Scott Phelan has praised his squad ahead of Everton Women’s Adobe Women’s FA Cup clash with Merseyside rivals Liverpool, while playing down his early form of interim head coach of the Blues, insisting that his team’s togetherness and strong foundations will help the Toffees move forward.
With no fresh injury concerns ahead of his team’s trip to St. Helens, one wouldn’t bet against the boss naming an unchanged XI from the side that came out on top in their last three outings against Aston Villa, London City Lionesses and West Ham United, the latter two also seeing the Blues register two clean sheets.
And the change in defensive strength is something that Phelan is pleased about, and has praised his players for doing what has been asked of them.
“Clean sheets aren’t something that we have kept often. We won the last two games and didn’t concede which is really good,” he said.
“The organisation, effort and togetherness that the players have shown is really good.”
LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - FEBRUARY 15: Honoka Hayashi of Everton celebrates scoring her team’s first goal with her teammates during the Barclays Women’s Super League match between Everton and West Ham United at Goodison Park on February 15, 2026 in Liverpool, England. (Photo by Jess Hornby - WSL/WSL Football via Getty Images)
LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - FEBRUARY 15: Honoka Hayashi of Everton celebrates scoring her team’s first goal with her teammates during the Barclays Women’s Super League match between Everton and West Ham United at Goodison Park on February 15, 2026 in Liverpool, England. (Photo by Jess Hornby - WSL/WSL Football via Getty Images)
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“It is very much early days. The fact that the players have responded quickly to what we have asked them, is a credit to them.
“That togetherness will always help us guide a way through. They are strong foundations to move forward with.”
With a clash against their city rivals standing between Everton and a place in the last eight of the competition they last won in 2010, local-born Phelan has stressed the importance of a cup run but knows he has a battle on his hands against Gareth Taylor’s side
“It was something that we highlighted when I first came in, a cup run,” he said.
“We want to win, regardless of whether it’s league or cup. The focus on our group is to perform and represent the club in a way that we expect.
NOTTINGHAM, ENGLAND - MAY 03: Jodie Handley of Everton lifts the trophy after the Final of the FA Womens Cup, Sponsored by E.ON, between Arsenal and Everton at the City Ground on May 3, 2010 in Nottingham, England. (Photo by Clive Mason/Getty Images)
NOTTINGHAM, ENGLAND - MAY 03: Jodie Handley of Everton lifts the trophy after the Final of the FA Womens Cup, Sponsored by E.ON, between Arsenal and Everton at the City Ground on May 3, 2010 in Nottingham, England. (Photo by Clive Mason/Getty Images)
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“We have got a tough game on the weekend. We want to qualify for the next round of this competition. We would be naive to look back at previous results and expect anything less than the performances we gave then.”
The Opposition
Sofie Lundgaard will be absent from the weekend with the midfielder recovering from surgery, but forward Anna Josendal may play some part in the derby, a game that could define both clubs’ seasons due to a number of all-WSL fifth round ties meaning the next round will be wide open.
But while the Toffees have managed to pull clear of the relegation dogfight with three wins in their last three, the Reds sit just one point above the dropzone, although they have won two of their last four.
And Liverpool had no issue in the previous round, plundering six away at London Bees to set up the tie with their Merseyside rivals.
That fixture aside, goals have been hard to come by, with Taylor’s team only outscoring bottom club Leicester City in the WSL, although they have found their scoring boots in the league at times, as Aston Villa found out in earlier this month when they were on the end of a 4-1 drubbing.
Previous Meetings
Despite Liverpool’s league woes, this weekend’s hosts did best the Blues 2-1 when the sides last met in the competition in March 2017, although it was Everton who were victorious in the only other FA Cup meeting between the sides, three years earlier.
But Liverpool will still be trying to forget opening day of the season when Ornella Vignola marked her WSL debut with a hattrick at Anfield, as the Blues extended their unbeaten league run over their neighbours to eight games.
LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - SEPTEMBER 07: Ornella Vignola of Everton scores her team’s fourth goal during the Barclays Women’s Super League match between Liverpool and Everton at Anfield on September 07, 2025 in Liverpool, England. (Photo by Carl Recine/Getty Images)
LIVERPOOL, ENGLAND - SEPTEMBER 07: Ornella Vignola of Everton scores her team’s fourth goal during the Barclays Women’s Super League match between Liverpool and Everton at Anfield on September 07, 2025 in Liverpool, England. (Photo by Carl Recine/Getty Images)
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It is often said, however, that in derby games the form book goes out the window, so Phelan will be relying on Everton’s new found rigidness in defence and the ability to take their chances at the other end as it is not just a quarter final place at stake, but also city bragging rights.
Everton Women travel to St Helens Stadium to take on Liverpool on Sunday, 22 February, at 4.30pm GMT (11.30am ET, 8.30am PT).