VENUE: Goodison Park
KICK-OFF: Sunday, 14:00
Blues Women’s final game before the first international break sees them make another trip to Goodison Park to face Scott Phelan’s Everton side, who are coming off a Merseyside derby defeat to Liverpool.
Blues also lost to Liverpool in midweek, edged out in a seven-goal thriller, and Amy will be looking for a reaction as we continue our search for a first win of the season.
MATCH PREVIEW
For Amy and her girls, it was late heartbreak on Wednesday night in the Subway Players Cup when a last-minute Natalia Ramos header gave Liverpool a 4-3 win over Blues.
There were plenty of positives going forward, but defensively we looked shaky at the best of times. In particular, when we managed to get ourselves back into the game, it took Liverpool just 60 seconds to equalise.
That is probably the most disappointing thing. Since Amy came to the club, we have always been resolute defensively. Yes, the quality of the opposition has gone up, but some of the goals we are conceding are simply too easy.
Like I said after the Liverpool defeat, I hope Amy is given the time she needs, but she will also know that we need to start turning performances into wins as soon as possible.
For Scott Phelan’s Toffees, they are coming off their first Merseyside derby defeat in five years and, just like us, will be looking for a positive reaction.
Everton currently sit in a positive sixth position in the WSL table. Although some of their performances haven’t quite been up to scratch, I thought they were at their best against West Ham. The Hammers came into that game off the back of an excellent victory over London City Lionesses, but Scott and his team barely gave them a sniff.
A derby against Liverpool is always unpredictable, but Scott and his Everton side, just like Blues, will want to head into the first international break in a positive frame of mind.
PLAYERS TO LOOK OUT FOR
My three Everton players to look out for are:
1\. Yuka Momiki
The obvious first choice is Yuka Momiki, whose brilliant strike against us in our first meeting in the Subway Players Cup helped Everton claim a deserved three points.
She has so much quality both on and off the ball and is definitely capable of being a match-winner in any game of football.
2\. Honoka Hayashi
My second player is another Japan international, Honoka Hayashi, who signed for Everton in July 2024.
She joined the Toffees after a two-year spell with West Ham United, where she made 50 appearances. She is a player who, a bit like Rosa van Gool, always has that bit of quality about her, and Blues will need to be aware of the threat she can pose.
3\. Noémie Mouchon
My third player to look out for is French forward Noémie Mouchon.
She is a very physical player but also has plenty of pace to burn. If selected on Sunday, I think she could be a real threat against Blues and someone our defence will need to keep a close eye on.