Interviews

Phillips: We'll recreate positive energy

A win on Sunday against Liverpool could lift Albion up to ninth.

By Heather Miller • 23 April 2023

By Paul Hazlewood
Phillips has all eyes on another win

Women's first team head coach Melissa Phillips wants her team to replicate the energy that led them to victory over Everton on Wednesday night.

A 3-2 win against Brian Sørensen's Toffees secured Albion's first league victory since November in Phillips's second game as head coach.

She said, "Our success measure was to make sure that we built upon the previous performance, we wanted to take all the positives from the match against [Manchester] United at the weekend into the game against Everton.

"It was about recreating that energy and we had a real focus about us going into the match, it was great to see us execute and be the more dominant side in the second half.

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Melissa Phillips's Liverpool press conference

"It's about building on from each game here on out. It's a real credit to the staff and players, they deserved that one and have been through a lot this season."

Albion's first league victory since November was sealed on Wednesday night following a double from Elisabeth Terland and a smart finish from England international Katie Robinson.

A valuable three points moved Phillips's side up to tenth in the Women's Super League, but the American coach insisted that the focus is fully on the squad's performances.

"We're not going to focus on the table, we just want to focus on our own performances and the actions required to get to where we want to be.

"We want to be a competitive team who are really difficult to break down and beat, we were those things on Wednesday night and at the weekend we're going to continue to focus on the belief that has brought us, but also how that belief has turned into action and performances."

By Kyle Hemsley
Katie Robinson has had a great WSL season for Albion, making 28 appearances in all competitions.

Phillips was full of praise for Liverpool having come up against them when she was in charge of London City Lionesses.

"Liverpool are a strong side to play against, they're physical and quite dynamic and direct in their attacking style but the focus will be on ourselves," she said.

"We know the threats that they'll have and what we'll need to be prepared for, we need to make sure that we prioritise our freshness in a three game week and go up there with the same mentality that we went into the last two games with. 

"I'm well versed in playing Liverpool, they've had a great first season back in the WSL and we'll prepare accordingly. We want to build upon our new identity and where we can be even better."