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Photo by Naomi Baker/Getty Images
Despite the final day defeat, Liverpool have had a successful season.
Nobody wants to see Liverpool lose to Manchester United, especially since that meant possibly helping them win the WSL title on the last day of the season. Thankfully, that nightmare scenario didn’t play out on Saturday, but Liverpool did allow one goal to Manchester United in their final clash.
Final of the season, that is, because despite the loss, Liverpool have had a successful return to the WSL after two seasons in the Championship. The Reds finished off the campaign in seventh place out of 12. For a newly promoted team, the main concern in their first season in a higher league is just staying up. Finishing solidly mid-table the way that Liverpool did sets the groundwork for continued growth, since they’ll be able to lure in better players.
Liverpool won their first match of the season against title winners Chelsea, but for a while after that, things looked bleak. They had to adjust not only to playing in the top tier once again, but doing it without the help of their talisman and top goalscorer Leanne Kiernan, who sustained a season-ending injury in that opening game.
They leveled out as the season went on, though, and some timely winter additions helped Matt Beard’s team to finish in a really good place.
All of which to say, things could have been worse in the 72nd minute of Saturday’s match when Lucía García put the game’s only goal past Rachael Laws in front of the home crowd at Prenton Park. The Reds were, frankly, pretty lucky to still have 11 players on the pitch by then after a bad challenge from Ceri Holland.
But when the final whistle blew on this season, I think the overwhelming feeling from fans is satisfaction in a job well done from the Reds and anticipation for what’s to come.
