Brian Sorensen has acknowledged that Everton Women are not where they want to be in the WSL but insists that his side are working hard and results will come.
Games against Aston Villa and WSL leaders Manchester City have seen an upturn in performances, but have yielded just a solitary point from a possible six, something that is further exacerbated by home defeats earlier in the season which came about thanks to slow, pedestrian starts made by the team, while certain formations have not always worked.
The Blues travel to West Ham United on Sunday in search of a first league win since the opening day of the season, but the task has become tougher as Sorensen announced a number of injury concerns.
Kelly Gago pulled out of training with a hamstring injury on Wednesday and is currently rated 50/50. The in-form striker has four goals in her last three games for the Blues, and the Dane will be praying for all his worth that the 26-year-old is available for the weekend.
Maz Pacheco is out with an ankle injury. The full-back is still in a boot, with no return date yet known.
LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - OCTOBER 19: Mayumi Pacheco of Everton scores the team’s winning penalty in the penalty shoot out during the Subway Women’s League Cup match between Everton and Nottingham Forest at Goodison Park on October 19, 2025 in Liverpool, England. (Photo by Kate McShane/Getty Images)
LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - OCTOBER 19: Mayumi Pacheco of Everton scores the team’s winning penalty in the penalty shoot out during the Subway Women’s League Cup match between Everton and Nottingham Forest at Goodison Park on October 19, 2025 in Liverpool, England. (Photo by Kate McShane/Getty Images)
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Elise Stenevik is also sidelined until after Christmas after the defender picked up a knock against Villa, further adding to the Toffees’ defensive woes.
More positive news on Courtney Brosnan, though, who is progressing on the training pitch, as is Aurora Galli, but neither are in contention for the trip to the capital.
But Sorensen has to remain focused on a game he simply can’t lose, particularly with a December schedule that features games against both Arsenal and Chelsea.
“We are not where we want to be,” he said. “The progress has been good, results-wise not, but I can see the team is believing in what we are doing and are working extremely hard.
”It will come.
”We are where we are and we have to keep grinding out some wins.”
The Opposition
With just one draw and seven defeats in the league so far, West Ham are rooted at the foot of the WSL, level with Liverpool on points but with an inferior goal difference.
The league’s lowest scorers and leakiest defence, Skinner’s side solitary point and performance against Leicester City will have given the team confidence, but the Hammers are fortunate that the current plight of Everton’s city rivals has meant that they aren’t completely adrift at the foot of the table.
Sorensen is not taking Rehanne Skinner’s team lightly though, and feels their form and level of performance is not too dissimilar to the Toffees.
“[West Ham are] Very similar to us, it is small margins to get a win,” he said.
”They should’ve won against Leicester on the weekend, we should’ve won against Leicester earlier in the season.
”It is fine margins. They will do everything they can to get a win, we will do the same.”
Sorensen will be well aware that should his side lose at Chigwell Construction Stadium on Sunday, they will find themselves just one point ahead of the East London outfit.
For West Ham to do that, however, they will have to improve on the fact that Shekiera Martinez is the only West Ham player to have found the net from open play in the WSL so far.
Skinner will be looking to experienced France international striker Viviane Asseyi to step up in front of goal, and with more than 60 caps for her country, the 31-year-old is a player Sorensen knows is capable of hurting Everton and one the head coach will instruct his defence to watch closely.
Previous Meetings
It was the Martinez/Asseyi show in last season’s fixture as the hosts ran out 2-0 winners in London, with the two sides playing out a 1-1 draw at Walton Hall Park earlier in the campaign.
The Toffees would fare better in the 2023/24 season though, grinding out a hard-fought win in the capital courtesy of a second half goal from Sara Holmgaard, which earned Everton a league double over the Hammers, after the Blues left it late on Merseyside to claim a 2-0 victory thanks to strikes from Martina Piemonte and Galli.
LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - FEBRUARY 18: Aurora Galli of Everton scores her team’s second goal during the Barclays Women’s Super League match between Everton FC and West Ham United at Walton Hall Park on February 18, 2024 in Liverpool, England. (Photo by Gary Oakley/Getty Images)
LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - FEBRUARY 18: Aurora Galli of Everton scores her team’s second goal during the Barclays Women’s Super League match between Everton FC and West Ham United at Walton Hall Park on February 18, 2024 in Liverpool, England. (Photo by Gary Oakley/Getty Images)
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With 11 goals scored this season (the best in the bottom half of the WSL) Sorensen will need his side to take their chances when they come, or run the risk of being pulled even further towards the bottom of the table.
And if Gago doesn’t make it, he will be relying on another to make a name for herself in the scoring stakes.
Everton Women take on West Ham United at Chigwell Construction Stadium on Sunday, 16 November, at 12pm GMT (7am ET, 4am PT).