Scott Phelan spoke to reporters ahead of the Merseyside derby FA Cup clash with his side having enjoyed a good run against Liverpool
Ornella Vignola of Everton (C) celebrates scoring her team's first goal with teammates during the Barclays Women's Super League match between Liverpool and Everton at Anfield on September 7, 2025. Photo by Jess Hornby - WSL/WSL Football via Getty Images
Ornella Vignola of Everton (C) celebrates scoring her team's first goal with teammates during the Barclays Women's Super League match between Liverpool and Everton at Anfield on September 7, 2025. Photo by Jess Hornby - WSL/WSL Football via Getty Images
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Interim Everton Women manager Scott Phelan believes his team must put aside their recent success against Liverpool when the clubs face each other at the weekend.
Phelan’s Blues will travel to the St Helens Stadium for an FA Cup fifth round tie having won their last two Merseyside derbies and having lost just one of their last five games against their city rivals. Everton hammered Liverpool 4-1 at Anfield on the opening weekend of this season’s Women’s Super League.
Those results must be put to the back of his players’ minds though, according to Phelan, as he looks to deliver a fourth consecutive win for the side and a third in a row under his stewardship.
Asked why he believed Everton Women had enjoyed such recent dominance in this fixture, he said: “I don't know, probably because we've got good players and some of the performances that we've had have been really strong in terms of the results. Now that doesn't mean too much going into the weekend of course because we'd be really, really naïve to look back at previous results and expect anything less than a tough challenge at the weekend… [this is a] blank slate and we are expecting a tough game at the weekend.”
Everton Women enter the fixture off the back of wins over Aston Villa, London City Lionesses and West Ham United. The first, against Villa, was not enough to save the job of former manager Brian Sorensen but was the first in a run of results that have seen the club surge clear of the relegation battle.
The same cannot be said of Liverpool, who sit just one point clear of bottom club Leicester City and have played an additional game. Phelan said the FA Cup was “really important” to him and his side and accepted a cup run could be a route to some big occasions before the end of the season.
He added: “There's a little bit of history with the club in terms of the FA Cup in previous years and it would be amazing if some of the current squad could have those types of memories that they can keep with them for the rest of the season.
“Cups can obviously bring a different distraction than what the league brings and hopefully we can experience some nice moments. It was something that we highlighted again when I first came in - it might make sure that there's some really good moments to enjoy between now and the end of the season and hopefully that can start at the weekend.”
Phelan said his priority when he took over from Sorensen was to instil a winning mentality and he said nothing had changed despite recent success. He has taken genuine pride from the way the squad has responded to him, too.
He said: “We couldn't have asked for more, the results are easy to note and suggest good things are going on, but actually the day-to-day work has been just as impressive. The application from the players and the support we've received from the staff has been amazing and the fact that we've won two games obviously helps the mood as well, but the day to day has just been as impressive in my mind as the matchday has, so hopefully we can keep pushing each other and keep moving forward.”
Everton Women will face Liverpool Women at 4.30pm on Sunday. Tickets are availablehere