New Liverpool Women head coach Gareth Taylor saw positives in derby despite 4-1 Women's Super League defeat to Everton on Sunday afternoon
LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - SEPTEMBER 07: Gareth Taylor, Manager of Liverpool, is interviewed after the Barclays Women's Super League match between Liverpool and Everton at Anfield on September 07, 2025 in Liverpool, England. (Photo by Jess Hornby - WSL/WSL Football via Getty Images)
Gareth Taylor, manager of Liverpool, is interviewed after the Women's Super League opening-weekend defeat to Everton at Anfield
(Image: Jess Hornby - WSL/WSL Football via Getty Images)
Gareth Taylor admits Liverpool Women feel "a little bit aggrieved" after Everton ensured a chastening start to his reign as head coach. Despite a dominant first-half performance, the Reds saw an early lead wiped out as the Blues earned a 4-1 win in their Women's Super League derby opener at Anfield on Sunday afternoon.
Everton debutant Ornella Vignola scored a hat-trick and Blues skipper Katja Snoeijs also netted to render an early strike from Liverpool winger Cornelia Kapocs mere consolation.
And new Reds boss Taylor lamented the period either side of half-time in which his team shipped three goals in 11 minutes.
"Games can just get away from you really, really quickly," he said. "My feelings are strange really because I felt in the first half, particularly that first 40 minutes, we were pretty good, probably better than pretty good.
"It was disappointing to concede the (first) goal when we were so dominant, but I felt that the players still then got a grip of the game. We had lots of opportunities, we hit the woodwork a few times.
"There are a lot of things that we need to improve and we need to get better and need to get fitter. The message to the players has been really positive, but we've got to really stick to what we do.
"We've probably felt a little bit aggrieved, but the second half is a more of an even affair where Everton have come into it a lot more feeling that confidence when you're 4-1 up.
"There are a lot of positives, although they won't feel that way for the players at this moment."
Taylor, who was appointed head coach of Liverpool Women early last month, repeated his call for patience as he attempts to remould a squad that saw four new arrivals on Thursday's transfer deadline day.
"We knew we weren't going to be able to come in and affect things really, really quickly," he said. "I was actually probably more surprised in the first half at how well we did play.
"This is not a short-term project but we don't want to receive scorelines like that. I told the players we were outstanding for 44 minutes. It was during the extra four minutes where we had the issue.
"It's going to be important to find a way to adapt until you can get to a point where you can play for 90 minutes the way you want. We are adapting but it's tough.
"We understand at some point that there's going to be a little bit of give because players tend to go back to their old habits a little bit and obviously fitness levels are important as well.
"We're making compromises to what we do and how we want to see the game. I'm fine with that. I'm not crazy enough to think this style that I believe in is going to be like magic straight away. I think it takes time and belief and making errors. It's all part of it, unfortunately."
With regular goalkeeper Rachael Laws injured, Faye Kirby was preferred between the sticks with Academy goalkeeper Heidi Morgan on the bench and summer signing Rafaela Borgraffe not involved.
And on Borgraffe's absence, Taylor added: "We've got an internal situation with the club that is something that we can't comment on any further."