Liverpool midfielder explains WSL challenge as 'most competitive' claim made

Liverpool midfielder Ceri Holland believes this season will be the "most competitive" in Women's Super League (WSL) history and is relishing the chance to build on the Reds' eye-catching 2023/24 campaign. Matt Beard's side defied expectation to finish fourth in the division last term, six points clear of bitter rivals Manchester United. Holland featured in 19 of Liverpool's 22 WSL games, cementing herself as one of the club's most reliable performers.

And, with the start of the new season fast approaching, the 26-year-old is embracing the challenge of bettering last season's excellent showing, with the Reds looking to close the gap on the league's top three. "We’re very aware that it’s going to be a tough season," she tells the ECHO.

"Every team, including ourselves, has improved their squad, and the transfer windows are getting bigger and bigger in terms of the amount of money being spent, but that’s what we want, and that’s the direction that we want the game to go in. We’ve not had too much change this summer, so we feel quite settled, and we were really ready to kick off this season.

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"Having this facility at Melwood, it’s world-class and having this to come into every day makes coming to work very nice. We’ve really been able to take advantage of the facilities here, we’ve got everything that we need here so there’s really no excuses."

Liverpool have recruited shrewdly in the summer market, breaking their transfer record to sign Canada prodigy Olivia Smith from Sporting CP as well as bolstering their squad depth with the additions of forward Cornelia Kapocs and defender Gemma Evans. "I think the new girls have settled in really well," Holland says.

"It’s nice to have another Welshie in the building with Gemma, although I’ve been getting a bit of stick because she’s got a proper Welsh accent and I haven’t! But we’re a really close team with a really close-knit bond and we’re really looking forward to the season now."

Key to Liverpool's impressive points haul last season was their impressive start to the campaign, with Beard's side losing just one of their first five WSL games. And Holland believes emulating that strong start will be integral to ensuring the Reds achieve their ambitions this term.

"I think it will be the most competitive season yet," she says. "I think every week now you have no idea who’s going to win so starting off really well will be really important for us. We need to try and get as many points on the board as early as we can and then go from there.

"I remember setting our goals in pre-season last year and the number of points we wanted to pick up by Christmas. We set the bar very high but being able to reach that was really impressive so we want to have that mindset again this season. When you’re able to get the points on the board early it takes a little bit of pressure off."

Liverpool will kick off their new campaign against Leicester City on September 22, with the Reds set to embark on a new era at St Helens Stadium, having ended their tenure at Tranmere Rovers' Prenton Park at the end of last season. Before the real business gets underway, though, supporters will get the chance to see Beard's side in pre-season action at their new home this weekend as they host Everton in a friendly on Sunday afternoon.

"I’m really excited," Holland says. "It’s exciting to be moving into our new home in St Helens. We haven’t been there yet so it will be nice to see it and get the fans in. Hopefully we can make it a place where teams struggle to come.

"I know the club are doing a lot of work to ensure we can build a big fan base which is really exciting for us as players. I think it’s a really positive step for us."

Liverpool Women will host Everton Women in a friendly at St Helens Stadium at 2pm on Sunday, September 15. You can buy tickets here.