This would possibly simply be the spark Liverpool wanted.
After going 12 Ladies’s Tremendous League video games with no win and sitting backside of the desk with simply 4 factors, there was little pleasure for the Reds this season.
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A within the League Cup quarter-finals final month felt just like the membership hitting all-time low with restoration a distant prospect.
However Sunday’s Ladies’s FA Cup fourth‑spherical victory over fourth-tier London Bees lastly supplied a second of sunshine in a marketing campaign that has felt extraordinarily bleak.
A lot to the delight of supervisor Gareth Taylor, there have been 5 completely different gamers on the scoresheet within the 6-0 demolition of the Bees – together with three new signings.
Midfielder Denise O’Sullivan opened the scoring lower than a day after becoming a member of from American facet North Carolina Braveness whereas striker Martha Thomas, additionally introduced herself in type with a headed objective on her debut.
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Alice Bergstrom, who joined from Hacken earlier this month, then scored twice in two second-half minutes to seal their first victory since a 4-1 win at Sheffield United within the League Cup on 22 November.
Whereas new signings stole the headlines, 16‑12 months‑previous Mazie Trueman delivered one other second to savour for Liverpool by changing into their youngest-ever participant.
January arrivals shine as Trueman exhibits promise
16-year-old Maizie Trueman (left) with Liverpool team-mate Neve McDonald, 18 [Getty Images]
The FA Cup victory was proof that Liverpool’s January signings are able to shifting the temper across the membership, with the pedigree of their new arrivals on show in opposition to the Nationwide League Division One South East facet.
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O’Sullivan, who has performed 128 instances for the Republic of Eire, gained two NWSL Championship titles and three NWSL Shields with the Braveness whereas additionally lifting the NWSL Problem Cup in 2022 and 2023.
“Liverpool is a large membership and if you be a part of a membership as huge as Liverpool, it comes with huge accountability,” she mentioned after signing.
“I wish to assist this workforce and it is necessary to get outcomes and that is what I am right here for, to have an effect.”
Thomas, in the meantime, has confirmed WSL expertise with the 29‑12 months‑previous Scotland worldwide scoring 13 targets in 66 appearances for Tottenham.
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“I do know of Gareth from his time at Manchester Metropolis and understand how good a coach he’s,” mentioned Thomas earlier than the FA Cup tie.
“That drew me and in addition to play beneath a coach who’s an ex-striker drew me. Aside from the draw of being a Liverpool fan, that is what introduced me right here.”
The Reds have additionally strengthened in key areas with fellow January additions Anna Josendal, Jennifer Falk and Bergstrom as they put together for a vital second half of the season.
“[Josendal] goes to be a superb signing for us however she’s bought an damage, so goes to overlook the following couple of weeks,” Taylor mentioned after the sport.
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“The faster we will get her again within the workforce [the better].”
However on a day when the senior recruits delivered, Trueman supplied one other carry.
At simply 16 years and 88 days, the midfielder turned the youngest participant in Liverpool’s historical past, surpassing Lucy Parry’s earlier report of 16 years and 150 days.
{The teenager} thought she had scored when she fired dwelling a volley from shut vary just for it to be dominated out for offside whereas on one other event, Bees goalkeeper Tia Ginn denied her a dream debut.
Trueman comes from a footballing household together with her brothers additionally a part of the membership’s academy. Ben is a midfielder who performs for Liverpool U21s and Reece is a goalkeeper coach.
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“We like Maizie and we all know she’s very younger,” the Liverpool supervisor mentioned.
“She’s educated with the primary workforce loads this season and we simply felt it was a recreation for her. It seemed prefer it was actually becoming for her to have the ability to make her first begin.”
Can they flip cup delight to WSL survival?
Alice Bergstrom (left) and Martha Thomas signed for Liverpool this month [Getty Images]
Taylor will know the true check, in fact, lies within the WSL.
His winless Reds stay beneath relegation risk however with new signings firing, younger academy expertise shining and a cup win that may inject some much-needed confidence into the squad, Liverpool may need the springboard to mount a real survival push.
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“We have nonetheless bought a little bit bit of labor to do within the window,” Taylor mentioned.
“I feel [the signings were] wanted final summer season however at that time we could not make the strikes we needed to and we needed to wait till now to do this.”
With 10 video games left, West Ham are just one level above them, whereas Everton and Leicester at 4 and 5 factors higher off are inside touching distance.
Taylor’s facet will subsequent welcome in-form Tottenham on 25 January earlier than a visit to Manchester United on 1 February.
[BBC]
Ben Haines, Ellen White and Jen Beattie are again for an additional season of the Ladies’s Soccer Weekly podcast. New episodes drop each Tuesday on BBC Sounds, plus discover interviews and further content material from the Ladies’s Tremendous League and past on the