Liverpool must avoid repeating Man United mistake after transformational season

What a difference a year makes.

It was only 12 months ago that Manchester United condemned Liverpool to their 11th Women's Super League (WSL) defeat of the season at Prenton Park, with Lucia Garcia's strike sealing the points for the high-flying visitors. Though the margin of victory was small, the gulf between the two teams could scarcely have been bigger.

The result ensured Matt Beard's side would finish the campaign 33 points behind their much-vaunted archrivals, who had also beaten them 6-0 in the reverse fixture a few months prior. Fast forward to Sunday afternoon, though, and it was Liverpool who were celebrating in the May sunshine on Merseyside, having beaten United 1-0 thanks to a Jenna Clark header.

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It was no smash and grab either. Though Marc Skinner's side edged the possession, the hosts had dominated in almost every conceivable metric, recording 19 shots to United's 10 and creating double the amount of big chances as their visitors.

That the result saw Liverpool leapfrog their opponents to move up to fourth in the table speaks volumes about the immense progress that has been made at Prenton Park this term. Though there can be no denying United have underperformed in the WSL this season, the fact they now find themselves three points behind Beard's side demonstrates just how impressive Liverpool's second campaign back in the top flight has been.

The Reds' transformation has been so seismic, in fact, that Sunday's triumph was not even their most noteworthy victory of the week. That particular honour was reserved for the last-gasp 4-3 win which had arrived against Chelsea four days prior, providing the upset of the WSL season so far and offering a timely reminder, if one were needed, of Liverpool's burgeoning pedigree.

"I think it comes down to the depth we’ve got in the squad," assistant manager Amber Whiteley - deputising for Beard, who was dismissed against United for his X-rated reaction to a dangerous shove on Emma Koivisto - told club media on Sunday afternoon.

"We have prepared really well for both games. In both games, against Chelsea and in the game today, they have done the fundamentals of things really, really well. Won the battles. Done all the dirty side of the game. Really pleased to take three points from this game as well."

Liverpool's latest brace of victories means they have now picked up 12 out of a possible 24 points against teams in the top five. That is double the tally posted by the Reds against the same opponents last season, with only Arsenal and league leaders Manchester City (both with 16 points) having bettered them in that department this term.

Of course, the reasons for this upturn in form are well-documented. A shrewd summer recruitment drive provided an injection of young, international talent into a squad that was in need of a revamp.

Almost all of those new signings have thrived in a red shirt, with goals from Sophie Roman Haug and Clark, plus a quartet of assists from Marie Hobinger, having played a vital role in Liverpool's victories over Chelsea and United.

Then, there was the move to the AXA Melwood Training Centre: a state-of-the-art facility that is irrefutably far more conducive to success than Tranmere Rovers' Solar Campus, where the Reds trained prior to their switch to West Derby.

Finally, and perhaps most crucially of all, there is Beard - a manager whose brilliance often goes under the radar but who has quietly helped restore at least a semblance of Liverpool's former status and fear-factor.

"What do I say to you all the time?" the Reds boss said to his players in their post-match huddle last Wednesday night. "If you have that belief in yourself and what we can do, this is the end result."

Indeed, Liverpool's end result this season will surely have surprised even the most optimistic of Reds supporters. A point against 10th-place Leicester City on the final day will be enough to guarantee Beard's side a top four finish at the expense of United.

It is a feat that will bring with it no tangible reward - only the WSL's top three secure Champions League qualification - but which constitutes a real statement of intent ahead of a season that should see Liverpool try to scale even greater heights.

Of course, achieving that target is not a given. The Reds don't have to look too hard to find examples of what happens to teams who rest on their laurels after a season of success.

Aston Villa, for instance, defied expectation to finish fifth last term but now find themselves in seventh place after a campaign that has really struggled to ignite. It was a similar story for Tottenham Hotspur who, after finishing fifth in 2021/2022, spent much of last season flirting with relegation.

And then there is United who, in the space of 12 months, have gone from competing for the title to finishing well adrift of the European places. Liverpool will hope to avoid falling into the same trap by finetuning their squad this summer and looking to further enhance the development of their crop of young talent. Beard will also hope his have managed to extract some vital learnings from this season.

Despite notable successes against many of the 'Big Four', dropped points against Everton, West Ham United and relegated Bristol City have prevented what has been an exciting campaign for the Reds from becoming a truly extraordinary one.

With the standard of the WSL increasing year-on-year, the margin for error is narrowing rapidly and the need to make every game - and even every goal - count is becoming increasingly pressing.

Still, when the sun sets on this season, Liverpool will be able to look back on a job well done and will hope that this is just the start of a bright new dawn for a club that should always strive to be mixing with Europe's elite.