24 December 2019

12-days of WSL Christmas: winless Liverpool head into mid-season break perilously close to relegation zone

Over the course of the Christmas period NewsChain is taking an in-depth look at each of the Women's Super League sides' performances so far this season.

Next up it's two-time WSL winners Liverpool who have had a terrible time of it so far this campaign.

Last season: 8th

Current position: 11th

Jepson has a real job on her hands to ensure Liverpool avoid the drop this season (PA Images)

Liverpool are a WSL club with a great deal of history behind them given they have been in the competition since the inaugural season of 2011.

After finishing bottom in 2011 and 2012 (with no relegation places at the time), a rejuvenated Reds won back-to-back league titles in the following two seasons.

But since then they have not finished in the top three in any of the last four full seasons or in the 2016 Summer Series.

And that decline has continued to unfold so far this season as Liverpool prepare to enter 2020 without a win to their name.

The major issue Vicky Jepson and her side have had throughout their run of bad form is a lack of a proven goalscorer.

Liverpool have netted just three times in 10 games, the lowest in the league and have lost seven matches despite conceding only 12 goals.

It was evident from as early as the opening few games when they were beaten by Reading, Tottenham and Manchester United, all without scoring themselves.

A draw with Bristol City got their points tally off the mark, but that was quickly followed by losses to Birmingham, Merseyside rivals Everton at Anfield, and champions Arsenal.

However, in their 1-0 defeats to both the Gunners and Manchester City, a resilience to stand up to even the most fearsome attacking forces in the league seemed to be something to build on.

And they have managed to end the year in slightly more positive form as a couple of goals from Niamh Charles - the only two that Liverpool have netted from open play - meant they finished 2019 with draws against West Ham and Chelsea.

Quite remarkably, despite still waiting for their first win, Jepson's outfit sit outside the bottom spot by virtue of goal difference, so the relegation battle could well go down to the wire.

Liverpool return on January 5 when they travel to Brighton in a huge clash that could prove pivotal in who gets relegated.

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