Liverpool Women could be handed a huge boost ahead of next weekend's Women's Super League clash with Manchester City.
The Reds have endured a tough start to their league campaign, earning just three points from four games with back-to-back defeats against Everton, Tottenham and Arsenal. While Matt Beard's side did well to limit a rampant Arsenal to just two goals in front of a record crowd at Prenton Park on Sunday, their inability to score from open play once again proved costly.
American striker Katie Stengel is the only Liverpool player to register a league goal this season, netting twice from the penalty spot to secure a shock win over last season's champions, Chelsea, on the opening day of the campaign. The momentous victory was somewhat marred by an injury to Republic of Ireland international Leanne Kiernan, who scored 14 goals last term and was named the club's player of the season as the Reds returned to the top flight of the women's game.
READ MORE: Liverpool dealt third straight league defeat as Arsenal dominate in front of record crowd
READ MORE: Liverpool pulled off unlikely transfer coup they couldn't afford to get wrong
Kiernan joined an injury list which also features marquee summer signing Shanice Van de Sanden, who has been ruled out following an achilles injury sustained last month. The Netherlands international joined Liverpool for a second spell in July, having previously represented the Reds in 2016 and 2017.
After leaving Merseyside, Van de Sanden won three UEFA Women’s Champions Leagues, three French titles and two French cups with French side Lyon, before going on to represent German champions VfL Wolfsburg. And Matt Beard has confirmed the Dutch winger is back in training and could be in contention next weekend.
Speaking after Sunday's defeat, Beard said: "The great thing for us is we’ve got Shanice who’s chomping at the bit now to get back in. She got through training unscathed on Friday, done a bit more (on Sunday) so hopefully she’ll be back in team training next week.
"Maybe (City) will be too soon, maybe she’ll be available for minimal minutes which will be a good change. Imagine we could have brought her off the bench with that pace stretching Arsenal and getting them a little bit deeper.
"We’re hurting at the top end of the pitch at the moment with Leanne’s injury, that was a cruel blow for her to be out for so long but that’s part and parcel of the game, you’ve got to adapt and adjust and keep moving forward.”
Reflecting on the impact van de Sanden's return could have on the squad, Beard said: “She’s a great character in the dressing room and on the pitch. She’ll give us another dimension. I’ve seen it with Nicole Rolser here. Once players like that get on the pitch, you just see players drop off and it starts to create space in other areas of the pitch so we’re looking forward to getting her back.”
READ NEXT:
