History means nothing when derby day arrives, insists Everton manager
Everton boss Brian Sorensen knows previous Merseyside derby results will count for little when his side face Liverpool in the Women’s Super League at Goodison Park today.
The Toffees have won three out of the last four WSL meetings with the Reds – including a 1-0 victory at Anfield earlier in the season.
“Everything that happened before doesn’t really count,” said Sorensen, whose side are ninth in the table after suffering five defeats in the past six WSL games.
“It still comes down to the day. We need to get our stuff right and perform and then I think we have a good chance of winning.”
Liverpool have won their last three league matches, but manager Matt Beard wants his team to ignore any derby hype.
“Regardless of whether they are on a poor run and we are on a good run, it doesn’t make any difference,” he said.
“It is who can handle the pressure and the atmosphere on the day of the Merseyside derby.”
Chelsea boss Emma Hayes will look to continue momentum as her titlechasers head to strugglers West Ham.
The Blues recorded a 3-0 win away to Ajax in the first leg of their Women’s Champions League quarter-final tie on Tuesday night, and are set to face Arsenal in the League Cup final at Molineux on Easter Sunday.
“I don’t want to be looking back with any regrets, so it is on to the next one,” said Hayes, whose side are also through to the FA Cup semi-finals. “I quite enjoy this business end to the season.”
Arsenal travel to Aston Villa for today’s 6.45pm kick-off aiming to put last week’s 3-1 defeat at Stamford Bridge behind them.
“You need to shift the mindset,” Gunners boss Jonas Eidevall said.
“Once you learn what you need to learn, you start looking forward and that is what we have been doing.”
Villa manager Carla Ward is expecting a response from Arsenal, who beat her side 4-0 in their League Cup semi-final at the start of March.
“It is the worst time to play them – they will be hurting,” she said.
Tottenham will again be without injured Scotland forward Martha Thomas and keeper Barbora Votikova, who suffered a concussion in training, when they travel to bottom club Bristol City, but vice-captain Molly Bartrip is expected to return after illness.
Elsewhere, FA Cup semi-finalists Leicester host Brighton at the King Power Stadium looking to end a run of successive league defeats.
Meanwhile, Sunderland forward Mary McAteer admitted it would be an “unbelievable experience” if the club earned promotion to the Women’s Super League.
The Black Cats sit top of the Championship table with 34 points going into the final four games of the season, but the race for promotion remains incredibly close.
Several teams are still in the running as Crystal Palace, Southampton and Charlton all sit just a point behind the Wearside outfit, while Birmingham are three points further back.
But McAteer said: “I think it’s where the club belongs and as a group of players, it would mean the world tous,todoittogetherwouldbean unbelievable experience.”
Sunderland’s final stretch kicks off with a huge clash against local rivals Durham.
Skipper Sarah Wilson said: “It’s exciting, there’s been a lot of hype around it and I think the past couple of years, the derbies are growing so it’s a good one.
“We’re all looking forward to it.” McAteer, who joined Sunderland last summer, added: “I absolutely can’t wait, we’re all buzzing, we have been all week.
“I know every game’s important for us but being a derby, there’s always a little bit something extra so we’re really excited for it.”