young players at the club, and it’s been beneficial for their development.”
On attacking options and Alice Bergstrom
Q: With attacking struggles this season, how important is having someone like Alice Bergstrom capable of scoring from distance?
“It’s about putting Alice in the right areas to use her strengths. She enjoys space, is strong physically, and delivers well on the run. She’s been a good addition.
We don’t want to overcomplicate things. With Aurélie Csillag joining and Martha unavailable this weekend, we’ll look to make the most of the options we have. Training competition has been strong, and we want to take that into the weekend.”
On refocusing on the WSL
Q: How does the focus shift back to the WSL after the FA Cup fixture, especially against a top four side like Spurs?
“We have two home games coming up, including Manchester United after this. We’re searching for that win and getting it this weekend would really set us up. If not, we go again in the next game.
I’ve always believed that strong performances lead to results. At times this season, we’ve come close but fallen just short. Now, with more attacking options and the ability to press consistently for 90 minutes, I feel more confident that we’ll see fewer of those moments.
It will take time for the new players to fully gel, but the signs have been positive and the more time we spend together, the more improvement we’ll see.”
On recent performances and areas for improvement
Q: How satisfied have you been with performances recently, and where can the team still improve? – Olivia Rafferty (Her Game Her Way)
“Defensively, we’ve been solid and recorded our first league clean sheet against London City. Where we’ve fallen short is at the top end of the pitch, particularly in decision-making and quality in attacking areas.
Scoring goals is the hardest part of football and it’s not just down to the strikers — our attacking midfielders and wide players all need to contribute. The more attacking options and competition we have, the more pressure we can put on opponents and create chances from open play and set pieces.
Getting players like Beata Olsson, Anna Jøsendal and Leanne Kiernan back will give us even more flexibility.”
On key battles against Spurs
Q: Which areas of the pitch will be key against Spurs? Olivia Rafferty (Her Game Her Way)
“The midfield will be crucial. Spurs like to overload central areas and they have experienced WSL players who can hurt you. That said, every battle across the pitch matters.
We need to impose ourselves early, as we did in the first 20 minutes at their place earlier in the season. We’re in a better physical and tactical position now to sustain those levels.”
On squad rotation
Q: How important is rotation with fixtures coming thick and fast? Olivia Rafferty (Her Game Her Way)
“Rotation isn’t a major factor for us now. We’re playing one game per weekend until Everton on 22 February, which gives us valuable time on the training pitch to build momentum and consistency.”