LFC WomenMatt Beard: This next run of games will define our season

• Kick-off against Aston Villa at Prenton Park is at 2pm GMT on Sunday. Buy tickets here.

It’s been a tough start to the season for us, no doubt about it with the teams we have come up against.

If I look back on the recent games, Arsenal, we did OK; Tottenham, second half we played very well and got nothing; and to lose 2-1 at Manchester City was gutting really, because I think we deserved a point at least, and I was gutted for the girls as well because I do think we deserved something out of it.

But, unfortunately, they took their chances when they arose, we had two really good chances in the game and didn’t take them. That’s part and parcel of the game but I think we can take a lot of heart from the performance at City.

The key thing and my message now is we have got a run of games between now and Christmas which will define our season.

There will be a little bit of pressure on us. But in saying that, if we perform like we have been in the last two-and-a-half games then I’m sure we will be OK.

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The great thing for us is we have Shanice van de Sanden available again and it was great to get her back out on the pitch with some minutes last Sunday.

Shanice is a great option for us and can make a big difference with her pace. She made an unbelievable recovery for us defensively when Lawsy [Rachael Laws] made that great save. Not only is Shanice a talented player, she is great for the dressing room as well because she is a great person.

She has worked incredibly hard to get back because three or four weeks ago we were unsure when she would be back. She got her head down, worked hard, and our medical team have done a great job so we are really pleased to get her back.

Unfortunately, we lost Ceri Holland in the warm-up before we kicked off against Manchester City. She had a little problem and she felt something at the end of the warm-up right before kick-off.

That was a blow for us because Ceri has been excellent for us but I thought Furney [Rachel Furness] came in and did well, and the players adjusted well and we responded well.

We’ll have to assess Ceri now and see if she can be available for the weekend.

Katie Stengel scored her fourth goal of the season at City and I thought she was immense for us and led the line really well.

Katie is a fantastic talent and she caused them a lot of problems. Alex Greenwood certainly knew she was in a game playing against her, and I was pleased she got on the scoresheet again.

On Sunday we are back at Prenton Park when we host Aston Villa in the WSL and it will be great to get back out in front of our supporters again.

It’s going to be an interesting game. They had a great start to the season and they’ve had a few negative results. Knowing Carla Ward as I do, they will certainly be up for this game and they have got a talented team.

They made a lot of changes in the summer and it takes a little bit of time, probably similar to us a bit, and it’s a game we are looking forward to.

Rachel Daly was a great signing in the summer for Aston Villa. She is scoring goals and we will have to watch her. I managed Rachel at West Ham and you’ve seen what she can do for England and now with Villa.

I was in America with the Boston Breakers when she was playing for Houston so I saw what she did there. She is a fantastic talent, a great player and she is having an outstanding season for Villa.

We’ve got five league games between now and Christmas, plus a couple of Continental Tyres Cup games as well, and we are looking for some consistency and hopefully we can turn these good performances into points.

Thank you for your continued support as always.

YNWA,

Matt

Matt Beard was speaking to Liverpoolfc.com's Steve Hunter

• Kick-off against Aston Villa at Prenton Park is at 2pm GMT on Sunday. Buy tickets here.