Liverpool’s manager emphasises the “difference” between the top four as Arsenal gives the Reds a hard lesson.

Liverpool’s meticulously constructed game plan against Arsenal fell apart in the span of nine minutes during the second half.

Matt Beard’s team knew that the Gunners’ visit to Prenton Park would be a demanding afternoon, but with the Reds’ 5-1 loss to Manchester City the previous weekend, it seemed like they had something to prove. The loss at Joie Stadium served as a sobering reminder of the gap that still exists between them and the top teams in the Women’s Super League (WSL).

Liverpool would be able to demonstrate that they are in fact closing that gap if they beat Arsenal, which comes just four months after the team’s opening-day upset at the Emirates in October. However, it was evident what the hosts’ strategy would be as soon as the team sheets were distributed on Sunday afternoon.

Among the unexpected absences from the starting lineup were Marie Hobinger, Sophie Roman Haug, and Emma Koivisto. Beard chose to field a more defensive lineup for the match against Jonas Eidevall’s team. The manager’s rather contentious choice of starting lineup also seemed to be working at first, as the Reds held their title-chasing opponents at bay for almost an hour on Merseyside.

But Arsenal, like most teams vying for titles, eventually found a way. The first player to make an impact on the Liverpool net was Vivianne Miedema, a Dutch international who gave the visitors the lead in the 60th minute with a long-range goal. Nine minutes later, Caitlin Foord ended the Reds’ hopes of securing a point from the match by tapping in an inch-perfect cross from Alessia Russo from close range.

After the game, Beard thought, “We did okay.” “I felt that in the first half, we had the better opportunities to score. To be honest, I felt our box defence was solid, but the goal really turned the tide of the match. Although the attack was excellent, we still need to stop the shot and close down on Miedema more quickly.

“However, they’re an elite team. Enderby’s Mia might have received one in the end. The fact that Grace (Fisk) and Yana (Daniels) both had excellent opportunities has made a difference in the previous two games. We haven’t scored when we have had the opportunity. However, I thought the team played a lot better this week than they did last week. We won’t let these final two games define the season. We’re feeling like we can gain ground in our current run of games, so we’ll build on today’s success and carry it over to next week.”

Beard had good reason to draw attention to the opportunities that begged for his side. When Daniels came within inches of putting Liverpool up on the last play of the half, Fisk had a chance to score from a few yards out, but she failed to do so. But the margins for error are getting smaller and smaller as the WSL gets more and more competitive.

Furthermore, every error and squandered chance is penalised when facing a team as talented as Arsenal. The Reds had to learn it the hard way against Eidevall’s team, who on Sunday showed why they’re a strong contender for the league championship this year. At Prenton Park, with Liverpool trailing 2-0 and in dire need of motivation, Beard finally resorted to his bench

But as the game got closer, none of his four replacements could narrow the deficit, meaning the Reds would lose for the second straight game. “As I’ve always said, I think we’ve closed the gap on the top three with where we are,” the manager of Liverpool remarked.

“If I look at Manchester City last week, they are a team that has been together for one and a half years. For the past six months, we have been working with a group of people that are just starting off. It takes time for it to occur. I think the intensity of this league—players have to prove that in workouts every day and in games every week—is the reason we’ve seen a slight dip in form.

However, that is an inherent aspect of the game. It’s important to recognise that, despite going through a little learning curve, we’re still in a good place. We seem to be where I had anticipated. We’re doing well right now. All we have to do is make sure we go on a run where we regain ground.

This following Saturday, when sixth-place Tottenham Hotspur visits Prenton Park, is the next chance to get back to winning ways. After 12 games, Spurs and Liverpool are tied on points. The two teams have fought it out for the WSL’s unofficial “best of the rest” title throughout the majority of the season.