InterviewGareth Taylor's Merseyside derby preview: 'What an opener – and a great opportunity'

Appointed as the team’s new head coach last month, Taylor will lead his side into the 2025-26 Barclays Women’s Super League season in special circumstances on Sunday.

Everton will take the short trip to the iconic stadium for a lunchtime kick-off (12pm BST) that the boss sees as an exciting challenge to begin the new campaign.

“It’s great. I thought it was [a] fantastic [way to start],” Taylor told Liverpoolfc.com, speaking at a Q&A event with supporters at Anfield on Tuesday.

“After that we play two away fixtures. I think to start at Anfield is top-class. What a season-opener that is, to start on TV against your rivals.

“It’s a really good opportunity for us to make a good start, and I think take away the result, regardless of what happens I think what we want to do is put on a good performance. Obviously by doing that it gives us a much-improved opportunity to win the game.

“Of course, we’re not expecting it to be a free-flowing game. We know what derbies are like, they’re tense. There’s very little constructive football played, I would say. It’s a bit more about passion and endeavour and hard work.

“One thing I will say about this group of players is they’re incredibly hard-working and they’re very passionate about playing for this football club. I think that’s huge.

“We’re all supremely proud to be here representing the club and on derby day we really want to do it for our supporters.”

While the squad have regularly run out at Anfield for fixtures in recent seasons, the occasion is set to be a particularly special first for Taylor himself.

And he hopes to extend a positive personal record against the Blues as a manager, having won eight of his previous nine WSL matches in opposition.

“It will be [special]. There’s no denying that,” said the 52-year-old. “One of the big pulls in coming here was these type of moments to work for a club that is steeped in history.

“I certainly think when I come to the end of my coaching career or my days, I will certainly look back on that with pride in the clubs I represented as a player but also as a head coach.

“Liverpool is just such a dream for me. To be here in this moment and to have an opportunity is just sensational and I’ll be really proud on Sunday and I’ll continue to be proud throughout the whole season.

“It’s a nice record to have [against Everton] but it’s one that probably doesn’t apply to this job! Sometimes you have performances against teams where you get the result you require and sometimes you don’t get the result.

“I think it’s all about how can we progress forward and how can we start to see some of the things we saw in pre-season, some of the positive things, and can we see that in the game on Sunday and can we use what we’re good at?

“We want to become one of the best pressing teams in Europe. I know that’s really subjective but for us it’s something we have got to work on and build on to play fast attacking football, as well as also being a team that is able to get the ball back really quickly.”

Taylor has now been in position for almost a month, with Liverpool contesting five pre-season friendlies as part of their preparations since.

A 1-0 victory away at Birmingham City last weekend followed a mini-training camp in Cork for the players as sights are now firmly focused on the real action ahead.

“We’ve covered a lot,” said Taylor. “The players have been sensational. People have been great and they’ve really helped to hit the ground running.

“We’re also a few days out from the transfer window [deadline], which is always a tense time. Teams are trying to strengthen and get ready for the season.

“We would’ve liked a little bit longer in the pre-season but I think the things we have done so far have been really good. The players have been really receptive to trying new things.

“But we’re kind of at the start of a new project and it’s exciting but also there’s a lot of work to be done.”

• Get your tickets for Sunday's derby at Anfield here