InterviewCeri Holland on Man Utd showdown, Prenton Park farewell and St Helens move
Ceri Holland has shared the collective desire of Liverpool FC Women to give everything they have got in their Prenton Park farewell when they host Manchester United on Sunday.
With two games remaining this season, Matt Beard’s side enter the Barclays Women’s Super League encounter level on points with United, who are ahead of the Reds only on goal difference in the battle for a top-four spot.
Sunday is the final home match of the 2023-24 campaign and also sees the team bid farewell to Prenton Park, following Friday’s news that they will move to St Helens from next season.
The Reds will head into the 2pm BST kick-off in high spirits following Wednesday evening’s dramatic 4-3 win over Chelsea.
Wales international Holland was one of the star performers on the night against the Blues, providing a brilliant assist for Leanne Kiernan’s goal.
Read on as the No.18 reflects with Liverpoolfc.com on an encouraging night in midweek, the top-four race in the WSL, and next season’s move to St Helens…
On Wednesday’s thrilling win over Chelsea…
I think it was the type of game that you want to play in and obviously to be on the winning side of it was a fantastic night for us and all of our fans. To go 1-0 down and come in at half-time 1-0 down [but still win], I think it showed that we have got resilience. It was very end-to-end, it was like a basketball game at times but it was exciting, an exciting night.
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Watch on YouTubeOn Gemma Bonner netting a dramatic winner on her 150th appearance for the club…
[It was] really special for her and I’m really, really happy for Gemma. She is a true professional and she deserved that goal.
On Marie Höbinger becoming the first player in WSL history to get a hat-trick of assists from corners…
It shows the quality that she’s got. We have known that she has got that quality from her set-plays and she showed that the other night. All three deliveries for the goals were fantastic and I was really happy for her to get that recognition. Marie is fantastic to play alongside, she is technically so gifted and she can see passes that some of us can’t. She has been a fantastic addition to the squad.
On how happy she was to get an assist with a superb pass for Kiernan’s goal…
I was delighted. To have it from my left foot as well is pretty cool! It was a great run from Leanne and it was fantastic she could finish it off, so I was really happy for her. She deserved that goal.
On Sophie Roman Haug’s aerial ability and the different dynamic it gives the team…
She is fantastic what she can offer aerially. It’s obviously quite difficult for the opposition to deal with and the other night against Chelsea I think she won every single header against two world-class centre-backs as well. It’s really special to have her in the team. We are anticipating Sophie is going to win the headers and we are making the runs in behind. She was fantastic the other night.
On the outstanding display of Mia Enderby in attack against England star Millie Bright…
For 18 years of age I think the talent she has is really special. She is absolute raw talent and I think it’s really good to see her having that confidence now to go at players and she gave the Chelsea defenders a difficult night. I’m really happy for her.
On the challenge posed by Manchester United…
[It’s] another big game for us, we are chasing that fourth spot and after the result the other night we have to continue that momentum. We need to put in another really good performance this weekend and hopefully get the three points again.
On what it would mean to the team if they could finish in the top four…
I think it would be really special and it would top off the season well. We can’t take away that we have done really well this season but we know that there is still so much to do, and to finish in the top four would be fantastic for the football club and for us as a group, so that’s the sole focus at the moment.
On beating United 2-1 away from home earlier in the season…
That was a special day at Leigh. We’ve got the confidence from the win over Chelsea and we will go and put in a good performance.
On the game being their last one at Prenton Park and the memories they will take as a team…
We have made Prenton Park a really hard place to come at times for the opposition and the atmosphere that we have created there has been really special with our fans. Hopefully those fans will follow us to St Helens, hopefully then get more fans in through the doors and create a good fanbase next season.
On the move to the St Helens Stadium from 2024-25…
It shows the positive direction of the football club and the investment that we are putting in. It’s a really positive move, the fact we will have our own changing rooms, there is a new pitch, hopefully it will be a really special place for us over the coming years.