Liverpool LFC Women shine in preseason against Blackburn

It was the Reds' second warm-up fixture of the summer and new recruits Eartha Cumings, Emma Koivisto, Gilly Flaherty and the returning Shanice van de Sanden all featured for the first time on home turf. Yana Daniels netted twice in the contest, while Katie Stengel also got on the scoresheet.

"I'm pleased as I thought it was a good performance and we got better as the game went on," Beard told. "Some of our play was exceptional and it's just fine-tuning a little bit in the final third.

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"Yana did very well and deserved her two goals. Her first one was a great header, a great area and we've worked really hard on that - getting good deliveries into the right areas. "It was great to give our new players their first games at Prenton Park too. We are only two games into pre-season and I've been really pleased, we are only going to get better and grow in confidence."

A crowd of 1,126 was present to support Beard's outfit ahead of the new Barclays Women's Super League campaign, which kicks off next month.

"It's brilliant," said the boss.

"We saw the fanbase grow week by week over the course of last season and with the Euros and the buzz around England winning it, it had a big effect today, so I'm really pleased with the turnout."

The Reds have four pre-season games left to play before they get 2022-23 under way with a trip to Reading on Sunday September 11.

Beard added: "We've got a really tough start, there's no easy games, let's be honest, but we've got a really good group here and we are really looking forward to it."