Liverpool manager Matt Beard says that Reading boss Kelly Chambers has done an excellent job in keeping her side in the Barclays Women’s Super League for a lengthy period and he has backed The Royals to avoid relegation this year.
The two sides meet at the Select Car Leasing Stadium this evening. Both clubs have endured difficult starts to the season with Reading having collected just three points so far and Liverpool having taken four.
Since coming into the Barclays Women’s Super League in 2016, Reading have rarely been in trouble at the wrong end of the table and Liverpool boss Beard feels that the Berkshire club will have enough to avoid relegation this season.
“Kelly (Chambers) does a great job year in, year out – they always find a way,” Beard said when speaking in the pre-match press conference.
“I know they’ve had a bit of a tough start to the season, they’ve had a few issues. When you lose key personnel, it does have an effect. I think if you look at Manchester City’s start to the season last year, with all the players they had out missing, it had an effect on their season. Where we don’t have big squads and don’t have under-21s or academy players that you can call upon as you do in the men’s game, it does have an effect on you.
“I think they’ve got a great record of staying in the division and a great record of doing well so I’m sure Kelly and Reading will be OK.”
As the home team, Beard believes that the pressure will be on Reading this evening and he wants his own side to pick up from where they left off at Brighton & Hove Albion on Sunday.
He said “Reading have had a bit of an inconsistent start; they’ve been a little bit unlucky with injuries, but the pressure is really on them. They’re the ones at home, they’re the ones that need the points as much as we do. I think if we can perform anywhere near like we did in the second half on Sunday then I think hopefully, we can get three points.”
Liverpool’s latest Barclays Women’s Super League fixture at Reading kicks-off at 7pm.
About The Author
