‘One of the best’ – Liverpool manager praised by Arsenal’s four-time winner as Reds look to break their top four dominance

It’s not just the title race that has been hotly contested in the WSL this season.

The race for the top four is proving just as tight this season as old rivals Manchester United and Liverpool battle for fourth place.

7

The two teams face off in a match that could determine their shared destiny this season on Sunday, May 5.

Liverpool are coming off a seven-goal thriller against reigning WSL champions Chelsea, in which they beat Emma Hayes’ side 4-3, finally taking the title out of the Blues’ hands.

But more importantly for Liverpool, the result moved them level on points with fourth-placed Man United, only behind on goal difference.

No team other than Arsenal, Man City, Chelsea or Man United has finished in the top four since 2019 – the year after Man United’s women’s team was reformed.

That means the fight for the coveted fourth place could hinge on the outcome of this encounter – and much of that battle could well come down to the management styles of United boss Marc Skinner and Liverpool boss Matt Beard.

Arsenal legend Gilly Flaherty was part of the team that won the historic and unrivaled English quadruple in the 2006/07 season.

When asked which managers brought out the best in her during her career, Flaherty reflected on the qualities that stood out to him the most.

She told talkSPORT’s women’s football show: “All I ever wanted from a manager was honesty. Honesty and feeling valued at a club.”

7

Flaherty played for various managers during a 17-year professional career which saw her sign for Arsenal, Chelsea, West Ham and Liverpool.

But she singled out as a particular favorite a manager under whom she had played at several clubs.

She added: “One of the best managers I’ve played with is Matt Beard. He knows when to put an arm around you, he knows – especially to me – when to say ‘this isn’t good enough, I ‘need more.’ of you’.

“But he just got the best out of me. That’s why I say it’s only fitting that I end my career playing for him again.

“Because in all honesty, I wouldn’t have wanted to retire under anyone else.”

Flaherty retired in 2023 after helping Liverpool finish seventh in the WSL in his only season at the club.

But her season with the Reds wasn’t the first time she was managed by Beard.

Flaherty also overlapped with Beard for one season at Chelsea in 2014/15 and for two further seasons at West Ham from 2018 to 2020.

7

7

7

There is no doubt that Beard has engineered a revolution at Liverpool, particularly over the last season.

For a team that was relegated from the WSL in 2020, their revival has been remarkable and it’s no longer such a crazy idea to think they could soon return to the heights that saw them win back-to-back WSL titles in 2013 and 2014.

The good news for Liverpool fans is that with a manager like Beard at the helm, this exceptional season will likely only be the beginning.

Speaking after their win over Chelsea, he reflected on what this season has meant to the club.

“We have made enormous progress,” he said. “We decided to recruit young and I feel like the team has grown together. What’s exciting for me is that the team will only get better.”

Additionally, the club recently announced that from next season, Liverpool Women will be moving from Prenton Park to St Helen’s Stadium in Merseyside.

The new ground has a capacity of 18,000, slightly more than the current stadium’s capacity of 16,587.

With Liverpool’s women’s attendance increasing in line with the rest of the WSL teams, this represents a significant step forward and the club has stated its intention for the women’s team to also play more matches at Anfield.

7

7

A club statement said: “The new 10-year lease at St Helens demonstrates the club’s long-term commitment to its women’s team and the club’s continued desire to provide players and staff with the best possible facilities, thereby meeting the ambitions of LFC Women and support its continued growth.

You can watch talkSPORT’s women’s football show on Mondays from 7pm on talkSPORT 2.